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.

Abstract: An optimized communication network may include an edge switch capable of transporting and switching L1 and L2 traffic and configured to selectively transport and switch L2 traffic using L1 protocols.

Abstract: An optimized communication network may include an edge switch capable of transporting and switching L1 and L2 traffic and configured to selectively transport and switch L2 traffic using L1 protocols.

Abstract: A method for multicasting data packets is provided. The method includes preparing multiple point to point connections between a root node and multiple destination nodes to establish point to multipoint connections. The method also includes receiving, at an intermediate node which is operatively connected to the root node and a plurality of the destination nodes, a data packet from the root node. In addition, the method includes determining whether the received data packet is a multicast data packet and generating a plurality of the data packets by copying the received data packet if the received data packet is a multicast data packet. Furthermore, the method includes forwarding the copied data packets to a plurality of the destination nodes.

Abstract: Generating a path inventory for a communication network includes sending a path message through a sequence of nodes of the communication network. The sequence of nodes comprises an initiating node, a set of intermediate nodes, and a terminating node. The path message is sent from the initiating node, through the set of intermediate nodes, to the terminating node. The path message sent from the initiating node may not have a specified destination address. The following is repeated for each node of the set of intermediate nodes: establishing a next node subsequent to the each node, and gathering path information about the next node in the path message. The path message is received at the terminating node, and the path information is recorded in a return message.

Abstract: Providing a service includes establishing service parameter values for a service, where a service parameter value describes a metric of the service. The service parameter values are mapped to first network parameter values operable to configure a first wide area network port for a first transport mechanism. The service is provided over the first transport mechanism. The service parameter values are mapped to second network parameter values operable to configure a second wide area network port for a second transport mechanism. The service is provided over the second transport mechanism.

Abstract: Modeling a ring network of a network system includes creating a ring object that models the ring network. The network system includes a network element that has components. The ring object includes provisioning properties, where a provisioning property describes configuring a component to become a member of the ring network. A component is associated with the ring object to allow the component to become a member of the ring network, where the associated component is allowed to receive packets communicated by the ring network. The ring object is stored at memory of the network element.