Abstract: Techniques are described for implementing an out-of-band communication channel used to exchange control channel information in sub-carrier-based optical communication systems. In an example implementation, a transmitter includes a laser operable to supply an optical signal, a digital signal processor operable to supply first electrical signals based on first data input to the digital signal processor and second data input to the digital signal processor, digital-to-analog conversion circuitry operable to output second electrical signals based on the first electrical signals, modulator driver circuitry is operable to output third electrical signals based on the second electrical signals, and an optical modulator operable to supply first and second modulated optical signals based on the third electrical signals. The first modulated optical signal includes a plurality of optical subcarriers carrying user data. The second modulated optical signal is polarization modulated based on the second data.

Abstract: A network or system in which a hub or primary node may communicate with a plurality of leaf or secondary nodes. The hub node may operate or have a capacity greater than that of the leaf nodes. Accordingly, relatively inexpensive leaf nodes may be deployed to receive data carrying optical signals from, and supply data carrying optical signals to, the hub node. One or more connections may couple each leaf node to the hub node, whereby each connection may include one or more spans or segments of optical fibers, optical amplifiers, optical splitters/combiners, and optical add/drop multiplexer, for example. Optical subcarriers may be transmitted over such connections, each carrying a data stream. The subcarriers may be generated by a combination of a laser and a modulator, such that multiple lasers and modulators are not required, and costs may be reduced.

Abstract: A network or system in which a hub or primary node may communicate with a plurality of leaf or secondary nodes. The hub node may operate or have a capacity greater than that of the leaf nodes. Accordingly, relatively inexpensive leaf nodes may be deployed to receive data carrying optical signals from, and supply data carrying optical signals to, the hub node. One or more connections may couple each leaf node to the hub node, whereby each connection may include one or more spans or segments of optical fibers, optical amplifiers, optical splitters/combiners, and optical add/drop multiplexer, for example. Optical subcarriers may be transmitted over such connections, each carrying a data stream. The subcarriers may be generated by a combination of a laser and a modulator, such that multiple lasers and modulators are not required, and costs may be reduced.

Abstract: An example system includes an optical gateway, plurality of hub transceivers, and a plurality of edge transceivers. The optical gateway is operable to receive a plurality of signals from an optical communications network at a plurality of ports of the optical gateway, where each port of the optical gateway comprises one or more respective photodiodes. Further, the optical gateway is operable to determine, for each port, a respective link of the optical communications network communicatively coupling the port with at least one hub transceiver of the plurality of hub transceivers or with at least one edge transceiver of the plurality of edge transceivers, and an identity of the at least one hub transceiver or the at least one edge transceiver.

Abstract: In an example method, an edge transceiver receives a first message from a hub transceiver over a first communications channel of an optical communications network, including an indication of available network resources on the optical communications network. The edge transceiver transmits, over a second communications channel of the optical communications network, a second message to the hub transceiver, including an indication of a subset of the available network resources selected by the edge transceiver. The edge transceiver receives, from the hub transceiver, a third message acknowledging receipt of a selection by the edge transceiver and a fourth message confirming an assignment of the selected subset of the available network resources to the edge transceiver. The edge transceiver transmits, using the selected subset of the available network resources, data via the hub transceiver.

Abstract: An example system includes a hub transceiver and a plurality of edge transceivers. Each of the edge transceivers has one of several types of configurations for communicating with an optical communications network. Each type of configuration is associated with a different responsive optical subcarrier assignment protocol. The hub transceiver is operable to determine a plurality of optical subcarriers available for assignment by the hub transceiver to the plurality of the edge transceivers for use in communicating over the optical communications network, and assign, to each of the edge transceivers, a respective subset of the optical subcarriers. Assignment includes, determining that each of the edge transceivers has a particular type of configuration, and assigning a respective subset of the optical subcarriers to the edge transceiver according to the optical subcarrier assignment protocol associated with the that type of configuration.

Abstract: Techniques are described for implementing an out-of-band communication channel used to exchange control channel information in sub-carrier-based optical communication systems. In an example implementation, an apparatus includes an optical tap coupled to an optical communication path carrying a modulated optical signal carrying a plurality of optical subcarriers. The optical tap has a first output configured to supply a first portion of the modulated optical signal and a second output configured to supply a second portion of the modulated optical signal. The plurality of optical subcarriers are amplitude modulated based on control data at a first frequency, and each of the plurality of optical subcarriers is modulated to carry user data at a second frequency greater than the first frequency. The apparatus is configured to supply the control based on the first portion of the modulated optical signal.

Abstract: A network or system in which a hub or primary node may communicate with a plurality of leaf or secondary nodes. The hub node may operate or have a capacity greater than that of the leaf nodes. Accordingly, relatively inexpensive leaf nodes may be deployed to receive data carrying optical signals from, and supply data carrying optical signals to, the hub node. One or more connections may couple each leaf node to the hub node, whereby each connection may include one or more spans or segments of optical fibers, optical amplifiers, optical splitters/combiners, and optical add/drop multiplexer, for example. Optical subcarriers may be transmitted over such connections, each carrying a data stream. The subcarriers may be generated by a combination of a laser and a modulator, such that multiple lasers and modulators are not required, and costs may be reduced.

Abstract: A network or system in which a hub or primary node may communicate with a plurality of leaf or secondary nodes. The hub node may operate or have a capacity greater than that of the leaf nodes. Accordingly, relatively inexpensive leaf nodes may be deployed to receive data carrying optical signals from, and supply data carrying optical signals to, the hub node. One or more connections may couple each leaf node to the hub node, whereby each connection may include one or more spans or segments of optical fibers, optical amplifiers, optical splitters/combiners, and optical add/drop multiplexer, for example. Optical subcarriers may be transmitted over such connections, each carrying a data stream. The subcarriers may be generated by a combination of a laser and a modulator, such that multiple lasers and modulators are not required, and costs may be reduced.

Abstract: An example node includes a receiver, a switch circuit, and a transmitter. The receiver is configured to receive a first modulated optical signal including a first plurality of optical subcarriers, and supply a plurality of data streams based on the first plurality of optical subcarriers. Each of the data streams is associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of optical subcarriers. The switch circuit is configured to receive the data streams, and supply the data streams to a plurality of switch outputs. The transmitter is configured to receive the data streams, and supply a second modulated optical signal based on the data streams. The second modulated optical signal carries a second plurality of optical subcarriers. Each of the second plurality of optical subcarriers is associated with a corresponding one of the data streams.

Abstract: An example system includes a network switch and a plurality of server computers communicatively coupled to the first network switch. The network switch includes a first transceiver configured to transmit data according to a first maximum throughput, and each server computer includes a respective second transceiver configured to transmit data according to a second maximum throughput that is less than the first maximum throughput. The network switch is configured to transmit, using the first transceiver according to the first maximum throughput, first data including a plurality of optical subcarriers to each of the server computers. Each of the server computers is configured to receive, using a respective one of the second transceivers, the first data from the network switch, and extract, from the first data, a respective portion of the first data addressed to the server computer.

Abstract: An example system includes a plurality of network nodes, each including one or more respective first transceivers configured to transmit data according to a first maximum throughput, and one or more respective second transceivers configured to transmit data according to a second maximum throughput that is less than the first maximum throughput. A first network node is configured to transmit, using a respective one of the first transceivers, first data including a plurality of optical subcarriers to two or more second network nodes according to the first maximum throughput, each optical subcarrier being associated with a different one of the two more other network nodes. The two or more second network nodes are configured to receive, using respective ones of the second transceivers, the first data from the first network node.

Abstract: An example system includes a first network node, a second network node, and a third network node. The first network node is configured to generate a first optical subcarrier representing first data, and transmit the first optical subcarrier to the second network node. The second network node is configured to receive the first optical subcarrier from the first network node, generate a second optical subcarrier representing the first data, where the second optical subcarrier is different from the first optical subcarrier, and transmit the second optical subcarrier to the third network node.

Abstract: In an example method, network traffic transmitted between a plurality of network nodes via a communications network is monitored. Subsets of the network traffic are ranked according to one or more ranking criteria. A mesh network is deployed between the plurality of network nodes based on the ranking of the subsets of the network traffic. The mesh network includes a plurality of network links, where each network link communicatively couples a respective network node from among the plurality of network nodes to another respective network node from among the plurality of network nodes.

Abstract: A device may be configured to receive a text file including network information for an optical network. The network information may include information for an optical route in the optical network. The device may generate a user interface based on the text file. The user interface may display a representation of the optical route. The device may provide the user interface for display and receive a user input via the user interface. The device may change the representation of the optical route displayed by the user interface based on the user input and the network information included in the text file.

Abstract: An example system includes a hub transceiver and a plurality of edge transceivers. The hub transceiver is operable to determine a plurality of optical subcarriers available for assignment by the hub transceiver to the plurality of the edge transceivers for use in communicating over an optical communications network, and assign, to each of the edge transceivers, a respective subset of the optical subcarriers. Each of the subsets of the optical subcarriers includes a respective data optical subcarrier for transmitting data over the optical communications network. At least one of the subsets of the optical subcarriers includes one or more respective idle optical subcarriers. The hub t transceiver is also operable to transmit to each of the edge transceivers, an indication of the respective subset of the optical subcarriers assigned to the edge transceiver.

Abstract: A network or system in which a hub or primary node may communicate with a plurality of leaf or secondary nodes. The hub node may operate or have a capacity greater than that of the leaf nodes. Accordingly, relatively inexpensive leaf nodes may be deployed to receive data carrying optical signals from, and supply data carrying optical signals to, the hub node. One or more connections may couple each leaf node to the hub node, whereby each connection may include one or more spans or segments of optical fibers, optical amplifiers, optical splitters/combiners, and optical add/drop multiplexer, for example. Optical subcarriers may be transmitted over such connections, each carrying a data stream. The subcarriers may be generated by a combination of a laser and a modulator, such that multiple lasers and modulators are not required, and costs may be reduced.

Abstract: An example system includes a hub transceiver and a plurality of edge transceivers. The hub transceiver is operable to transmit, over a first communications channel, a first message to each of the edge transceivers concurrently, including an indication of available network resources on an optical communications network. Each of the edge transceiver is operable to transmit, transmit, over a second communications channel, a respective second message to the hub transceiver including an indication of a respective subset of the available network resources selected by the edge transceiver for use in communicating over the optical communications network. Further, the edge transceiver is operable to receive, from the hub transceiver, a third message acknowledging receipt of a selection and a fourth message confirming an assignment of the selected subset of the available network resources to the edge transceiver.

Abstract: A network or system in which a hub or primary node may communicate with a plurality of leaf or secondary nodes. The hub node may operate or have a capacity greater than that of the leaf nodes. Accordingly, relatively inexpensive leaf nodes may be deployed to receive data carrying optical signals from, and supply data carrying optical signals to, the hub node. One or more connections may couple each leaf node to the hub node, whereby each connection may include one or more spans or segments of optical fibers, optical amplifiers, optical splitters/combiners, and optical add/drop multiplexer, for example. Optical subcarriers may be transmitted over such connections, each carrying a data stream. The subcarriers may be generated by a combination of a laser and a modulator, such that multiple lasers and modulators are not required, and costs may be reduced.

Abstract: A network or system in which a hub or primary node may communicate with a plurality of leaf or secondary nodes. The hub node may operate or have a capacity greater than that of the leaf nodes. Accordingly, relatively inexpensive leaf nodes may be deployed to receive data carrying optical signals from, and supply data carrying optical signals to, the hub node. One or more connections may couple each leaf node to the hub node, whereby each connection may include one or more spans or segments of optical fibers, optical amplifiers, optical splitters/combiners, and optical add/drop multiplexer, for example. Optical subcarriers may be transmitted over such connections, each carrying a data stream. The subcarriers may be generated by a combination of a laser and a modulator, such that multiple lasers and modulators are not required, and costs may be reduced.