Abstract: Disclosed herein are optical networks and nodes, including a head-end node comprising a controller and a line module. The line module comprises a first processor and first memory storing instructions that when executed by the first processor cause the first processor to receive fault information, generate a fault packet and a fault trigger request that include a sequence number, a sequence reset time, and the fault information, and send the fault packet via a first network path and the fault trigger request via a second network path to the controller. The controller comprises a second processor, second memory storing second instructions, and packet forwarding circuitry configured to receive and automatically forward the fault packet to a tail-end optical node. The second instructions cause the second processor to receive the fault trigger request, process the fault trigger request, and send the fault trigger request to the tail end optical node.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an optical node comprising an FRU and a controller. The FRU comprises a module processor and a module memory storing a control plane application (CPA) executable by the module processor. The controller comprises an interface, a controller processor, and a controller memory storing instructions and an application that cause the controller processor to: instantiate a first network having a first client and a first server; register a plugin associated with the CPA with the first network; register an interface having a callback function and operable to communicate with the CPA via a second network; receive, by the interface via the second network, a request having a request property from the CPA; transmit the request, via the plugin, to the first client; receive a response via the first client from a remote node; and transmit, by the interface, the response to the module processor via the second network.