Metro Optical Network Protection via Dynamic Spare Provisioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current metro optical network architectures, which rely on 1+1 protection schemes to manage traffic protection, result in inefficient resource utilization and limited network growth due to the need for doubling network capacity, leading to excessive capital expenditures on hardware like gray optics and transponder cards.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an optical network with multiple optical nodes, light paths, and a network monitoring device that dynamically reroutes traffic around failures by provisioning spare transponder cards and reconfiguring light paths, reducing the need for idle capacity and minimizing hardware requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If 1+1 protection architecture is implemented to provide traffic protection against network failures, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and capital expenditures increase due to doubling network capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic protection by provisioning transponder cards as spares only when failures are detected. The system continuously monitors network health and dynamically allocates spare capacity resources to failed components, transforming the static 1+1 protection architecture into a dynamic system that adapts to actual network conditions. This allows the network to maintain reliability while reducing the permanent capacity overhead associated with traditional static protection schemes.
2Reliability
If 1+1 protection architecture is implemented to provide traffic protection, then reliability is improved, but loss of substance increases due to inefficient resource utilization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a resource recovery mechanism where transponder cards are provisioned as spares only when failures occur. When the failed component is replaced or repaired, the spare card is de-provisioned and returned to the active pool. This continuous cycle of provisioning spares during failures and recovering them when normal operation is restored eliminates the permanent resource waste inherent in static 1+1 protection, achieving both reliability and efficient resource utilization.
3Loss of substance
If floating spare transponder cards are provisioned dynamically based on failures, then resource utilization is improved, but device complexity increases due to dynamic reconfiguration requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service automation where the network management system automatically detects failures, provisions spare transponder cards, reconfigures light paths, and de-provisions spares when failures are resolved. This automated self-service approach handles the complexity of dynamic reconfiguration without requiring manual intervention, making the system manageable despite the increased operational complexity. The automation transforms what would be a manually complex process into a streamlined automated operation.
4Productivity
If dynamic failure-based protection is implemented, then productivity is improved by reducing idle capacity, but loss of time increases during failure detection and reconfiguration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-identifying and provisioning floating spare transponder cards in advance, before failures occur. The system maintains a pool of available spare capacity that can be immediately deployed when failures are detected. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need to search for or provision spares during actual failures, significantly reducing the response time while still achieving high bandwidth utilization by keeping spares idle only when not needed.
Data Source
AI summary
An optical network is configured to optimize network resources. The optical network includes multiple optical nodes, light paths between the multiple optical nodes, and a network monitoring device. The network monitoring device monitors the optical network to identify a failure in the optical network. When the failure is a fiber failure, light paths are re-routed around the fiber failure while maintaining the required bandwidth for the optical network. When the failure is a transponder card failure within one of the multiple nodes, a floating spare card may be provisioned to service a particular light path associated with the transponder card failure. When the failure is a node failure, transponder cards in some of the multiple optical nodes are provisioned to reconfigure some of the plurality of light paths to route traffic around the failed node.