Control Plane Triggered Optical Protection Switching for Automatic Path Reversion
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional Optical Protection Switching (OPS) systems fail to ensure automatic switching to preferred paths after faults are cleared, often reverting to non-preferred restoration paths and requiring manual administrator intervention, which is time-consuming and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a Control Plane Triggered (CPT) OPS policy that operates at a lower priority level than Sub-Network Connection Protection (SNCP) protocols, allowing for automatic switching back to home paths after faults are cleared, using Layer 0 Control Plane (L0CP) diagnostics to verify path status and trigger OPS switching actions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If conventional OPS systems are used for automatic protection switching, then fault protection is provided, but automatic switching back to preferred home paths after faults are cleared does not occur, requiring manual administrator intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the system continuously monitors fault status and automatically triggers OPS switching actions. When faults are cleared, the system detects this change and autonomously switches traffic back to the preferred home path without requiring manual administrator intervention, thereby resolving the contradiction between automation extent and time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically detecting fault clearance conditions and executing the switching back to home path operations independently. This eliminates the need for manual administrator intervention and reduces the time loss associated with manual operations, while maintaining proper fault protection through the OPS mechanism.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple routing policies are implemented with different priority levels, then optimized path selection is achieved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the routing policy into distinct priority levels, with CPT-OPS operating at a lower priority level than SNCP protocols. This segmentation allows each policy to operate independently with clearly defined roles, achieving optimized path selection while managing complexity through structured hierarchy rather than monolithic policy management.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-configuring the priority hierarchy between different routing policies before operation. The CPT-OPS policy is established to operate at a lower priority level than SNCP protocols in advance, allowing automatic optimized path selection without requiring complex real-time decision-making, thus reducing operational complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for performing a Control Plane Triggered (CPT) Optical Protection Switching (OPS) policy are provided. A method, according to one implementation, includes performing a first route switching procedure for switching routes between an originating node and a terminating node. The first route switching procedure is configured to operate at a first priority level according to an Optical Protection Switching (OPS) policy. The method also includes performing a second route switching procedure for switching routes between the originating node and the terminating node. The second route switching procedure is configured to operate at a second priority level according to a second protection policy, wherein the second priority level is higher than the first priority level. Also, the method includes reverting back to a home path according to the first route switching procedure after one or more faults, defects, or degradations have been cleared from the home path.