Margin alert for optical network

Abstract

To provide a communication method leveraging service margin aware thresholds of optical alerts within an optical communication network line system.SOLUTION: A method includes determining an optical margin for a service provided between a source transponder and a destination transponder through an Optical Line System (OLS). The communication method includes monitoring PMs and fixed predetermined thresholds to raise a threshold crossing alert (TCA) indicating a monitored PM has crossed a fixed predetermined threshold. The method also determines a Service Margin Aware OLS TCA Threshold (SMAOTT) that is unique to a service or location within the OLS, monitors PMs and the determined SMAOTT at a network element within the OLS, and raises a specific TCA associated with a SMAOTT when a monitored PM satisfies the SMAOTT.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE INVENTION The embodiments described in this disclosure relate to margin alerts for optical networks. [Background technology]

[0002] Optical communications may be configured to travel long distances and / or may experience various signal impairments during their transmission, resulting in a limited optical margin, which represents the amount of signal impairment beyond which the service carried by the optical signal may suffer errors.

[0003] In some situations, optical networks can perform performance monitoring of optical parameters of optical signals within the optical network. In existing systems, monitoring of optical parameters can generate threshold crossing alerts (TCAs) based on predetermined thresholds, which generally apply to any or all optical signals included in the optical network. In existing systems, performance monitors of optical line systems (OLSs) typically do not have visibility into the optical margin available for optical signals because bit errors are detected only at the endpoints of signal transmission, such as at transponder locations. Therefore, some alerts associated with existing OLSs may occur too early or too late because thresholds are broadly applied and may not indicate data errors associated with signal degradation for the optical signal. Therefore, in existing systems, determining whether OLS optical degradation is at high risk of causing bit errors and / or determining the cause and / or location of a problem within an optical network after a problem has occurred is often difficult, time-consuming, and / or costly because the location and / or cause of the problem may not be easily identified using conventional techniques. More specifically, alarms or alerts in existing optical line systems do not and cannot predict the Bit Error Rate (BER) of the service without directly monitoring the quality of the service delivered, or the alerts are severe, such as Loss of Signal (LoS) or Signal Out of Range.

[0004] This disclosure describes a novel OLS alerting method that adaptively sets the OLS TCA threshold for each service, reflecting the actual optical service margin available.

[0005] The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to embodiments that solve problems or operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background discussion is only provided to illustrate one example technology area where embodiments described herein may be practiced. Summary of the Invention

[0006] According to an aspect of an embodiment, a communication method utilizing a service margin awareness threshold for optical alerts in an optical communication network line system is provided.

[0007] The method includes determining an optical margin for a service provided between a source transponder and a destination transponder over an optical line system (OLS). The OLS includes a plurality of network elements and a plurality of spans connecting the plurality of network elements. A network controller, data storage, and a user interface may be used in conjunction with the method. The communication method includes monitoring PM and a fixed, predetermined threshold and issuing a threshold crossing alert (TCA) indicating that the monitored PM exceeds a fixed, predetermined threshold.

[0008] The method also describes determining, by a network controller or equivalent, a Service Margin Aware OLS TCA Threshold (SMAOTT) specific to a service or location within the OLS, even if the PM does not have the ability to distinguish services, monitoring the PM and the determined SMAOTT at network elements within the OLS, and issuing a specific TCA associated with the SMAOTT when the monitored PM satisfies the SMAOTT. When the SMAOTT is satisfied, an alert response procedure to the specific TCA is triggered to identify the service or location within the OLS associated with the SMAOTT.

[0009] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a controller may determine a SMAOTT that is unique for each service and unique for each monitoring point, enabling improved monitoring, network operation, control, and troubleshooting capabilities associated with the network.

[0010] The object and advantages of the embodiments will be realized and achieved at least by the elements, features, and combinations particularly pointed out in the claims.

[0011] Both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are provided by way of example and are exemplary only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] Example embodiments will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, including the following figures: [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example environment configured to support SMAOTT for optical networks. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example environment configured to support SMAOTT for an optical network in which the network nodes are identified as reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexers (ROADMs). [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example environment configured to support SMAOTT for optical networks, including examples of control messaging signal flow and operation of network elements and network controllers. [Figure 4] 1 is an example table used to explain an example operation using SMAOTT that is signal independent, e.g., span loss. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of another example environment configured to support SMAOTT for optical networks, including example control messaging signal flow and operation of network elements and network controllers. [Figure 6]1 is an example table used to explain example operations using signal dependent SMAOTT, e.g., OSNR per service. [Figure 7] 1 illustrates an example computing system that may be used for margin alerts for optical networks. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) optical networks transport data over optical fibers using multiple wavelengths of light, where each wavelength can be a separate data service or channel. Typically, transponders or pluggable optical modules (hereafter referred to as "transponders") are used to generate (at their origin) and receive (at their destination) wavelength services, which are then transported over an optical line system (OLS) from a source transponder to a destination transponder. The optical layer health of these networks is monitored in real time using optical performance monitors (PMs). PMs that exceed normal operating ranges are flagged to customers as "at risk" using threshold crossing alerts (TCAs). Alert trigger levels are set using TCA thresholds. In traditional systems, transponder PMs monitor the delivery quality of optical services (to the transponders) but cannot identify the specific location or equipment at the root cause of encountered optical degradation. Similarly, an OLS can monitor optical PMs for health at locations throughout the OLS network between transponders and identify optical degradation locations therein. OLS optical PM types monitored typically include optical loss, optical power, optical return loss, optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR), and others. However, these OLS optical PMs cannot accurately indicate the risk of service bit errors unless the risk is significant, such as service optical power loss (LoS). This is because the TCA thresholds are set without knowledge of the available optical service margin and are therefore set by design. The optical service margin is the additional optical degradation tolerated by the service before bit errors occur. For example, an OLS optical PM can degrade to the point where it causes bit errors without an OLS optical TCA being triggered (a false negative). Similarly, an OLS optical PM can degrade to the point where it triggers a TCA when the risk of service bit errors is still very low. Typically, OLS optical PM TCA thresholds are set to reflect the most severe operating conditions supported by the system and are therefore prone to false negatives.Determining the cause of a data error (which may include determining the location associated with the data error for an optical service) can be difficult and / or time-consuming. For example, causal analysis of a data error for an optical service may include at least capturing historical optical network PM logs (which may be time- and / or data-intensive) and expert review of the captured logs. This patent introduces a novel OLS optical PM TCA threshold, the Service Margin Aware OLS TCA Threshold (SMAOTT), that can solve this problem. The SMAOTT value is set such that, when met, there is a known and significant risk of bit errors for one or more services.

[0014] In some aspects of the present disclosure, the controller may use the optical reach model to determine optical margins for optical services included in the optical network. The optical margins associated with optical services may be calculated based on optical impairments caused by optical components in the optical network as reflected in optical PM values. Examples of impairments include, but are not limited to, noise contributed by lasers and amplifiers, nonlinear impairments introduced by span fibers, passive component distortion, optical loss, etc. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the optical margins may be determined by the controller on a per-optical-service basis; therefore, the controller may determine SMAOTTs specific to each service and specific to each monitoring point, enabling improved monitoring, network operation, control, and troubleshooting capabilities associated with the network.

[0015] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the(one or more) SMAOTTs may be transmitted from a controller to an OLS network node (which may include one or more network elements) such that the network element can apply the(one or more) SMAOTTs to(one or more) TCAs associated with optical PMs that monitor optical impairments in the OLS optical network.

[0016] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, when an OLS network element (NE) PM meets the corresponding SMAOTT, the equipment may issue a TCA to notify the controller, resulting in an alert response procedure that may include automated actions such as, but not limited to, obtaining telemetry data from the optical service and / or network node associated with the alerted PM, automatically logging the telemetry data to data storage, automatically identifying the cause of the alert, which may include a location associated with the alert, and / or other response actions described herein.

[0017] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, a network element may predict future values ​​for PM using machine learning methods, statistical extrapolation, or other time series prediction methods. The network element can then use this prediction instead of the current PM when comparing with the SMAOTT to determine whether a TCA will be issued. In this way, the alert is "preemptive," which has the advantage of providing more time for alert response procedures.

[0018] A controller according to an example embodiment determines SMAOTTs and provides them to network elements, some of which are applied by the network elements to service-independent PM (e.g., span loss) and some of which are applied by the network elements to service-dependent PM (e.g., service OSNR observed at equipment optical ports).

[0019] When PM is service-independent, because each signal has a different optical margin, the SMAOTT of the PM is still service-dependent, and the controller may transmit only the most sensitive SMAOTT to a network node for use with the PM. The most sensitive SMAOTT is the threshold with the smallest reach margin among all services and therefore represents the service most at risk for that PM. When the SMAOTT is met (e.g., exceeded), a TCA is issued by the node to the controller, and the node transmits the PM value that meets the current PM value. When PM is service-independent, the controller receives the current PM value, identifies all services whose SMAOTT is met by the received PM, and reports the identified services as at-risk services. The controller may also initiate actions, such as PM telemetry.

[0020] When PM is service-dependent for a monitoring point (e.g., the node's Optical Signal-to-Noise Ratio per Service (OSNR / srv)), the controller may send the SMAOTT for each service represented in its PM set. If the SMAOTT for any service in its PM set is exceeded, a TCA is issued by the node to the controller, and the node sends the current value of the PM along with an identifier for the affected service to the controller. When PM is service-dependent, the controller can receive the TCA for the service, identify the service at risk, and initiate appropriate action, such as PM telemetry.

[0021] As described above, the controller may determine individual optical services that may be at risk and provide notifications to users of at-risk optical services while not providing notifications to users of optical services that are not at risk. Thus, a controller according to example embodiments may avoid generating unnecessary alerts. In some embodiments, the network node may automatically transmit additional alert data to the controller, which may be used to determine a cause associated with the alert and may include at least the time and / or location of the alert.

[0022] In some embodiments, in response to a TCA, the controller can perform a scan, such as an optical time-domain reflectometer (OTDR) scan, at the location of the TCA, which can further contribute to determining the cause of the alert.

[0023] In some embodiments, in response to a TCA, the controller may automatically instruct the rerouting of the at-risk service(s) away from the PM's location to another route with sufficient optical margin. In this disclosure, automatic may refer to an action being determined and / or performed without any user input. Alternatively, or in addition, automatic may refer to an action being determined without user input and performed after user input confirms the action using a user interface.

[0024] In some embodiments, aspects of the present disclosure may contribute to reduced optical network downtime, faster identification of the cause and / or location of alerts in an OLS optical network, and / or faster, automated response to alerts in an OLS optical network, which may reduce downtime, reduce costs, and / or reduce time and effort in maintaining and managing an optical network.

[0025] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0026] 1 is a block diagram of an example environment 100 configured to support optical PM, TCA, and SMAOTT and their use in an optical network 102 in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. The environment 100 may include an optical network 102, a controller 105, and data storage 130. The optical network 102 may include a first network node 110a, a second network node 110b, and a third network node 110c, collectively referred to as network nodes 110, a first transponder 115a, a second transponder 115b, a third transponder 115c, and a fourth transponder 115d, collectively referred to as transponders 115, and a first span 120a and a second span 120b, collectively referred to as span 120.

[0027] In some embodiments, the controller 105 may be configured to determine an optical margin for each optical service. As used herein, an optical service is a service provided by a particular transponder laser source (one wavelength), not a group of multiplexed wavelengths. The optical service margin represents the remaining optical degradation allowed for a service before bit errors occur within the service. The optical margin is an end-to-end characteristic (e.g., from the source transponder to the destination transponder) and therefore generally involves traversing several spans and network nodes.

[0028] For example, the controller 105 may be configured to determine an optical margin for a first optical service 125a and / or a second optical service 125b, collectively referred to as optical services 125, traversing the optical network 102 between a transmitting network node and a receiving network node. As shown, the first optical service 125a may be transmitted between a first transponder 115a and a third transponder 115c, and the controller 105 may obtain a first optical margin associated with the first optical service 125a. In another example, the second optical service 125b may be transmitted between a second transponder 115b and a fourth transponder 115d, and the controller 105 may obtain a second optical margin associated with the second optical service 125b.

[0029] For example, the controller 105 may determine an optical margin based on the network nodes 110 included in the optical network 102 that may be used with the corresponding optical service. For example, a first optical margin associated with a first optical service 125a may be obtained by determining an amount of service degradation that may occur to the first optical service 125a during transmission of the first optical service 125a through network elements of the optical network 102. The amount of service degradation obtained for the first optical service 125a may include service degradation caused by the first network node 110a, the second network node 110b, the third network node 110c, the first transponder 115a, the third transponder 115c, the first span 120a, and / or the second span 120b, and nonlinear interference with the second service 125b. Similarly, a second optical margin associated with the second optical service 125b may be obtained by the controller 105 determining an amount of service degradation that may occur to the second optical service 125b during transmission of the second optical service 125b through the optical network 102. As previously mentioned, the service degradation is monitored or determined by tracking PM.

[0030] In some embodiments, the controller 105 may determine an optical margin associated with the first optical service 125a. The controller may then determine how much degradation, independent of optical PM, could cause bit errors for the service 125a and set that value as the SMAOTT for that PM. The controller 105 may transmit the SMAOTT to the corresponding network node 110 that monitors that PM. For example, in an example where the first optical service 125a is transmitted from the first transponder 115a to the third transponder 115c, the SMAOTT associated with the first optical service 125a for the PM monitored at node 110b may be determined using the controller 105, and the SMAOTT may be transmitted from the controller 105 to the network node 110b. Alternatively, or in addition, in an example where the second optical service 125b is transmitted from the second transponder 115b to the fourth transponder 115d, the SMAOTT associated with the second optical service 125b for the PM monitored at node 110c may be determined using the controller 105 and transmitted from the controller 105 to the third network node 110c.

[0031] According to an example embodiment, the controller 105 is a controller with modeling capabilities coupled to data storage 130. Specifically, the controller 105 includes a model corresponding to the optical network 100. The model can then be used to update, test, and / or control aspects of the optical network 100. The controller 105 is connected to the data storage 130, which can store planning data related to the optical network 100. The planning data serves as initial data for modeling the network until additional data, such as in-field data from the optical network, is received and / or stored. As the in-field data is received, the default planning data is updated with the in-field data to update the model and provide more accurate estimates for the optical network. The data storage 130 can also receive and store PM telemetry data received from the network nodes 110.

[0032] As previously discussed, optical margin and SMAOTT mechanisms may be utilized in combination with PM to provide improved network operation, monitoring, and control. Optical margin associated with optical services 125 within optical network 102 may be calculated based on service degradation caused by components within optical network 102.

[0033] In some embodiments, the same PM type may be monitored at multiple locations within optical network 102. Controller 105 determines a unique SMAOTT for each PM at each unique monitoring location. The SMAOTT is determined separately from all other SMAOTTs. As an example, span loss PM may be independently monitored at span 120a and again at span 120b. The SMAOTT for the span loss PM of span 120a may be set to a value corresponding to the amount of loss impairment associated with span 125a that would cause the most sensitive of the optical services 125 traversing span 120a to have too low an optical margin, which may result in data errors and / or loss of service. Similarly, the SMAOTT for the span loss PM of span 120b may be set to a value corresponding to the amount of loss impairment associated with span 125b that would cause the most sensitive of the optical services 125 traversing span 120b to have too low an optical margin, which may result in data errors and / or loss of service.

[0034] The network node 110 may monitor PMs of optical services 125 that may pass through and may provide updates regarding the optical services 125 to the controller 105. For example, the network node 110 may monitor one or more PMs associated with the optical services 125 and compare the PMs with associated SMAOTTs obtained from the controller 105. When a PM satisfies the SMAOTT, the network node 110 may generate an associated TCA and send the TCA to the controller 105. Alternatively, or in addition, any of the network nodes included in and / or associated with the node 110 may generate TCAs associated with PMs that satisfy the corresponding SMAOTT. Alternatively, the network node 110 included in the optical network 102 may report periodic PM updates to a computing system or network application (not shown) that also receives the associated SMAOTTs from the controller 105, and the computing system may determine instances where the SMAOTT is satisfied, generate TCAs, and / or initiate alert response procedures.

[0035] In some embodiments, a timestamp may be applied to the TCA by network node 110. The timestamp may be used to determine changes over time and / or to determine a more precise determination of when the TCA was initiated and / or resolved, relative to a non-timestamped TCA. Alternatively, controller 105 may be configured to timestamp the TCA based on the time of receipt of the TCA by controller 105.

[0036] A TCA transmitted by a network node 110 may be accompanied by telemetry data of the PM associated with the TCA, an identifier for the node 110 issuing the alert, an identifier for the optical port within the node associated with the PM, and other information that assists in identifying the location and / or root cause of the alert.

[0037] In these or other embodiments, the telemetry data may include an identifier associated with the optical service (e.g., a service identification number for the optical service) when the PM is service-dependent, so that an optical service that has satisfied the SMAOTT (e.g., to initiate a TCA) may be distinguished from other optical services that may be included in the network node 110. Also, in some embodiments, after the TCA is asserted, the telemetry data may be transmitted periodically from the network node 110 to the controller 105. For example, the network node 110 may be configured to transmit updated telemetry data to the controller 105 every 30 seconds. Furthermore, in response to the TCA, the network node 110 may perform an in-service synchronization that updates the controller 105 with the current PM, which the controller 105 may use to update its model, update the SMAOTT, and provide the updated SMAOTT to the network element.

[0038] For example, in-service synchronization may involve individually updating the model with the latest optical PM reported by the optical nodes and then recalculating optical margin estimates for the optical services 125 that may be transmitted within the optical network 102. In-service synchronization may be performed automatically by the controller 105 in response to an optical TCA being received by the controller 105, for example, caused by a degradation in optical power or OSNR. In-service synchronization may also be performed in response to PM variations that do not satisfy the SMAOTT but instead satisfy a different threshold configured specifically to trigger synchronization. In-service synchronization may also be performed when a change to the optical network 102 is detected, which may include new installations and / or repairs of the optical network 102. The synchronization threshold associated with in-service synchronization may be determined by a user of the optical network 102, such as an operator of the user interface 135. For example, once the synchronization threshold is met, in-service synchronization may be performed and the optical margin associated with the optical services 125 within the optical network 102 may be determined.

[0039] In some embodiments, in-service synchronization leads to a recalculation of all SMAOTTs by the controller 105 and a retransmission of those values ​​to the network to be applied as new alert thresholds for TCAs.

[0040] In some embodiments, the optical margin estimate for the optical service 125 may be described by a quality of service metric associated with the optical service 125, which may be similar to a delivery quality factor (delivery Q, dBQ) delivered to a receiving transponder.

[0041] In some embodiments, the user interface 135 may be configured to receive user input and transmit the user input to the controller 105. The user input obtained via the user interface 135 may include a user-defined minimum acceptable margin for a quality of service metric (e.g., a delivery quality factor (dBQ)) and / or a user-defined margin in addition to the SMAOTT defined by the controller 105. For example, the SMAOTT may be adjusted to be larger or smaller by the value of the user-defined margin entered at the user interface 135.

[0042] In some embodiments, the data in the data storage 130 can be retrieved by a remote system, and the data can be used for analysis related to the optical network 102 (e.g., including the network nodes 110, the transponders 115, the spans 120, the first optical service 125a, and / or the second optical service 125b) in the environment 100. For example, the remote system can retrieve the data in the data storage 130 and generate a graph corresponding to the pre-SMAOTT margin over time for a particular PM associated with the first optical service 125a. In another example, a color-coded heat map can be generated using a topology diagram to highlight the current margin for all SMAOTTs. In these or other embodiments, the heat map can be displayed by the controller 105 and / or the user interface 135 to provide a visual indication of the status of the components of the optical network 102.

[0043] An example operation of the above-described embodiments and associated processes will now be described with reference to Figures 2, 3, and 4. Figure 2 is a block diagram of an example environment 150 configured to support SMAOTT in an optical network 152. The environment 150 includes an optical network 152, a controller 155, and data storage 180. The optical network 152 includes a first ROADM 160a, a second ROADM 160b, a third ROADM 160c, and a fourth ROADM 160d, collectively referred to as ROADMs 160, a first transponder 165a, a second transponder 165b, a third transponder 165c, and a fourth transponder 165d, collectively referred to as transponders 165, and a first span 170a, a second span 170b, and a third span 170c, collectively referred to as spans 170. In some embodiments, the transponder 165 may be configured to transmit and / or receive a first service 175a and a second service 175b, collectively referred to as services 175, which may traverse the optical network 152 via the ROADM 160 and span 170.

[0044] In some embodiments, controller 155 may include an optical network plan or model associated with optical network 152. The model may include configurations of simulated network nodes, simulated transponders, simulated spans, and / or simulated optical services. In some embodiments, upon implementation of the optical network plan (e.g., setting up optical network 152 with actual hardware according to the optical network plan), controller 155 may perform synchronization (e.g., in-service synchronization) to update the model's planning data for optical network 152 and optical margins associated with services 175 by retrieving PM data from nodes 160 and replacing the planning data with PM data. Controller 155 may obtain estimated optical margins for optical network 152, which may be described by a quality of service metric, which may be similar to an optical delivery quality factor (dBQ) associated with optical services 165. The controller can use this model to calculate one or more SMAOTTs, which are worst-case optical PM TCA thresholds that can occur before a service 175 experiences data errors (e.g., the amount of bit errors that may result in degradation, damage, or other disruption of the associated service 175) during its transmission through the optical network 152. For example, the controller 155 can determine the SMAOTT for the amount of degradation that can occur for each span loss in the span 170 before the service 175 can be interrupted, and the controller 155 can store the SMAOTT values ​​in the data storage 180.

[0045] A minimum acceptable limit may be applied to the quality of service metrics used in the model before the optical service 175 is subjected to unacceptable quality, such as bit errors. In some embodiments, the minimum acceptable quality of service metric may vary based on the data rate or other characteristics of the optical services. For example, in an example where a first optical service 175a has a bit rate of 400 Gbps and traverses the optical network 152 via a first span 170a, a second span 170b, and a third span 170c, and a second optical service 175b has a bit rate of 800 Gbps and traverses the optical network 152 via the second span 170b and the third span 170c, the first optical service 175a may have a different minimum acceptable quality of service metric than the second optical service 175b. In another example, if a first optical service 175a has a bit rate of 800 Gbps and traverses optical network 152 via first span 170a, second span 170b, and third span 170c, and a second optical service 175b has a bit rate of 800 Gbps and traverses optical network 152 via second span 170b and third optical span 170c, the first optical service 175a may have a different minimum acceptable quality of service metric than the second optical service 175b if these services use different coding or modulation schemes.

[0046] An example embodiment in which SMAOTT is applied to service-independent PM span loss is shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4.

[0047] FIG. 3 illustrates an example embodiment of network control, message, and TCA flows for service-independent PM span loss. Network controller 555 includes a processor and storage and implements a model for optical network 500. The model initially stores and provides estimates of delivery quality (delivery Q) values ​​associated with optical network 500 based on planning data associated with the optical network and its components. Brownfield synchronization may be performed to synchronize model 505 with the optical PM of optical network 500. Network element (NE) 560c represents multiple NEs included in the optical network. The network element may be, for example, a ROADM, such as ROADM 160 shown in FIG. 2, or may be an in-line amplifier (ILA) or other OLS network element, not shown for simplicity. These NEs are connected via span 170 in FIG. 2. Information about the span, including span loss PM 562 and SMAOTT ("span loss alert threshold" S200 in FIG. 3), is communicated between the NEs (e.g., 560c) and network controller 555.

[0048] For each span in optical network 500, controller 555 calculates the worst-case acceptable PM (e.g., span loss) for each service traveling through the corresponding span before risking delivery quality factor (dBQ margin) and stores the information in a table. For example, the calculated worst-case acceptable PM values ​​are stored and maintained in a table. An example table is shown in FIG. 4, described below.

[0049] FIG. 4 shows an example of an SMAOTT table in which five different services travel through spans in optical network 152 of FIG. 2. Two services, identified as A1 and A2, originate at the same node as transponder 165a of FIG. 2 and are received at the same node as transponder 165b of FIG. 2. A second transmitting transponder and a second receiving transponder are not shown for simplicity. Three services, identified as N1, N2, and N3, originate at the same node as transponder 165c of FIG. 2 and are received at the same node as transponder 165d of FIG. 2. A second and third transmitting and receiving transponder are not shown for simplicity. Table 205 of FIG. 4 stores, for each service, the current modeled delivery Q (dBQ), the worst-case acceptable delivery Q (dBQ) before bit errors, and the maximum span loss value 170c of FIG. 2, which results in the minimum acceptable delivery Q (dBQ).

[0050] The network controller 555 may provide the span loss SMAOTT to various NEs based on the model 505. The SMAOTT may be determined based on a threshold table such as that shown in FIG. 4. Each NE may monitor the PM at its respective location in the network and provide a TCA to the network controller 555 when appropriate, such as when the SMAOTT is exceeded. For example, referring to FIG. 2, the ROADM 160c in the optical network 152 monitors the PM. The PM monitored by the ROADM 160c may include the second span loss 170b, the third span loss 170c, etc.

[0051] As an example of service-independent PM, span loss is used, as described with respect to table 205 of FIGS. 3 and 4. In this example, the initial span loss for services A1, A2, N1, N2, and N3 passing through the span monitored by NE 560c is 8 dB of span loss (not shown). Controller 555 can use model 505 to determine the maximum tolerable span loss PM for each service before bit errors occur. In the example of table 205 of FIG. 4, this is the right-most column. Controller 555 can then select the most sensitive threshold in the column as the SMAOTT for that PM, which is 10 dB in the example of FIG. 4. Controller 555 then provides a span loss alert threshold of 10 dB to NE 560c.

[0052] The NE 560c receives or detects a span loss alert threshold from the network controller 555 (S200 in FIG. 3). The NE 560c monitors the span loss at the NE 560c (S207 in FIG. 3). Because the span loss alert threshold is set to 10 dB, the NE 560c sends a span loss TCA to the network controller 555 along with the current PM value when the span loss detected at the NE 560c is 10 dB or greater (S205 in FIG. 3). In response to receiving a span loss TCA from the NE 560c indicating that the detected span loss is 10 dB or greater, the network controller 555 can take action. In addition to providing the span loss TCA to the network controller 555, the NE 560c can also initiate an OTDR scan of the span and begin streaming telemetry data of the span loss PM to the network controller 555 in response to the span loss threshold being met (S210 in FIG. 3). The NE 560c may also perform an OTDR scan and provide the results to the network controller 555 (S212 in FIG. 3). The NE 560c may also provide stored telemetry data to the network controller 555 (S212 in FIG. 3).

[0053] In addition to the span loss alert threshold, Figure 3 also shows a second threshold used to clear the span loss alert (S215). The NE clears or stops sending the span loss alert when the span loss detected by the NE falls below the clear threshold (S220 in Figure 3). When the span loss alert is cleared, PM telemetry from the NE 560c to the network controller 555 is stopped (S225 in Figure 3). The results of the telemetry and / or an indication that telemetry has been stopped may be provided by the NE to the network controller (S212 in Figure 3).

[0054] Example actions taken by network controller 555 are described with respect to table 205. Table 205 in this example illustrates characteristics of five different services. For example, the table identifies each service by its service type, starting delivery Q, minimum acceptable delivery Q (based on service type), and maximum span loss corresponding to the minimum acceptable delivery Q. Span loss TCAs received by network controller 555 provide a unique fault location because the alert pertains to span loss detected at the location of the span monitored by NE 560c. Network controller 555 can trigger specific actions or further monitoring for the NE 560c that issued the span loss TCA.

[0055] Alternatively, or in addition, the network controller 555 may analyze and identify at-risk services based on the span loss TCA. For example, table 205 shows that a span loss of 10 dB indicates that service N3 is “at risk.” When a span loss of 10 dB is detected, service N3 can be identified as “at risk” based on table 205, while other services handled by NE 560c are not at risk. The network controller 555 writes the time-stamped PM and / or the PM's time-stamped streaming telemetry (e.g., span loss in this example) and OTDR scan file to the data lake 580, associates an alert with all services with an “at-risk” threshold from the measured span loss, and logs their service IDs. In the example where the measured span loss is 13 dB, services A2, N2, and N3 are identified and logged as “at risk.” According to example embodiments, only "at risk" services are logged, which may reduce storage requirements and / or make more efficient use of available storage.

[0056] Other example embodiments in which SMAOTT is applied to service-dependent PM are shown in Figures 2, 5, and 6. As mentioned above, the previous example is service-independent, while the following example is service-dependent. In the following service-dependent example, the PM monitored and used is the node optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR / srv) per service.

[0057] FIG. 5 illustrates an example embodiment of network control, message, and TCA flows for service-independent PM OSNR / srv. The network controller 655 includes a processor and storage and implements a model for the optical network 600. The model initially stores and provides estimates of delivery quality (delivery Q) values ​​associated with the optical network 600 based on planning data associated with the optical network and its components. Brownfield synchronization may be performed to synchronize the model 605 with the optical PM of the optical network 600. Network elements (NEs) 660c represent multiple NEs included in the optical network. The network elements may be ROADMs, such as the ROADM 160 shown in FIG. 2, or may be in-line amplifiers (ILAs) or other OLS network elements, not shown for simplicity. These NEs are connected via span 170 in FIG. 2. Information regarding PMs, including the OSNR / srv PM 662, and SMAOTTs (OSNR alert thresholds per service S400 in FIG. 5) is communicated between the NEs (e.g., 660c) and the network controller 655.

[0058] For each service in optical network 600 and at each location monitored for OSNR / srv, controller 655 calculates the worst-case acceptable PM (e.g., OSNR / srv) for each service traveling through that monitoring location before the delivery quality factor (dBQ margin) is put at risk and stores that information in a table. For example, the calculated worst-case acceptable PM values ​​are stored and maintained in a table (e.g., OSNR per service threshold). An example table is shown in FIG. 6, described below.

[0059] FIG. 6 shows an example of an SMAOTT table in which five different services pass through OSNR monitoring locations in optical network 152 of FIG. 2. Two services, identified as A1 and A2, originate at the same node as transponder 165a of FIG. 2 and are received at the same node as transponder 165b of FIG. 2. A second transmitting and receiving transponder is not shown for simplicity. Three services, identified as N1, N2, and N3, originate at the same node as transponder 165c of FIG. 2 and are received at the same node as transponder 165d of FIG. 2. A second and third transmitting and receiving transponder are not shown for simplicity. Table 705 of FIG. 6 stores, for each service, the current modeled delivery Q (dBQ), the worst-case acceptable delivery Q (dBQ) before bit errors, and the minimum acceptable OSNR at the monitoring location, which results in the minimum acceptable delivery Q (dBQ).

[0060] The network controller 655 may provide per-service OSNR SMAOTT to various NEs based on the model. In this example, each service may have a different OSNR TCA threshold, i.e., a different SMAOTT. The SMAOTT may be stored in a threshold table such as that shown in FIG. 6. Each NE may monitor PM at its respective location in the network and, when appropriate, provide a TCA to the network controller 655 when the SMAOTT is exceeded. For example, referring to FIG. 2, the ROADM 160c in the optical network 152 monitors PM. The PM monitored by the ROADM 160c may include the OSNR / srv of the optical service transmitted on span 170c.

[0061] As an example of service-dependent PM, OSNR / srv is used, as described with reference to table 705 in FIGS. 5 and 6. Table 705 shows the OSNR / srv TCA thresholds for services A1, A2, N1, N2, and N3 monitored by the NE 660c. The OSNR / srv TCA threshold for each service in this example is listed in the "SMAOTT: Minimum Acceptable OSNR at Monitoring Location @ Minimum Acceptable Delivery Q" column of table 705. For example, according to table 705 in FIG. 6, the span OSNR / srv TCA threshold for service N3 is 25 dB, and the span OSNR / srv TCA threshold for service A1 is 15 dB. Based on the model, the controller 655 provides the span OSNR / srv TCA threshold for each service to the NE 660c.

[0062] The NE 660c receives or detects an OSNR / srv alert threshold from the network controller 655 (S400 in FIG. 5). The NE 660c monitors the PM OSNR / srv at the NE 660c (step S407 in FIG. 5). When the OSNR / srv monitored at the NE 660c for service N3 drops to 25 dB (S405 in FIG. 5), the NE 660c sends an OSNR TCA for service N3 along with the current PM value to the network controller 655. Because the TCA in this example is service dependent, the NE 660c provides a service ID along with the TCA. In response to receiving the OSNR TCA and corresponding service ID from the NE 660c indicating that the service is "at risk," the network controller 655 can take action. In addition to providing the OSNR TCA and corresponding service ID to the network controller 655, the NE 660c may also start providing OSNR PM telemetry data to the network controller 655 (S410 in FIG. 5). The NE 660c may also perform an OTDR scan and provide the results to the network controller 655 (S412 in FIG. 5). The NE 660c may also provide stored telemetry data to the network controller 655 (S412 in FIG. 5).

[0063] In addition to the OSNR / srv alert threshold, Figure 5 also shows a second threshold used to clear the OSNR alert (S415). The NE clears or stops sending the OSNR / srv alert when the OSNR / srv detected by the NE is equal to or greater than the clear threshold (S420 in Figure 5). When the OSNR / srv alert is cleared, PM telemetry from the NE 660c to the network controller 655 is stopped (S425 in Figure 5).

[0064] An example action taken by the network controller 655 is described with reference to table 705. This example table 705 shows characteristics of five different services. For example, the table identifies each service by its service type, starting delivery Q, minimum acceptable delivery Q (based on service type), and minimum OSNR / srv at the monitoring location that is considered to correspond to the minimum acceptable delivery Q. An OSNR / srv TCA received by the network controller 655 provides a unique fault location because the alert pertains to the OSNR / srv detected at the location of the NE 660c. The network controller 655 can trigger action or further monitoring specific to the NE 660c that issued the OSNR / srv TCA for that service.

[0065] Alternatively, or in addition, the network controller 655 analyzes and identifies “at risk” services based on the TCA and corresponding service IDs. For example, table 705 shows that when service N3's OSNR / srv reaches 25 dB, service N3 will be identified as “at risk,” while other services handled by NE 660c may not be at risk. When the network controller 655 receives the OSNR / srv TCA, the network controller 655 may log the service ID and PM value in data lake 680 and perform an OTDR scan. In an example where 23 dB is measured for service N2, it would be identified and logged as “at risk.” According to an example embodiment, logging only “at risk” services may reduce required storage and / or more efficiently use available storage.

[0066] 7 illustrates an example of a computing system 300 that may be used for margin alerting for an optical network, in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. The computing system 300 may be configured to implement or direct margin alerting for an optical network, which may include operation of one or more components included in the environment 100 of FIG. 1 , such as the controller 105, the network node 110, the transponder 115, and / or execution of the method 200 of FIG. 2 . The computing system 300 may include a processor 302, a memory 304, data storage 306, and a communication unit 308, all of which may be communicatively coupled. In some embodiments, the computing system 300 may be part of any of the systems or devices described in this disclosure.

[0067] The processor 302 may include a computing entity or processing device including various computer hardware or software modules and may be configured to execute instructions stored on any applicable computer-readable medium. For example, the processor 302 may include a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a parallel processor such as a graphics processing unit (GPU) or a tensor processing unit (TPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or other digital or analog circuitry configured to interpret and / or execute program instructions and / or process data.

[0068] Although shown in FIG. 7 as a single processor, it will be understood that processor 302 may include any number of processors distributed across any number of networks or physical locations configured to individually or collectively perform any number of the operations described herein.

[0069] In some embodiments, processor 302 may be configured to interpret and / or execute program instructions and / or process data stored in memory 304, data storage 306, or memory 304 and data storage 306. In some embodiments, processor 302 may fetch program instructions from data storage 306 and load the program instructions into memory 304. After the program instructions are loaded into memory 304, processor 302 may execute the program instructions.

[0070] Memory 304 and data storage 306 may comprise one or more computer-readable storage media for carrying or storing computer-executable instructions or data structures. Such computer-readable storage media may be any available media that can be accessed by a computer, such as processor 302.

[0071] By way of example, and not limitation, such computer-readable storage media may include tangible or non-transitory computer-readable storage media including random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, flash memory devices (e.g., solid-state memory devices), or any other storage medium that can be used to carry or store specific program code or data structures in the form of computer-executable instructions and that can be accessed by a computer. Combinations of the above may also be included within the scope of computer-readable storage media.

[0072] Computer-executable instructions may include, for example, instructions and data configured to cause processor 302 to perform a particular process or group of processes, as described in this disclosure. In these and other embodiments, the term "non-transitory" as described in this disclosure should be construed to exclude only those types of transitory media found to be outside the scope of patentable subject matter in the Federal Circuit decision in Nuijten, 500 F.3d 1346 (Fed. Cir. 2007). Combinations of the above may also be included within the scope of computer-readable media.

[0073] The communications unit 308 may include any component, device, system, or combination thereof configured to transmit or receive information over a network. In some embodiments, the communications unit 308 may communicate with other devices at other locations or the same location, or may also communicate with other components within the same system. For example, the communications unit 308 may include a modem, a network card (wireless or wired), an infrared communications device, a wireless communications device (e.g., an antenna implementing 4G (LTE), 4.5G (LTE-A), and / or 5G (mmWave) telecommunications, etc.), and / or a chipset (e.g., a Bluetooth® device (e.g., Bluetooth 5 (Bluetooth Low Energy)), an 802.6 device (e.g., Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)), a Wi-Fi® device (e.g., IEEE 802.11ax, WiMax® device, cellular communications equipment, etc.), and / or the like. The communications unit 308 may enable data exchange with the network and / or any other device or system described in this disclosure.

[0074] Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to computing system 300 without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, in some embodiments, computing system 300 may include any number of other components not explicitly shown or described.

[0075] Similarly, modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to environment 100 without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, optical network 102 may include more or fewer nodes 110 and / or more or fewer spans 120 than shown. In some embodiments, first span 120a and / or second span 120b may represent one or more spans and / or various span lengths associated with those spans. Accordingly, optical network 102 may include any number of nodes 110 and / or any number of spans 120 (e.g., N nodes and / or M spans, where N may or may not equal M). Alternatively, or in addition, although shown as a linear topology, optical network 102 may include more or fewer nodes 110 and / or spans 120 to support other network topologies. For example, optical network 102 may include a mesh network, a star network, a ring network, and / or a hybrid topology that may include any combination of the aforementioned networks. Network node 110 may include a reconfigurable optical add / drop multiplexer (ROADM) device that may perform the adding and / or dropping of optical services from optical fibers of optical network 102, as described herein. Alternatively, or in addition, network node 110 may include one or more in-line amplifiers that may be configured to amplify the optical services. Alternatively, or in addition, one or more in-line amplifiers may be distributed throughout span 120 to amplify the optical services traversing span 120. The lengths of spans 120 may vary between fairly short spans (e.g., a few hundred meters, such as within a single campus) and fairly long spans (e.g., hundreds of kilometers or more). In some embodiments, the individual lengths of spans 120 may vary among spans 120. For example, a first span 120a may have a fairly long span, and a second span 120b may have a fairly short span.

[0076] In some embodiments, controller 105 may include code and routines configured to enable one or more computing devices to perform one or more operations. Additionally, or alternatively, controller 105 may be implemented using hardware including one or more processors, central processing units (CPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), data processing units (DPUs), parallel processing units (PPUs), microprocessors (e.g., to perform or control the execution of one or more operations), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), accelerators (e.g., deep learning accelerators), and / or other processor types. In some other examples, controller 105 may be implemented using a combination of hardware and software. In this disclosure, operations described as being performed using controller 105 may include operations that controller 105 may instruct a corresponding system to perform.

[0077] In some embodiments, the various components, modules, engines, and services described herein may be implemented as multiple objects or processes executing on a computer system (e.g., as separate threads). Although some of the systems and methods described herein are generally described as being implemented in software (stored on and / or executed by general-purpose hardware), specific hardware implementations, or combinations of software and specific hardware implementations, are also possible and contemplated.

[0078] The terms used in this disclosure and particularly in the appended claims (e.g., the body of the appended claims) are generally intended as "open" terms (e.g., the term "comprising" should be interpreted as "including, but not limited to," the term "having" should be interpreted as "having at least," the term "including" should be interpreted as "including, but not limited to," etc.).

[0079] Furthermore, if a specific number of claim recitations is intended, such intention will be expressly recited in the claim; absent such recitation, no such intention exists. For example, as an aid to understanding, the claims appended below may include the use of the preamble phrases "at least one" and "one or more" to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed as meaning that introducing a claim recitation with the indefinite article "a" or "an" limits any particular claim containing such an introduced claim recitation to embodiments containing only such recitations (e.g., "a" and / or "an" should be construed to mean "at least one" or "one or more"). The same applies to the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations.

[0080] Furthermore, even when a specific number of claimed elements is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such a recitation should be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of "two things" without other modifiers means at least two things, or more than two things). Also, where traditional expressions similar to "at least one of A, B, and C, etc." or "one or more of A, B, and C, etc." are used, such constructions are generally intended to include A only, B only, C only, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B, and C together, etc. Also, use of the term "and / or" is intended to be interpreted accordingly.

[0081] Additionally, disjunctive terms or phrases presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in the description of embodiments, the claims, or the drawings, should be understood to contemplate the possibility of including one of those terms, either of those terms, or both terms. For example, the phrase "A or B" should be understood to include the possibilities of "A" or "B" or "A and B," as if the term "and / or" were used elsewhere.

[0082] All examples and conditional language set forth in this disclosure are intended for educational purposes to assist the reader in understanding the present disclosure and concepts provided by the inventors herein to advance the art, and should not be construed as limitations to the examples and conditions so specifically set forth. Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail, various modifications, substitutions, and alterations may be made to these embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

[0083] In addition to the above description, the following notes are also provided.

[0084] (Supplementary Note 1) A method for utilizing a service margin recognition threshold for optical alerts in an optical line system, comprising: determining an optical margin for a service provided between a source transponder and a destination transponder over an optical line system (OLS), the OLS including a plurality of network elements and a plurality of optical fiber spans connecting the plurality of network elements; monitoring a performance monitor (PM) and a fixed predetermined threshold and issuing a threshold crossing alert (TCA) indicating that the monitored performance monitor (PM) has exceeded a certain predetermined fixed threshold; determining a service margin aware OLS TCA threshold (SMAOTT) that is specific to a service or location within the OLS; monitoring PM and the determined SMAOTT at network elements within the OLS; When the monitored PM satisfies the SMAOTT, issuing a specific TCA associated with the SMAOTT; triggering an alert response procedure to the specific TCA when the SMAOTT is met to identify the service or location within the OLS associated with the SMAOTT; A method having the following.

[0085] (Supplementary Note 2) The method of Supplementary Note 1, wherein the SMAOTT is different from the optical margin, the predetermined fixed TCA threshold, and the TCA.

[0086] (Supplementary Note 3) The method described in Supplementary Note 1, wherein the determined SMAOTT is specific to the service and a location, and the location is a network element located between the source transponder and the destination transponder of the service connected via multiple spans of the OLS.

[0087] (Supplementary Note 4) The method of Supplementary Note 3, wherein a plurality of SMAOTTs are determined for the service, uniquely associated with a plurality of network elements traversed by the service between the source transponder and the destination transponder.

[0088] (Supplementary Note 5) The method of Supplementary Note 1, wherein the monitored PMs include service-independent PMs and service-dependent PMs, and the alert response procedure differs between the service-independent PMs and the service-dependent PMs.

[0089] (Supplementary Note 6) The PM is monitored at a network element between the source transponder and the destination transponder; When the monitored PM is a service-independent PM, a SMAOTT representing the most sensitive service among a plurality of services provided through the network element is provided to the network element; The method described in Appendix 1.

[0090] (Supplementary Note 7) The method described in Supplementary Note 1, wherein the alert response procedure includes at least one of obtaining telemetry data related to the triggered specific TCA, logging the telemetry data, identifying the service associated with the specific TCA, identifying the location using the OLS associated with the specific TCA, and instructing a reconfiguration of a route providing the service associated with the specific TCA.

[0091] (Appendix 8) Memory and At least one processor that utilizes a service margin awareness threshold for optical alerts in an optical line system, the at least one processor comprising: determining an optical margin for a service provided between a source transponder and a destination transponder over an optical line system (OLS), the OLS including a plurality of network elements and a plurality of optical fiber spans connecting the plurality of network elements; monitoring a performance monitor (PM) and a fixed predetermined threshold; and issuing a threshold crossing alert (TCA) indicating that the monitored performance monitor (PM) has exceeded a certain predetermined fixed threshold; determining a service margin aware OLS TCA threshold (SMAOTT) that is specific to a service or location within the OLS; monitoring PM and the determined SMAOTT at network elements within the OLS; When the monitored PM satisfies the SMAOTT, it emits a specific TCA associated with the SMAOTT; triggering an alert response procedure to the specific TCA when the SMAOTT is satisfied to identify the service or location within the OLS associated with the SMAOTT; at least one processor configured to: A communication system having:

[0092] (Supplementary Note 9) The communication system according to Supplementary Note 8, wherein the SMAOTT is different from the optical margin, the predetermined fixed TCA threshold, and the TCA.

[0093] (Supplementary Note 10) The communication system described in Supplementary Note 8, wherein the determined SMAOTT is specific to the service and a location, and the location is a network element located between the source transponder and the destination transponder of the service connected via multiple spans of the OLS.

[0094] (Supplementary Note 11) The communication system according to Supplementary Note 10, wherein for the service, a plurality of SMAOTTs are determined that are uniquely associated with a plurality of network elements that the service traverses between the source transponder and the destination transponder.

[0095] (Supplementary Note 12) The communication system according to Supplementary Note 8, wherein the monitored PMs include service-independent PMs and service-dependent PMs, and the alert response procedure differs between the service-independent PMs and the service-dependent PMs.

[0096] (Supplementary Note 13) The PM is monitored at a network element between the source transponder and the destination transponder; When the monitored PM is a service-independent PM, a SMAOTT representing the most sensitive service among a plurality of services provided through the network element is provided to the network element; 9. The communication system of claim 8.

[0097] (Supplementary Note 14) At least one network element; a controller configured to utilize a service margin awareness threshold for optical alerts in an optical line system; and the controller comprises: determining an optical margin for a service provided between a source transponder and a destination transponder via an optical line system (OLS) including the at least one network element; determining a service margin aware OLS TCA threshold (SMAOTT) that is specific to a service or location within the OLS; monitoring PM and the determined SMAOTT in at least one network element within the OLS; When the monitored PM satisfies the SMAOTT, it emits a specific TCA associated with the SMAOTT; triggering an alert response procedure to the specific TCA when the SMAOTT is satisfied to identify the service or location within the OLS associated with the SMAOTT; Communication system.

[0098] (Supplementary Note 15) The communication system described in Supplementary Note 14, wherein the determined SMAOTT is specific to the service and a location, and the location is a network element located between the source transponder and the destination transponder of the service connected via multiple spans of the OLS.

[0099] (Supplementary Note 16) The communication system of Supplementary Note 15, wherein a plurality of SMAOTTs are determined for the service, uniquely associated with a plurality of network elements traversed by the service between the source transponder and the destination transponder.

[0100] (Supplementary Note 17) The communication system according to Supplementary Note 14, wherein the monitored PMs include service-independent PMs and service-dependent PMs, and the alert response procedure differs between the service-independent PMs and the service-dependent PMs.

[0101] (Supplementary Note 18) The PM is monitored at a network element between the source transponder and the destination transponder; When the monitored PM is a service-independent PM, a SMAOTT representing the most sensitive service among a plurality of services provided through the network element is provided to the network element; 15. The communication system of claim 14.

[0102] (Supplementary Note 19) The communication system described in Supplementary Note 14, wherein the alert response procedure includes at least one of obtaining telemetry data related to the triggered specific TCA, logging the telemetry data, identifying the service associated with the specific TCA, identifying the location using the OLS associated with the specific TCA, and instructing a reconfiguration of a route providing the service associated with the specific TCA.

Claims

1. 1. A method for utilizing a service margin awareness threshold for optical alerts in an optical line system, comprising: determining an optical margin for a service provided between a source transponder and a destination transponder over an optical line system (OLS), the OLS including a plurality of network elements and a plurality of optical fiber spans connecting the plurality of network elements; monitoring a performance monitor (PM) and a fixed predetermined threshold and issuing a threshold crossing alert (TCA) indicating that the monitored performance monitor (PM) has exceeded a certain predetermined fixed threshold; determining a service margin aware OLS TCA threshold (SMAOTT) that is specific to a service or location within the OLS; monitoring PM and the determined SMAOTT at network elements within the OLS; When the monitored PM satisfies the SMAOTT, emitting a specific TCA associated with the SMAOTT; When the SMAOTT is satisfied, triggering an alert response procedure to the specific TCA to identify the service or location within the OLS associated with the SMAOTT; A method having the following.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the SMAOTT is different from the optical margin, the predetermined fixed TCA threshold, and the TCA.

3. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined SMAOTT is specific to the service and a location, the location being a network element located between the source transponder and the destination transponder of the service connected via multiple spans of the OLS.

4. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein a plurality of SMAOTTs are determined for the service, uniquely associated with a plurality of network elements traversed by the service between the source transponder and the destination transponder.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the monitored PMs include service-independent PMs and service-dependent PMs, and the alert response procedures differ between the service-independent PMs and the service-dependent PMs.

6. The PM is monitored at a network element between the source transponder and the destination transponder; When the monitored PM is a service-independent PM, a SMAOTT representing the most sensitive service among a plurality of services provided through the network element is provided to the network element; The method of claim 1.

7. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert response procedure includes at least one of: obtaining telemetry data related to the triggered specific TCA; logging the telemetry data; identifying the service associated with the specific TCA; identifying the location using the OLS associated with the specific TCA; and directing a reconfiguration of a route providing the service associated with the specific TCA.

8. Memory and At least one processor for utilizing a service margin awareness threshold for optical alerts in an optical line system, the at least one processor comprising: Determining an optical margin for a service provided between a source transponder and a destination transponder over an optical line system (OLS), the OLS including a plurality of network elements and a plurality of optical fiber spans connecting the plurality of network elements; monitoring the performance monitors (PMs) and fixed predetermined thresholds and issuing threshold crossing alerts (TCAs) indicating that the monitored performance monitors (PMs) have exceeded certain fixed predetermined thresholds; determining a service margin-aware OLS TCA threshold (SMAOTT) that is specific to a service or location within the OLS; monitoring PM and the determined SMAOTT at network elements within the OLS; When the monitored PM meets the SMAOTT, it emits a specific TCA associated with the SMAOTT; When the SMAOTT is satisfied, triggering an alert response procedure to the specific TCA to identify the service or location within the OLS associated with the SMAOTT; at least one processor configured to: A communication system having:

9. The communication system of claim 8 , wherein the SMAOTT is different from the optical margin, the predetermined fixed TCA threshold, and the TCA.

10. 9. The communication system of claim 8, wherein the determined SMAOTT is specific to the service and a location, the location being a network element located between the source transponder and the destination transponder of the service connected via multiple spans of the OLS.

11. 11. The communication system of claim 10, wherein a plurality of SMAOTTs are determined for the service, uniquely associated with a plurality of network elements traversed by the service between the source transponder and the destination transponder.

12. The communication system of claim 8 , wherein the monitored PMs include service-independent PMs and service-dependent PMs, and the alert response procedures differ between the service-independent PMs and the service-dependent PMs.

13. The PM is monitored at a network element between the source transponder and the destination transponder; When the monitored PM is a service-independent PM, a SMAOTT representing the most sensitive service among a plurality of services provided through the network element is provided to the network element; 9. The communication system of claim 8.

14. at least one network element; a controller configured to utilize a service margin awareness threshold for optical alerts in an optical line system; and the controller comprises: determining an optical margin for a service provided between a source transponder and a destination transponder via an optical line system (OLS) including the at least one network element; determining a service margin-aware OLS TCA threshold (SMAOTT) that is specific to a service or location within the OLS; monitoring a PM and the determined SMAOTT in at least one network element within the OLS; When the monitored PM meets the SMAOTT, it emits a specific TCA associated with the SMAOTT; When the SMAOTT is satisfied, triggering an alert response procedure to the specific TCA to identify the service or location within the OLS associated with the SMAOTT; Communication system.

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