Abstract: In particular embodiments, providing signal reachability information to a network includes establishing signal reachability information at a network node of the network. The signal reachability information describes attributes that affect reachability of an optical signal. The signal reachability information is inserted into an advertisement, and the advertisement is sent to network nodes of the network.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for multicasting data packets is provided. The method includes determining that a data packet is to be multicast from an intermediate node to a plurality of destination nodes in a branch of a point-to-multipoint MPLS connection tree. The intermediate node has a plurality of connection interfaces. The method also includes establishing only one MPLS tunnel in response to the determination. The only one MPLS tunnel is for carrying the data packet to be multicast and established between a node and the intermediate node. The method also includes connecting each destination node to the intermediate node through a particular one of the connection interfaces. The method also includes receiving the data packet from the node at the intermediate node through the only one MPLS tunnel. The method also includes forwarding the data packet to the plurality of destination nodes through the connection interfaces identified in a multicast table.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, providing optical signal regeneration information for an optical path includes sending a path message through the optical path. The optical path comprises a sequence of nodes of a communication network, where the sequence of nodes comprises an initiating node, a set of intermediate nodes, and a terminating node. The path message communicates optical signal regeneration information specifying optical signal regeneration for one or more regenerating nodes of the sequence of nodes. A regenerating node receives the path message. The regenerating node is configured according to the optical signal regeneration information. The configured regenerating node is operable to perform optical signal regeneration.

Abstract: Tracing a path of a communication network includes sending a path message through a sequence of nodes in response to receiving a notification of a networking problem. The sequence comprises an initiating node, a set of intermediate nodes, and a terminating node. The following is repeated for each intermediate node: establishing a next intermediate node subsequent to an intermediate node, and gathering path information about the next intermediate node in the path message. The path message is received at the terminating node, and the path information is recorded in a return message. At least one node of the sequence of nodes affected by the networking problem is identified.

Abstract: A transport network includes a flexible topology for internally defining transport elements. The transport elements each include a port group having a plurality of geographically distributed ports from the transport network. Point-to-multipoint connectivity is defined between the ports in a port group. An identifier represents the port group as a single element to internal and/or external elements for protocol exchanges.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for multicasting data packets is provided. The method includes determining that a data packet is to be multicast from an intermediate node to a plurality of destination nodes in a branch of a point-to-multipoint MPLS connection tree. The intermediate node has a plurality of connection interfaces. The method also includes establishing only one MPLS tunnel in response to the determination. The only one MPLS tunnel is for carrying the data packet to be multicast and established between a node and the intermediate node. The method also includes connecting each destination node to the intermediate node through a particular one of the connection interfaces. The method also includes receiving the data packet from the node at the intermediate node through the only one MPLS tunnel. The method also includes forwarding the data packet to the plurality of destination nodes through the connection interfaces identified in a multicast table.

Abstract: A method of facilitating traffic engineering services by communicating application objects over soft state process messages includes receiving an external soft state process initiating message at an ingress node to a core cloud, the core cloud comprising a plurality of nodes associated with a central processor, and generating an internal soft state process initiating message including an appended first application object. The method further includes communicating the internal soft state process initiating message to an egress node of the core cloud, receiving at the ingress node an internal soft state process confirming message including an appended second application object, and providing a traffic engineering service based, at least in part, on the first or second application data.