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 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: One or more nodes, in a network, are configured to transmit a message, for computing diverse paths through the network from a first domain to a second domain using a Resource Reservation Protocol—Traffic Engineering (RSVP-TE) signaling protocol; generate at least one data structure that identifies multiple diverse entry points to the second domain; transmit the at least one data structure toward the first domain; complete the at least one data structure to form at least one completed data structure; use a first data structure, of the at least one completed data structure, to compute a primary path from the first domain to the second domain; and use a second data structure, of the at least one completed data structure, to compute a secondary path from the first domain to the second domain.

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 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 and system are disclosed in which a signaling message conforming to a GMPLS signaling protocol and associated with an optical connection is generated and transmitted by a transmit node to a receive node to change the size of a connection bandwidth in a network. The message may include information indicative of a number of spectral portions which correspond to frequencies of selected ones of the plurality of optical signals, selected ones of the plurality of optical signals being available to carry data from the transmit node to the receive node; and information indicative of a change in the number of selected ones of the plurality of optical signals. The transmit node may resize the connection while data traffic continues to be transmitted over the connection in the Optical Transport Network without service disruption to the client attached to the connection being resized.

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 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.

Abstract: Methods and nodes are disclosed for OAM configuring one or more tandem connection monitoring layers through GMPLS signaling during GMPLS sub-network connection (SNC) establishment. Additionally, methods and nodes are disclosed for OAM configuring one or more tandem connection monitoring layers through GMPLS signaling after GMPLS sub-network connection establishment, that is, for existing connections.

Abstract: A node is configured to receive first optical channel data unit (ODU) signals; encapsulate the first ODU signals into a second ODU signal; distribute data of the second ODU signal to a group of third ODU signals; encapsulate each of the third ODU signals into a respective optical channel transport unit (OTU) signal; and transmit each of the OTU signals on a respective optical channel of a group of optical channels. Each optical channel, of the group of optical channels, has a corresponding one of group of wavelengths. The data of the second ODU signal is carried by the group of optical channels.

Abstract: A node is configured to receive first optical channel data unit (ODU) signals; encapsulate one or more of the first ODU signals into a second ODU signal; encapsulate the second ODU signal into an optical channel transport unit (OTU) signal; and transmit the OTU signal on one or more optical channels.

Abstract: A node comprising a packet network interface, an ethernet switch, an optical port, and a distribution engine. The packet network interface adapted to receive a packet having a destination address and a first bit and a second bit. The ethernet switch is adapted to receive and forward the packet into a virtual queue associated with a destination. The optical port has circuitry for transmitting to a plurality of circuits. The distribution engine has one or more processors configured to execute processor executable code to cause the distribution engine to (1) read a first bit and a second bit from the virtual queue, (2) provide the first bit and the second bit to the at least one optical port for transmission to a first predetermined group of the plurality of circuits.

Abstract: Methods and nodes are disclosed for the support of traffic protection and recovery in mesh networks having multiple nodes communicating via communication links. The problem of timely and reliable Shared Mesh Protection message delivery is addressed through creation of protocols and encoding of Shared Mesh Protection messages within an overhead of the optical data unit container, and by processing the Shared Mesh Protection messages by intermediate nodes of the mesh network. Thus, the Shared Mesh Protection messages are transmitted through the data plane with the transmission of user data.

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.