Abstract: A method comprising the steps of receiving, with circuitry at a first node, a signal indicative of a request to set up an optical channel data unit label switched path between the first node and a second node in a network. Time slots for a plurality of types of signals to be transmitted from the first node to the second node are reserved, and a set up message is transmitted from the first node to the second node. The set up message identifies the plurality of signal types and the reserved time slots. The optical channel data unit label switched path is then provided between the first and second nodes.

Abstract: One or more servers may receive an instruction to change a modulation format, associated with one or more optical channels, from a first modulation format to a second modulation format; provide the instruction to change the modulation format to a network device, associated with the one or more optical channels, to cause the network device to change the modulation format, associated with the one or more optical channels, from the first modulation format to the second modulation format; and determine that a license repository is to be updated based on receiving the instruction to change the modulation format. The license repository may store one or more licenses. The one or more servers may generate a license update instruction to update the license repository based on determining that the license repository is to be updated and output the license update instruction to cause the license repository to be updated.

Abstract: A method for detecting the liveliness and synchronizing the control-plane and data-plane on protecting connections in a shared mesh network environment through methods for probing the protecting connection conditions by sending in-band messages; and synchronization of control plane and data plane by using LSP-ping messages on the protecting connections.

Abstract: Nodes and methods are disclosed for protection and restoration in the event of multiple failures for multiple paths involved for the same service in shared mesh networks, including, a method comprising the steps of storing, in non-transitory memory of a first node in a shared mesh network having a plurality of connections through the shared mesh network, records of global contention handling priority values of the plurality of connections; detecting a first signal from a second node requesting activation of a first connection of the plurality of connections, and a second signal from a third node requesting activation of a second connection of the plurality of connections, the first and second connections having overlapping requirements; determining that the second connection has a higher global contention handling priority value than the first connection based at least in part on the records; and activating the second connection.

Abstract: Methods and nodes are disclosed. In the methods, circuitry of a first node generates a link state advertising message including bandwidth information indicative of unreserved aggregate bandwidth for multiple priority connections where aggregate bandwidth is greater than available bandwidth. The link state advertising message is transmitted from the first node to a plurality of second nodes within a mesh network. Node bandwidth constraints may be established that contain some designated allocated bandwidth which is not shared with any other Class Types (CT); however, the bandwidth constraints may also allow segregation of other CTs so that within those CTs allocation of designated bandwidth is guaranteed for high priority traffic and low priority traffic is left with the remaining bandwidth in the CT's allocation.

Abstract: Nodes and methods are disclosed, including, circuitry of a source node in a mesh network retrieving information indicative of network topology; identifying a working path from the source node to a destination node; identifying potential protection segments of the working path, wherein a potential protection segment has at least one disjoint protection path available for the segment; creating a hypothetical network topology comprising the nodes of the working path and hypothetical links between the nodes, wherein the hypothetical links represents potential protection segments identified, and the links are assigned a weight; executing a Shortest Path Algorithm on the hypothetical network topology; identifying as optimal segments the potential protection segments represented by the hypothetical links determined as being in the shortest path by the Shortest Path Algorithm; generating and transmitting a message communicating need for resources in case of failure of the optimal segments.

Abstract: A network device may receive an activation instruction. The network device may provide network resources. The activation instruction may request the network device to activate a particular network resource that is deactivated. The activation instruction may be associated with a license that identifies the particular network resource and identifies a resource request of a user. The network device may configure, based on the activation instruction, a component of the network device to activate the particular network resource. The component, after being configured to activate the particular network resource, may allow data flows, received by the network device, to be provided towards a destination device using the particular network resource. The network device may receive a data flow and provide, by the component of the network device, the data flow towards the destination device using the particular network resource.

Abstract: A network device includes a multi-chassis system in which each chassis includes a RSVP-TE protocol stack that may provide RSVP-TE services for LSP tunnels associated with each chassis. The multi-chassis system may include an administrative chassis. The administrative chassis may forward RSVP messages to other chassis of the network device. The administrative chassis may encapsulate the RSVP messages with a chassis address. The other chassis may de-encapsulate the RSVP messages and process the RSVP messages according to the RSVP-TE protocol. The administrative chassis may obtain session information associated with other chassis based on RSVP messages received. The administrative chassis may manage adjacency mechanisms and failure and recovery mechanisms. The multi-chassis system including the distributed RSVP-TE protocol stacks may minimize scalability issues and improve performance when high-capacity routing and/or switching services are needed.

Abstract: A method includes the steps of: (1) generating, by circuitry of a first node, an advertising message including (a) a working path bandwidth demand; (b) an identification of at least two communication links in a shared risk link group of the working path; and (c) at least one protecting path and a bitmap indicative of failure of at least one first communication link in the shared risk link group that causes the at least one protecting path to be used; and (2) transmitting the advertising message from the first node to second nodes within a mesh network.

Abstract: A method, comprises measuring, by circuitry of a computer system, a first bandwidth of data traffic of a transport path over a time period, the transport path passing through a plurality of nodes and conforming to a protocol using a number of time slots to allocate a second bandwidth to the transport path. The method further includes passing a signal, from the computer system to at least one of the nodes of the transport path, the signal including at least one instruction that when executed by circuitry of the at least one node causes a change to the number of time slots allocated to the transport path.

Abstract: A node may determine a failure in a first path for routing first optical network traffic between a first set of networking devices, where the first path includes a first set of optical transport nodes. The node may determine a second path for routing the first optical network traffic between the first set of networking devices, where the second path includes a second set of optical transport nodes that route second optical network traffic between a second set of networking devices. The second set of optical transport nodes may include at least one node that is not included in the first set of optical transport nodes. The node may pre-empt routing of the second optical network traffic via the second path, and may route the first optical network traffic via the second path after pre-empting routing of the second optical network traffic via the second path.

Abstract: Nodes and methods are disclosed for protection and restoration to protect against multiple failures for multiple paths involved for the same service in mesh networks, including, determining, by circuitry of a first node in a mesh network, a failure of a working path between the first node and a second node, wherein the second node, when triggered by the failure of the working path, switches to a protection path. Methods further include establishing through transmission of at least one signal by circuitry of the first node at least one recovery path, for example, a restored-working path, after determining the failure of the at least one working path, wherein the at least one restored-working path carries a duplicate of the data traffic transmitted on the protection path in case of failure of the protection path.

Abstract: A device may receive information that identifies a data item and a data item operation. The device may store a first sequence identifier, a data item reference that references the data item, and an operation reference that references the operation. The first sequence identifier may reference the data item and operation references, and may indicate an order in which the first sequence identifier is stored. The device may store the data item in a memory location, may store an identification of the memory location, may remove a reference to the data item by a previous sequence identifier, and/or may add the data item, may modify the data item, or may delete the data item depending on whether the operation is an add operation, a modify operation, or a delete operation. The device may transmit, to a slave device, the first sequence identifier, the data item reference, and the operation reference.

Abstract: A method comprising the steps of receiving a signal indicative of a failure of a working connection in a mesh network having a headend node, a tailend node and an intermediate node, and having a protecting connection, and transmitting an activation message via the protecting connection from at least one of the headend node and the tailend node to the intermediate node for activating the protecting connection.

Abstract: A method performed by an optical node, operating as a first network edge device of an optical layer one virtual private network (L1VPN), includes generating, by a first module of the optical node, a first optical data frame, where the first optical data frame includes an L1VPN overhead, and where the L1VPN overhead includes a control plane communication field; generating, by a second module of the optical node, a first control plane message for a second network edge device of the optical L1VPN, where the second network edge device is connected to the first network edge device across a provider network via an optical L1VPN link; incorporating, by the first module, the first control plane message into the control plane communication field of the first optical data frame; and transmitting, by the first module, the first optical data frame to the second network edge device via the optical L1VPN link.

Abstract: Nodes and methods are disclosed, including, circuitry of a source node in a mesh network retrieving information indicative of network topology; identifying a working path from the source node to a destination node; identifying potential protection segments of the working path, wherein a potential protection segment has at least one disjoint protection path available for the segment; creating a hypothetical network topology comprising the nodes of the working path and hypothetical links between the nodes, wherein the hypothetical links represents potential protection segments identified, and the links are assigned a weight; executing a Shortest Path Algorithm on the hypothetical network topology; identifying as optimal segments the potential protection segments represented by the hypothetical links determined as being in the shortest path by the Shortest Path Algorithm; generating and transmitting a message communicating need for resources in case of failure of the optimal segments.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system, apparatus and method to compute a route through a network having both digital nodes and optical express-thru nodes. According to various embodiments of the invention, a network topology is generated in which both digital nodes, optical express-thru nodes, and optical nodes are identified, and both physical and virtual links between these nodes are mapped. The network connectivity is identified, at least in part, by broadcasting a local link state advertisement and optical carrier group binding information to neighboring nodes, which enables both physical and virtual neighboring nodes to be identified. Once a topology is generated, both physical and virtual link characteristics are analyzed to ensure link diversity for traffic through the network and load balancing functionality across the network.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system, apparatus and method for providing point-to-point inter-chassis connections within chassis systems and/or network nodes. Multi-chassis systems within a network employ a protocol wherein a peer discovery process is initiated and the discovered neighbors are authentically verified before establishing an active state between point-to-point inter-chassis links.

Abstract: A method includes receiving client data; extracting overhead data from the client data; mapping the client data into one or more frames, where each of the one or more frames has a frame payload section and a frame overhead section, where the client data is mapped into the frame payload section of the one or more frames; inserting the overhead data into the frame overhead section of the one or more frames; transporting the one or more frames across a network; extracting the overhead data from the frame overhead section of the one or more frames; recovering the client data from the one or more frames; inserting the extracted overhead data into the recovered client data to create modified client data; and outputting the modified client data.

Abstract: A method for receiving, by circuitry of an optical node adapted for wavelength multiplexing and wavelength switching, a signal over OSC comprising overhead information indicative of status of at least one of an optical layer in an OTN; wherein the signal utilizes OC-N frame format comprising a first STS frame, a second STS frame, and a third STS frame, the STS frames having a format wherein the information is assigned to a number of bits designated for OAM information, wherein the bits are assigned to bytes within a transport overhead portion of the STS frame format within the OC-N frame format; terminating, by circuitry of the optical node, the signal at the optical node; and notifying, by circuitry of the optical node, software of the status of the optical layer in the OTN.