OTN Generic Non-Client Specific 1+1 Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional Optical Transport Network (OTN) equipment lacks the capability to interwork with client-specific protection schemes, limiting protection to local equipment and preventing redundant client interfaces from participating in protection protocols across diverse locations.
Innovation Solution
An OTN node with redundant client interfaces and a controller that utilizes maintenance signaling within the OTN protocol to provide a generic, uni-directional protection scheme independent of client protocols, allowing fault indication and selection of redundant interfaces based on ODU path layer status.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional OTN equipment participates in client-specific protection schemes, then protection capability is improved, but device complexity increases and interworking capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the OTN equipment does not directly participate in client-specific protection protocols but instead uses ODU AIS and OPU CSF signaling as mediators to indicate faults. This allows the OTN equipment to trigger protection switching without needing to understand or terminate client protocols, thus maintaining protection capability while reducing device complexity and improving interworking capability with diverse client equipment.
2Reliability
If OTN equipment terminates OTN layer to participate in protection protocol, then protection scheme is enabled, but ease of operation deteriorates and location flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the protection protocol participation requirement from the OTN equipment's functional responsibilities. By removing the need to terminate OTN layer or understand client protocols, the solution simplifies operation while maintaining protection capabilities. The OTN equipment only needs to monitor ODU path layer status and generate appropriate maintenance signaling, making the system easier to operate and more flexible in deployment locations.
3Reliability
If protection scheme is closed on local equipment, then protection is provided, but adaptability deteriorates and remote protection is prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses ODU AIS and OPU CSF signaling as intermediaries to enable remote protection capabilities. These signaling mechanisms allow fault information to be transmitted across the OTN network, enabling protection schemes to be closed at remotely located OTN equipment rather than only at local client interface equipment. This significantly improves adaptability while maintaining protection reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
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.