Abstract: Systems and methods include monitoring users logging into a collaboration service for a corresponding online meeting; and assigning a plurality of the users to a virtual waiting room, separate from any corresponding online meeting, in advance of their corresponding online meeting to enable collaboration in the virtual waiting room. The systems and methods can further include notifying the plurality of users when their corresponding online meeting has started for the plurality of users to leave the virtual waiting room.

Abstract: An express mesh satellite network includes a plurality of satellites arranged in a constellation, each including a plurality of coherent optical modems, wherein the plurality of satellites are configured in a topology based on traffic sources and sinks on the ground where the topology includes express links where satellites are directly connected in space by the coherent optical modems based on the traffic sources and sinks. The plurality of satellites are configured to become a node in the topology when in an associated affinity area having a ground link or requiring a relay function.

Abstract: A pluggable module for use in a networking system includes a body with an electrical interface configured to be inserted into networking equipment; a head connected to the body and including a handle; and a light pipe with an entry in or near the body, the light pipe configured to provide light from inside the body to the handle. The body can include a light source directed towards the entry. The light source can be a Light Emitting Diode (LED). Advantageously, this disclosure provides an ability to support status lights in a very small surface area on a pluggable module.

Abstract: An asymmetric coherent receiver includes an optical front end configured to split a received optical signal into two paths, wherein the split received optical signal experiences a different optical transfer function in one of the two paths; two photodetectors each configured to detect power one of the split received optical signals in each of the two paths to obtain corresponding electrical signals; and circuitry configured to perform electrical domain extraction of information of each of the corresponding electrical signals from the two paths, wherein the different optical transfer function provides additional information utilized in optical field reconstruction via direct detection.

Abstract: An automatic gain control system for a receiver, including: an automatic gain control loop (40) adapted to be coupled to both a first transimpedance amplifier (12) coupled to a first analog-to-digital converter (14) forming a first tributary and a second transimpedance amplifier (12) coupled to a second analog-to-digital converter (14) forming a second tributary; and an offset gain control voltage to gain balance a transimpedance amplifier gain of the first tributary and a transimpedance amplifier gain of the second tributary. The automatic gain control loop can be analog. Also, the automatic gain control loop can be implemented in hardware or firmware.

Abstract: Systems and methods include causing transmission of one or more shaped Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) signals, from an ASE source (70), on an optical fiber (58, 60); obtaining received spectrum of the one or more shaped ASE signals from an optical receiver (68) connected to the optical fiber (58, 60); and characterizing the optical fiber (58, 60) based in part on one or more of a nonlinear skirt and a center dip depth in the received spectrum of the one or more shaped ASE signals. The one or more shaped ASE signals can be formed by the ASE source (70) communicatively coupled to a Wavelength Selective Switch (WSS) (62) that is configured to shape ASE from the ASE source to form the one or more shaped ASE signals with one or two or multiple peaks and with associated frequency.

Abstract: A Printed Circuit Board (PCB) and methods for manufacturing the PCB board are provided. The PCB includes a Radio Frequency (RF) signal transition at a RF signal pad. Multiple conductive layers other than a conductive signal layer of the PCB and conductive portions of the conductive signal layer not in electrical contact with a RF signal transmission trace have common ground connections forming a ground cage structure within the PCB around the RF signal pad and RF the signal transmission trace.

Abstract: Systems and methods include receiving a machine learning model that is configured to detect anomalies in network devices operating in a multi-layer network, wherein the machine learning model is trained via unsupervised learning that includes training the machine learning model with unlabeled data that describes an operational status of the network devices over time; receiving live data related to a current operational status of the network devices; analyzing the live data with the machine learning model; and detecting an anomaly related to any of the network device based on the analyzing.

Abstract: Systems and methods for coordinating an optical layer and a packet layer in a network, include a Software Defined Networking (SDN) Internet Protocol (IP) application configured to implement a closed loop for analytics, recommendations, provisioning, and monitoring, of a plurality of routers in the packet layer; and a variable capacity application configured to determine optical path viability, compute excess optical margin, and recommend and cause capacity upgrades and downgrades, by communicating with a plurality of network elements in the optical layer, wherein the SDN IP application and the variable capacity application coordinate activity therebetween based on conditions in the network. The activity is coordinated based on underlying capacity changes in the optical layer and workload changes in the packet layer.

Abstract: Differentiating traffic signals from filler channels in optical networks includes obtaining power measurements of optical spectrum on an optical section in the optical network; analyzing the power measurements to differentiate signal type between traffic signals and Amplified Stimulated Emission (ASE) channel holders; and applying appropriate treatment to the optical spectrum based on the signal type. The analyzing is performed locally without any notification from upstream nodes of the optical spectrum.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, receiving, over a communication network via a user interface, a first request for first sample data for a first parameter associated with a first microservice. The first sample data is associated with a first portion of communication equipment. The server is configured to perform the first microservice. Further embodiments include identifying a first group of values for the first parameter based on the first portion of communication equipment and the first microservice. Additional embodiments can include providing, over the communication network, the first group of values for the first parameter to the user interface as the first sample data. The user interface presents the first group of values for the first parameter as the first sample data on a display. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A system includes a first module with a first clock; a second module with a second clock; and an Ethernet network interconnecting the first module and the second module by N Ethernet paths, N?2; wherein the first module is configured to provide timestamps encapsulated in replicated Ethernet packets to the second module over each of the N Ethernet paths for redundancy. The first module can be configured to obtain timestamps from a first clock with each timestamp having a sequence identifier, replicate each timestamp and its sequence identifier, and encapsulate each replicated timestamp and its sequence identifier in an Ethernet packet and transmit each Ethernet packet over one of the N Ethernet paths. The second module can be configured to receive Ethernet packets over the N Ethernet paths; and utilize a first Ethernet packet with a given sequence identifier for synchronization of the second clock with the first clock.

Abstract: A method implemented in a network element includes, for a service, receiving a Segment Identifier (SID) list and an explicit list for an intended path in a Segment Routing network; expanding the SID list and comparing the expanded SID list to the explicit list; and setting the intended path as either valid or invalid based on the comparing. The intended path can be a primary path, and the steps can further include receiving a SID list and an explicit list for a backup path in the Segment Routing network. The steps can further include switching to the backup path responsive to a failure on the primary path, and switching back to the primary path responsive to it being valid.

Abstract: Systems and methods include obtaining overlay telemetry data from a plurality of overlays, wherein each overlay is an application and there is a corresponding telemetry adaptor for each overlay; obtaining underlay telemetry data from one or more underlays, wherein each underlay includes physical infrastructure for supporting one or more of network, compute, and store functions for the plurality of overlays; analyzing the overlay telemetry data and the underlay telemetry data via a Key Performance Factor (KPF) model that correlates one or more of the plurality of overlays and the one or more underlays together; responsive to an anomaly or a threshold crossing based on the KPF model, performing a Root Cause Analysis (RCA) to identify a root cause of the anomaly or the threshold crossing; and mapping one or more actions with associated priorities to the root cause utilizing one or more remediation modules each associated with an overlay.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for utilizing polarization parameters obtained from an optical network to determine vibrations in optical fibers using coherent optics equipment and machine learning techniques. A method, according to one implementation, includes the step of obtaining a time-series dataset that includes measurements of polarization characteristics of light traversing an optical fiber of an optical network. The method also includes the step of detecting vibration characteristics of the optical fiber based on the time-series dataset. In some implementations, the time-series dataset may be a multi-variate dataset and the polarization characteristics may be related to transients in a State of Polarization (SOP). The SOP, for example, may be represented by an amplitude and a phase of an electric field vector and may be defined as having one of a linear polarization, elliptical polarization, and circular polarization.

Abstract: Systems and methods include, responsive to a request for capacity change of X channels, X is an integer >1, on an optical section (14) and at an Optical Add/Drop Multiplexer (OADM) node (12) in an optical network (10), dividing optical spectrum on the optical section into M slots, M is an integer >1, such that the capacity change of X channels takes a maximum of N steps, N is an integer >1; and performing the capacity change of X channels in up to the N steps in an interleaved manner that changes a subset of the X channels in each of the N steps. For each step, the performing can include a maximum of M/N slots of the M slots with spacing between each of the M/N slots not used for the capacity change in a corresponding step. The spacing can be f, (N+f), (2N+f), . . . , M over the optical spectrum, where f is each step, f=1, 2, . . . , N.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are provided for re-establishing a Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD) session. A method, according to one implementation, include a step of receiving, at a local end device, a first BFD control packet from a remote end device when a BFD session between the local end device and remote end device is down. For example, the first BFD control packet may include a remote discriminator number associated with the remote end device and a local discriminator number presumed to be associated with the local end device. The method further includes a step of replying to the remote end device with a second BFD control packet including an actual discriminator number of the local end device in response to determining that the local discriminator number included in the first BFD control packet is non-zero and differs from the actual discriminator number of the local end device.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus that includes a housing including a first opening and a second opening. The first opening forms a suction connection with a transportable component. The apparatus includes a valve connected with the second opening a channel defined within the housing. The channel extends between the first opening and the second opening. The apparatus includes a vacuum maintaining mechanism disposed within the channel, and the vacuum maintaining mechanism holds a partial vacuum within the channel.

Abstract: A first (second) electrical input port receives a first (second) drive signal. A first (second) transmission line is configured to propagate a first (second) electromagnetic wave over at least a portion of a first (second) optical waveguide arm of an MZI to apply an optical phase modulation. A drive signal interconnection structure is configured to provide a first electrical connection between the first electrical input port and an inner electrode shared by the transmission lines, and a second electrical connection between the second electrical input port and respective outer electrodes of the transmission lines; and is configured to preserve relative phase shifts between the drive signals. An impedance associated with a first electric field distribution between the inner electrode and a first of the outer electrodes is substantially equal to an impedance associated with a second electric field distribution between the inner electrode and a second of the outer electrodes.

Abstract: Systems and methods for stabilizing power levels from excessive oscillations in an optical line system of a communications network are provided. A method, according to one implementation, includes the step of detecting a perturbation of an optical power level in an optical line system having a plurality of cascaded optical power controllers. The method also includes the step of determining an estimated location to which a power controller of the plurality of cascaded optical power controllers is positioned downstream of the perturbation with respect to other power controllers of the plurality of cascaded optical power controllers. Based on the estimated location to which the power controller is positioned downstream of the perturbation, the method also includes the step of providing feedback in a control loop to reduce the effects of the perturbation.