Network operating system with topology autodiscovery
First Claim
1. A platform for controlling operation of an agile optical network at the physical layer level, comprising:
- a module level layer comprising a plurality of modules organized as domains for monitoring and controlling operation of all optical modules that make-up said agile optical network, said modules serially connected over an optical trace channel (OTC) that transports a trace message with information about identity and connectivity of said modules;
a shelf level layer for controlling operation of the plurality of modules within said module level layer and for collecting topology data regarding configuration of said module level layer, said shelf layer comprising a plurality of shelf processors (SPs), each SP operable to control at least one of the domains and to distribute addresses to each module in said respective domain; and
a shelf network for connecting said shelf processors within the shelf level layer with said module level layer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The network operating system includes an embedded platform for controlling operation of an agile optical network at the physical layer level. At the module embedded level, each module (card-pack) is provided with an embedded controller EC that monitors and control operation of the optical modules. At the next level, each shelf is provided with a shelf processor SP that monitors and control operation of the ECs over a backplane network. All optical modules are connected over an optical trace channel to send/receive trace messages that can then be used to determine network connectivity. At the next, link management level, a network services controller NSC controls the SPs in a negotiated span of control, over a link network. The control is address-based; each NSC receives ranges of addresses for the entities in its control, and distributes these addresses to the SPs, which in turn distribute addresses to the ECs in their control. One of the SPs operates as a router on the link network to relay signaling and control to all entities based on their address. Each NSC constructs, from queried information, a network topology fragment for the embedded elements under its control. A distributed topology system (DTS) shares this topology information with neighboring NSC'"'"'s to build a complete network view, which can be used by all interested network applications.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A platform for controlling operation of an agile optical network at the physical layer level, comprising:
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a module level layer comprising a plurality of modules organized as domains for monitoring and controlling operation of all optical modules that make-up said agile optical network, said modules serially connected over an optical trace channel (OTC) that transports a trace message with information about identity and connectivity of said modules; a shelf level layer for controlling operation of the plurality of modules within said module level layer and for collecting topology data regarding configuration of said module level layer, said shelf layer comprising a plurality of shelf processors (SPs), each SP operable to control at least one of the domains and to distribute addresses to each module in said respective domain; and a shelf network for connecting said shelf processors within the shelf level layer with said module level layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A network operating system (NOS) for an agile optical network, comprising:
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a platform, organized as domains under control of one or more shelf processors (SPs), for controlling operation of said agile optical network at the physical layer level and for distributing addresses to modules in said domains; a link management platform organized on spans of control (SOCs) under control of a network services controller (NSC), for controlling operation of said agile optical network at the optical connection layer level wherein said NSC exchanges signaling and control data with all other NSCs of said agile optical network over an internal data network (IDN) based on an unique address on said IDN; and a link-layer network for connecting said SPs in a SOC with said NSC. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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Specification