Abstract: Methods for, and network elements in, packet or optical transport networks are disclosed, including a network element comprising non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer-executable instructions configured as one or more software agents that when executed with computer hardware: determine a state of the network element, comprising comparing a current state of transient properties of the network element against a predetermined, expected state of the transient properties of the network element; and verify a state of other network elements or paths in the transport network by comparing a current state of one or more network-level constraints of the other network elements or paths against a predetermined, expected state of the one or more network-level constraints on the other network elements or paths. The computer hardware may further positively or negatively acknowledge received instructions to apply a configuration to the network element based on the determination and/or verification.

Abstract: Methods for, and network elements in, packet or optical transport networks are disclosed, including a network element comprising non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer-executable instructions configured as one or more software agents that when executed with computer hardware: determine a state of the network element, comprising comparing a current state of transient properties of the network element against a predetermined, expected state of the transient properties of the network element; and verify a state of other network elements or paths in the transport network by comparing a current state of one or more network-level constraints of the other network elements or paths against a predetermined, expected state of the one or more network-level constraints on the other network elements or paths. The computer hardware may further positively or negatively acknowledge received instructions to apply a configuration to the network element based on the determination and/or verification.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optimizing optical transport using a software defined network (SDN) controller are disclosed herein. The SDN controller may define a margin optimization function based on at least one optical system performance metric. The function may include at least one related initiation criterion. Further, the SDN controller may collect at least one measurement for the performance metric. The measurement may include an assessment of deployed carriers not carrying client data. The SDN controller may determine whether the initiation criterion is met based on at least one collected measurement. The SDN controller may select a system margin optimization mechanism and define a system margin optimization threshold criterion on a condition that the initiation criterion is met. The SDN controller may determine whether the optimization threshold criterion is met. The SDN controller may implement one or more optimization events on a condition that the optimization threshold criterion is met.

Abstract: Methods and systems for determining data transport paths through data transport subnetworks include a method for receiving, by circuitry of a computer system, a service request message from an edge node coupled with the circuitry of the computer system, the service request message including information indicative of: a first unique identifier of an ingress port of a first core node, the first core node being within a transport subnetwork; a second unique identifier of an egress port of a second core node within the transport subnetwork; and a requested transport path bandwidth. The method further comprises determining, by the circuitry of the computer system, a transport path through the transport subnetwork between the first core node and the second core node based on the service request message; and forming the transport path between the ingress port of the first core node and the egress port of the second core node.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for storing, in a non-transitory memory device, multi-layer network information comprising at least one of link availability, bandwidth availability, priority levels for paths in a multi-layer network, path status in the multi-layer network, and status for network elements in the multi-layer network; receiving, via at least one input component, a message from a network element in the network comprising information indicative of a failure of a working path in the network; determining, automatically, based at least in part on the multi-layer network information, an alternate path for transmission of the data traffic through the network; and transmitting, via at least one output component, at least one signal comprising configuration instructions to at least one optical line module, the configuration instructions directing the optical line module to switch and select the data traffic using the alternate path.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for pro-active protection of packet-optical transport in a software defined network (SDN) controller are disclosed herein. The SDN controller may define a proactive protection threshold criterion based on based on a plurality of optical system performance metrics and may collect at least one measurement for each of the metrics. The SDN controller may then determine whether the proactive protection threshold criterion is met based on at least one of the collected measurements. Further, the SDN controller may select a protection mechanism and define a protection threshold criterion on a condition that the proactive protection threshold criterion is met. Also, the SDN controller may initiate proactive protection events based on the selected protection mechanism. The SDN controller may determine whether the protection threshold criterion is met. The SDN controller may implement one or more protection events on a condition that the protection threshold criterion is met.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optimizing optical transport using a software defined network (SDN) controller are disclosed herein. The SDN controller may define a margin optimization function based on at least one optical system performance metric. The function may include at least one related initiation criterion. Further, the SDN controller may collect at least one measurement for the performance metric. The measurement may include an assessment of deployed carriers not carrying client data. The SDN controller may determine whether the initiation criterion is met based on at least one collected measurement. The SDN controller may select a system margin optimization mechanism and define a system margin optimization threshold criterion on a condition that the initiation criterion is met. The SDN controller may determine whether the optimization threshold criterion is met. The SDN controller may implement one or more optimization events on a condition that the optimization threshold criterion is met.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for pro-active protection of packet-optical transport in a software defined network (SDN) controller are disclosed herein. The SDN controller may define a proactive protection threshold criterion based on based on a plurality of optical system performance metrics and may collect at least one measurement for each of the metrics. The SDN controller may then determine whether the proactive protection threshold criterion is met based on at least one of the collected measurements. Further, the SDN controller may select a protection mechanism and define a protection threshold criterion on a condition that the proactive protection threshold criterion is met. Also, the SDN controller may initiate proactive protection events based on the selected protection mechanism. The SDN controller may determine whether the protection threshold criterion is met. The SDN controller may implement one or more protection events on a condition that the protection threshold criterion is met.

Abstract: A software defined network, in accordance with some examples of the disclosure, may be used to optimizing traffic across a multi-layer inter-exchange for applications like automated private peering by incorporating packet switching along with OTN and/or optical switching into a converged system. Participants in private peering may have ports into the multi-layer inter-exchange, some to the L2 fabric which supports multi-tenant peering and some to the L1 or L0 fabric for higher-performance private peering.

Abstract: A software defined network, in accordance with some examples of the disclosure, may be used to optimizing traffic across a multi-layer inter-exchange for applications like automated private peering by incorporating packet switching along with OTN and/or optical switching into a converged system. Participants in private peering may have ports into the multi-layer inter-exchange, some to the L2 fabric which supports multi-tenant peering and some to the L1 or L0 fabric for higher-performance private peering.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed including a computer system, comprising a software defined networking configuration manager having a processor computing and provisioning paths through an optical transport network for multiple switch nodes to be provisioned as head end nodes, the processor managing and interpreting data indicative of managed entities within the optical transport network to create a first network Sub-Network Connection (SNC) for a first customer, and a second network SNC for a second customer, the first network SNC being representative of a first graphical illustration of a state of first resources within the transport network that are allocated to the first customer, and the second network SNC being representative of a second graphical illustration of a state of second resources within the transport network that are allocated to the second customer.

Abstract: Apparatuses are disclosed including a node having a switch for communicating traffic from input interface to output interface; and a control module, located proximate to the input interface, output interface and switch, comprising a communication interface configured to connect to a third communication link external to the node and having a processor accessing network node configuration information and being configured to compute a path to a destination node through the output interface with the network node configuration information and also configured to be switched from a first state in which the processor provides first instructions to the switch to configure the switch to communicate the traffic from the input interface to the output interface, to a second state in which the processor provides second instructions, received via the communication interface, to the switch to configure the switch to communicate traffic from the input interface to the output interface.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for storing, in a non-transitory memory device, multi-layer network information comprising at least one of link availability, bandwidth availability, priority levels for paths in a multi-layer network, path status in the multi-layer network, and status for network elements in the multi-layer network; receiving, via at least one input component, a message from a network element in the network comprising information indicative of a failure of a working path in the network; determining, automatically, based at least in part on the multi-layer network information, an alternate path for transmission of the data traffic through the network; and transmitting, via at least one output component, at least one signal comprising configuration instructions to at least one optical line module, the configuration instructions directing the optical line module to switch and select the data traffic using the alternate path.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed including a computer system, comprising a software defined networking configuration manager having a processor computing and provisioning paths through an optical transport network for multiple switch nodes to be provisioned as head end nodes, the processor managing and interpreting data indicative of managed entities within the optical transport network to create a first network Sub-Network Connection (SNC) for a first customer, and a second network SNC for a second customer, the first network SNC being representative of a first graphical illustration of a state of first resources within the transport network that are allocated to the first customer, and the second network SNC being representative of a second graphical illustration of a state of second resources within the transport network that are allocated to the second customer.

Abstract: Apparatuses are disclosed including a node having a switch for communicating traffic from input interface to output interface; and a control module, located proximate to the input interface, output interface and switch, comprising a communication interface configured to connect to a third communication link external to the node and having a processor accessing network node configuration information and being configured to compute a path to a destination node through the output interface with the network node configuration information and also configured to be switched from a first state in which the processor provides first instructions to the switch to configure the switch to communicate the traffic from the input interface to the output interface, to a second state in which the processor provides second instructions, received via the communication interface, to the switch to configure the switch to communicate traffic from the input interface to the output interface.