Abstract: Systems and methods for Virtual Network Function (VNF) service chain optimization include, responsive to a request, determining placement for one or more VNFs in a VNF service chain based on a lowest cost determination; configuring at least one programmable region of acceleration hardware for at least one VNF of the one or more VNFs; and activating the VNF service chain. The lowest cost determination can be based on a service chain cost model that assigns costs based on connectivity between switching elements and between hops between sites. The activating can include a Make-Before-Break (MBB) operation in a network to minimize service interruption of the VNF service chain.

Abstract: Methods and systems can suppress invalid defect detection when Out-Of-Frame (OOF) conditions occur within an Optical Transport Network. One method for processing a report of a defect during an OOF condition may include detecting the OOF condition at a downstream node, detecting an indication of the defect caused by the OOF condition, suppressing a report associated with the indication of the defect, determining whether the OOF condition is clear, determining whether the indication of the defect is still present if the OOF condition is clear; and cancelling the report if the indication of the defect is not present. A network node which processes a report of a defect during an OOF condition may include a network interface, and a processor which is coupled to the network interface. The processor may be configured to perform a method for suppressing invalid defect detection during OOF conditions.

Abstract: Systems and methods for Virtual Network Function (VNF) service chain optimization include, responsive to a request, determining placement for one or more VNFs in a VNF service chain based on a lowest cost determination; configuring at least one programmable region of acceleration hardware for at least one VNF of the one or more VNFs; and activating the VNF service chain. The lowest cost determination can be based on a service chain cost model that assigns costs based on connectivity between switching elements and between hops between sites. The activating can include a Make-Before-Break (MBB) operation in a network to minimize service interruption of the VNF service chain.

Abstract: A method and network include receiving a Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) connection; determining information in overhead of the TDM connection; and if match/action rules defined by controller exist for the TDM connection, establishing the TDM connection based on matching an associated rule in the match/action rules. A Software Defined Networking (SDN) controller is configured to receive a request from a node related to a new TDM connection in the network; determine one or more routes in the network for the new TDM connection; determine match/action rules for the one or more routes at associated nodes of the one or more nodes; if the one or more routes include at least two routes, determine a group table at associated nodes of the one or more nodes to distinguish between the at least two routes; and provide the match/action rules and the group table to the associated nodes.

Abstract: A method, a controller, and an Optical Transport Network (OTN) network include provisioning an end-to-end path with a defined committed information rate (CIR) and a peak information rate (PIR) via an optical control plane; computing a path for the end-to-end path based on the CIR and the PIR; configuring the end-to-end path on the computed path at an Optical Channel Data Unit (ODU) data rate supporting the PIR if the computed path can support the PIR or at the ODU data rate supporting the CIR if the computed path can support the CIR and not the PIR; and adjusting the ODU data rate of the end-to-end path based on a rate adjustment requirement in the OTN network and based on the CIR and the PIR.

Abstract: A network system comprising logical work and protect Connection Termination Points. Performance Monitoring (PM) records are provided by generating for each work Connection Termination Point (CTP) a work bit vector and a protect bit vector. The work bit vector keeps track of severely errored seconds (SES) occurrences at the work CTP only when the work CTP is selected. The protect bit vector keeps track of severely errored seconds (SES) occurrences at the protect CTP only when the protect CTP is selected. Processing the work bit vector and the protect bit vector provides accurate PM records.

Abstract: The disclosure generally relates to mechanisms to protect hybrid networking equipment at a port level granularity and thereby provide capabilities to specify the protection of client services on a port-by-port basis. For example, in one embodiment, a Virtual Connection Point (VCP) may be established as a termination point for a transport-side network connection and configured as a Layer 1 bridge/select connection to switch among any one of a plurality of backplane Layer 1 termination points. The plurality of backplane Layer 1 termination points may be protected using a link aggregation group, wherein a Layer 2 switch may be established to direct packets between the link aggregation group and the VCP configured as the Layer 1 bridge/select connection.

Abstract: A method and network include receiving a Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) connection; determining information in overhead of the TDM connection; and if match/action rules defined by controller exist for the TDM connection, establishing the TDM connection based on matching an associated rule in the match/action rules. A Software Defined Networking (SDN) controller is configured to receive a request from a node related to a new TDM connection in the network; determine one or more routes in the network for the new TDM connection; determine match/action rules for the one or more routes at associated nodes of the one or more nodes; if the one or more routes include at least two routes, determine a group table at associated nodes of the one or more nodes to distinguish between the at least two routes; and provide the match/action rules and the group table to the associated nodes.

Abstract: A bandwidth advertisement update method in an optical network, an optical network, and a controller provide a configurable mechanism for bandwidth advertisement updates in a control plane providing flexibility and reducing bandwidth advertisements in the control plane while concurrently supporting aggregated connections. The bandwidth advertisement update method includes defining a plurality of bandwidth update threshold values for a plurality of bandwidth units supported on a link in the optical network, responsive to a change in available bandwidth on the link, sending a bandwidth advertisement if the available bandwidth for any of the plurality of bandwidth units is less than the associated bandwidth update threshold value, and responsive to a change in available bandwidth on the link, withholding the bandwidth advertisement if the available bandwidth for all of the plurality of bandwidth units is greater than or equal to the associated bandwidth update threshold value.

Abstract: A network element implemented method includes receiving an Ethernet connection at a first rate, transmitting the Ethernet connection at a second rate, monitoring a buffer fill associated with the Ethernet connection, and periodically transmitting pause frames to a device associated with the Ethernet connection, wherein the pause frames include a determined optimal pause quanta value based on the first rate, the second rate, and the buffer fill. A network element includes a first port receiving an Ethernet connection at a first rate, a second port transmitting the Ethernet connection at a second rate, and monitor circuitry configured to monitor a buffer fill associated with the Ethernet connection and cause the first port to periodically transmit pause frames, wherein the pause frames include a determined optimal pause quanta value based on the first rate, the second rate, and the buffer fill.

Abstract: A method, a controller, and an Optical Transport Network (OTN) network include provisioning an end-to-end path with a defined committed information rate (CIR) and a peak information rate (PIR) via an optical control plane; computing a path for the end-to-end path based on the CIR and the PIR; configuring the end-to-end path on the computed path at an Optical Channel Data Unit (ODU) data rate supporting the PIR if the computed path can support the PIR or at the ODU data rate supporting the CIR if the computed path can support the CIR and not the PIR; and adjusting the ODU data rate of the end-to-end path based on a rate adjustment requirement in the OTN network and based on the CIR and the PIR.

Abstract: A network system comprising logical work and protect Connection Termination Points. Performance Monitoring (PM) records are provided by generating for each work Connection Termination Point (CTP) a work bit vector and a protect bit vector. The work bit vector keeps track of severely errored seconds (SES) occurrences at the work CTP only when the work CTP is selected. The protect bit vector keeps track of severely errored seconds (SES) occurrences at the protect CTP only when the protect CTP is selected. Processing the work bit vector and the protect bit vector provides accurate PM records.

Abstract: The disclosure generally relates to mechanisms to protect hybrid networking equipment at a port level granularity and thereby provide capabilities to specify the protection of client services on a port-by-port basis. For example, in one embodiment, a Virtual Connection Point (VCP) may be established as a termination point for a transport-side network connection and configured as a Layer 1 bridge/select connection to switch among any one of a plurality of backplane Layer 1 termination points. The plurality of backplane Layer 1 termination points may be protected using a link aggregation group, wherein a Layer 2 switch may be established to direct packets between the link aggregation group and the VCP configured as the Layer 1 bridge/select connection.

Abstract: Methods and systems can suppress invalid defect detection when Out-Of-Frame (OOF) conditions occur within an Optical Transport Network. One method for processing a report of a defect during an OOF condition may include detecting the OOF condition at a downstream node, detecting an indication of the defect caused by the OOF condition, suppressing a report associated with the indication of the defect, determining whether the OOF condition is clear, determining whether the indication of the defect is still present if the OOF condition is clear; and cancelling the report if the indication of the defect is not present. A network node which processes a report of a defect during an OOF condition may include a network interface, and a processor which is coupled to the network interface. The processor may be configured to perform a method for suppressing invalid defect detection during OOF conditions.

Abstract: An Optical Transport Network (OTN) mode management system includes a controller communicatively coupled to at least one OTN port. The controller is configured to operate an OTN line Optical channel Data Unit level k (ODUk) mode management system for the at least one OTN port, and the OTN line ODUk mode management system is configured to support different multiplexing scenarios on the OTN port with no loss of control plane packets on aggregated links. A network element includes at least one port with a plurality of lines associated therewith, a controller communicatively coupled to the at least one port, and an OTN line ODUk mode management system executed on the controller for managing the plurality of lines on the at least one port. A method includes configuring and dynamically managing modes of a plurality of OTN lines in a link.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes methods and systems for the hierarchical mesh restoration of connections in an ASON or the like. These methods and systems provide a mesh restorable OTN server layer that carries an aggregate of mesh restorable SONET/SDH SNCs, without designating SONET/SDH/OTN hand-off ports or work/protect lines. Server layer SNCs are terminated on Virtual Trail Termination Points (VTTPs) on the NEs. These VTTPs maintain all of the attributes of physical Trail Termination Points (TTPs). The server routing protocol creates physical TTP interfaces at the server layer, and the server layer advertises bandwidth to the client layer routing protocol. A failure in the server layer results in the mesh restoration of an aggregate line, holding off the release of the individual client SNCs. Only when the server layer cannot restore are these individual client SNCs released.

Abstract: A network element implemented method includes receiving an Ethernet connection at a first rate, transmitting the Ethernet connection at a second rate, monitoring a buffer fill associated with the Ethernet connection, and periodically transmitting pause frames to a device associated with the Ethernet connection, wherein the pause frames include a determined optimal pause quanta value based on the first rate, the second rate, and the buffer fill. A network element includes a first port receiving an Ethernet connection at a first rate, a second port transmitting the Ethernet connection at a second rate, and monitor circuitry configured to monitor a buffer fill associated with the Ethernet connection and cause the first port to periodically transmit pause frames, wherein the pause frames include a determined optimal pause quanta value based on the first rate, the second rate, and the buffer fill.

Abstract: An Optical Transport Network (OTN) mode management system includes a controller communicatively coupled to at least one OTN port. The controller is configured to operate an OTN line Optical channel Data Unit level k (ODUk) mode management system for the at least one OTN port, and the OTN line ODUk mode management system is configured to support different multiplexing scenarios on the OTN port with no loss of control plane packets on aggregated links. A network element includes at least one port with a plurality of lines associated therewith, a controller communicatively coupled to the at least one port, and an OTN line ODUk mode management system executed on the controller for managing the plurality of lines on the at least one port. A method includes configuring and dynamically managing modes of a plurality of OTN lines in a link.

Abstract: In various exemplary embodiments, the present invention provides methods for maintaining software/hardware backward compatibility across multiple versions in a modular and scalable manner. More specifically, the present invention provides, stacked hardware abstraction layer methods for maintaining software/hardware backward compatibility for networking equipment and the like.

Abstract: The present invention provides a timing recovery architecture and circuit for recovering the clock timing from a received signal in critically-timed transport applications. The present invention further relates to a timing recovery architecture and circuit for removing network-induced clock jitter and wander that occurs in a transport network during asynchronous mapping techniques, bit and/or byte-stuffing techniques, or traditional pointer adjustment schemes associated with traditional PDH (pleisiosynchronous digital hierarchy), SDH (synchronous digital hierarchy), and packet-based networks. The timing recovery circuit may be implemented in a logic circuit such as programmable, digital FPGA (field programmable gate array) logic, or alternatively in standard cell or gate-array ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) technology, or like logic circuit design.