Abstract: Systems and methods include determining which services in a single Optical Transport Unit Cn (OTUCn) that is transmitted in an optical network via a plurality of optical carriers are affected by failed one or more optical carriers of the plurality of optical carriers; continuing to operate the single OTUCn with unaffected one or more optical carriers of the plurality of optical carriers; and adjusting some or all of the services from the failed one or more optical carriers to the unaffected one or more optical carriers.

Abstract: Systems and methods for Tandem Connection Monitor (TCM) control for the physical layer on Optical Transport Unit (OTU) ports provide the ability of the TCM status to directly control client laser state (on/off) so that protection engines and coordination between modules is not required. The systems and methods include receiving a specific defect such as a Tandem Connection Monitor (TCM) defect or a Server Signal Fail (SSF) defect from interface circuitry; propagating the TCM defect or the SSF defect from the interface circuitry to an interface associated with a modem including a physical port connected to a network; and selectively disabling a laser in the modem based on the specific defect, e.g., the TCM defect or the SSF defect from the interface circuitry.

Abstract: Systems and methods for Tandem Connection Monitor (TCM) control for the physical layer on Optical Transport Unit (OTU) ports provide the ability of the TCM status to directly control client laser state (on/off) so that protection engines and coordination between modules is not required. The systems and methods include receiving a specific defect such as a Tandem Connection Monitor (TCM) defect or a Server Signal Fail (SSF) defect from interface circuitry; propagating the TCM defect or the SSF defect from the interface circuitry to an interface associated with a modem including a physical port connected to a network; and selectively disabling a laser in the modem based on the specific defect, e.g., the TCM defect or the SSF defect from the interface circuitry.

Abstract: A network element configured to operate in an Optical Transport Network (OTN) network includes one or more modules including a first regenerator port and a second regenerator port, wherein the one or more modules are configured to provide a Low Order (LO) regenerator function; and circuitry configured to detect the one or more modules are part of the LO regenerator function, and, responsive to detection of a fault on the first regenerator port, cause forward traffic conditioning at a High Order (HO) path to the second regenerator port. The forward traffic conditioning can include an Alarm Indication Signal (AIS) on the HO path.

Abstract: A network element includes a client port configured to receive a signal for transmission; a line port configured to transmit the signal to a far end via Optical Transport Network (OTN); circuitry configured to communicate one or more of a fault and a status associated with the signal to the far end via OTN overhead. The circuitry configured to communicate can be for the fault and utilizes one or more Tandem Connection Monitoring (TCM) layers in the OTN overhead. The circuitry configured to communicate can be for the status and utilizes one or more of Optical Data Unit (ODU) Performance Monitoring (PM) and one or more Tandem Connection Monitoring (TCM) layers.

Abstract: Optical protection devices are provided for protecting client equipment in an optical communication system. According to one implementation, a protection device includes a passive optical coupler configured to combine optical signals from a plurality of input paths, where the passive optical coupler is further configured to provide the output signals along an optical output path. The exemplary protection device further includes one or more interrupters configured to allow at most one input from a plurality of optical inputs via the plurality of input paths to be provided to the passive optical coupler at one time.

Abstract: Systems and methods include determining which services in a single Optical Transport Unit Cn (OTUCn) that is transmitted in an optical network via a plurality of optical carriers are affected by failed one or more optical carriers of the plurality of optical carriers; continuing to operate the single OTUCn with unaffected one or more optical carriers of the plurality of optical carriers; and adjusting some or all of the services from the failed one or more optical carriers to the unaffected one or more optical carriers.

Abstract: A network element includes a client port configured to receive a signal for transmission; a line port configured to transmit the signal to a far end via Optical Transport Network (OTN); circuitry configured to communicate one or more of a fault and a status associated with the signal to the far end via OTN overhead. The circuitry configured to communicate can be for the fault and utilizes one or more Tandem Connection Monitoring (TCM) layers in the OTN overhead. The circuitry configured to communicate can be for the status and utilizes one or more of Optical Data Unit (ODU) Performance Monitoring (PM) and one or more Tandem Connection Monitoring (TCM) layers.

Abstract: A network element includes one or more ports forming a plurality of optical carriers (Optical Tributary Signal (OTSi)) that transport a single Optical Transport Unit Cn (OTUCn) in a network; and circuitry communicatively coupled to the one or more ports and configured to, subsequent to an optical carrier failure of the plurality of optical carriers, determine which services in the OTUCn are affected, cause signaling of a partial failure for the OTUCn and signaling a failure for the affected services, and cause adjustment of some or all of the affected services on non-failed optical carriers of the plurality of optical carriers.

Abstract: A network element includes one or more ports forming a plurality of optical carriers (Optical Tributary Signal (OTSi)) that transport a single Optical Transport Unit Cn (OTUCn) in a network; and circuitry communicatively coupled to the one or more ports and configured to, subsequent to an optical carrier failure of the plurality of optical carriers, determine which services in the OTUCn are affected, cause signaling of a partial failure for the OTUCn and signaling a failure for the affected services, and cause adjustment of some or all of the affected services on non-failed optical carriers of the plurality of optical carriers.

Abstract: Partial survivability systems and methods implemented in a node in an Optical Transport Unit Cn (OTUCn) network include, subsequent to an optical carrier (Optical Tributary Signal (OTSi)) failure of a plurality of optical carriers, determining which Optical Data Unit k (ODUk) services in an OTUCn associated with the OTSi are affected; signaling a partial failure for the OTUCn and a failure only for the affected ODUk services; adjusting overhead associated with the OTUCn based on the OTSi failure; and applying actions to the affected ODUk services subsequent to the OTSi failure. The signaling of the partial failure can include signaling one or more of a partial Alarm Indication Signal (P-AIS), a partial Backward Defect Indication (P-BDI), and a partial Server Signal Fail (P-SSF) for the OTUCn, and the signaling the failure can include signaling one or more of AIS, BDI, and SSF only for the affected ODUk services.

Abstract: Partial survivability systems and methods implemented in a node in an Optical Transport Unit Cn (OTUCn) network include, subsequent to an optical carrier (Optical Tributary Signal (OTSi)) failure of a plurality of optical carriers, determining which Optical Data Unit k (ODUk) services in an OTUCn associated with the OTSi are affected; signaling a partial failure for the OTUCn and a failure only for the affected ODUk services; adjusting overhead associated with the OTUCn based on the OTSi failure; and applying actions to the affected ODUk services subsequent to the OTSi failure. The signaling of the partial failure can include signaling one or more of a partial Alarm Indication Signal (P-AIS), a partial Backward Defect Indication (P-BDI), and a partial Server Signal Fail (P-SSF) for the OTUCn, and the signaling the failure can include signaling one or more of AIS, BDI, and SSF only for the affected ODUk services.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides Optical Transport Network (OTN) port protection systems and methods using flexible switch criteria. Specifically, the OTN port protection systems and methods provide linear protection in OTN such as 1+1 Protection with Automatic Protection Switching (APS) and/or 1+1 Subnetwork Connection Protection (SNCP) Protection. The OTN Port Protection with flexible switch criteria allows a user to provision a protection application on an OTN Port and select a switch criteria, Section Monitoring, Path Monitoring, or Tandem Connection Monitoring, without considering the provisioning state of an Optical channel Data Unit level k (ODUk) entity. The ODUk entity may either be cross-connected in the LO case or terminated in the HO case. The ODUk entity may be provisioned independently, after the port protection has been established.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generic non-client specific 1+1 protection are described supporting a uni-directional protection scheme for client interfaces on Optical Transport Network (OTN) networking equipment, regardless of the client protocol and without hardware which can participate in those client protocols. This generic non-client specific 1+1 protection can be implemented in an OTN node, an OTN switching device, or via an OTN method. Faults on client signals are escalated to, and processed at, the ODU path layer instead of the client protocol layer, providing a normalized mechanism for client signal protection.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generic non-client specific 1+1 protection are described supporting a uni-directional protection scheme for client interfaces on Optical Transport Network (OTN) networking equipment, regardless of the client protocol and without hardware which can participate in those client protocols. This generic non-client specific 1+1 protection can be implemented in an OTN node, an OTN switching device, or via an OTN method. Faults on client signals are escalated to, and processed at, the ODU path layer instead of the client protocol layer, providing a normalized mechanism for client signal protection.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides Optical Transport Network (OTN) port protection systems and methods using flexible switch criteria. Specifically, the OTN port protection systems and methods provide linear protection in OTN such as 1+1 Protection with Automatic Protection Switching (APS) and/or 1+1 Subnetwork Connection Protection (SNCP) Protection. The OTN Port Protection with flexible switch criteria allows a user to provision a protection application on an OTN Port and select a switch criteria, Section Monitoring, Path Monitoring, or Tandem Connection Monitoring, without considering the provisioning state of an Optical channel Data Unit level k (ODUk) entity. The ODUk entity may either be cross-connected in the LO case or terminated in the HO case. The ODUk entity may be provisioned independently, after the port protection has been established.