ROADM Broadcast Circuit Provisioning via GUI Automation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) optical transport platforms face challenges in efficiently provisioning high-capacity optical carrier circuits that can broadcast at multiple locations, requiring complex manual processes and lacking a unified graphical interface for seamless circuit design and management.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a system that uses a graphical user interface (GUI) within an assignment and provisioning system to design and provision broadcast circuits, integrating with workflow, network, and inventory management servers to automate the process of creating optical network identifiers, selecting paths, and managing bandwidth, leveraging wavelength selective switching (WSS) in Reconfigurable Optical Add/Drop Multiplexer (ROADM) devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual processes are used for provisioning optical carrier circuits, then flexibility in circuit design is maintained, but provisioning efficiency and operational speed deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service provisioning through automated workflows that allow the network management system to automatically design, validate, and provision optical carrier circuits without requiring manual intervention at each step. The workflow management server orchestrates the entire process, allowing the system to serve itself in provisioning tasks.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-defining circuit templates, validation rules, and provisioning parameters before actual circuit deployment. The workflow management server prepares and validates circuit designs in advance, ensuring that all necessary configurations are ready before physical provisioning begins.
2Loss of time
If complex manual processes are used for circuit provisioning, then detailed control over each provisioning step is maintained, but operational errors and provisioning time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms through automated validation processes that continuously check circuit designs against predefined rules and constraints. The workflow management server receives feedback from validation steps and automatically adjusts or rejects designs that do not meet requirements, ensuring high operational accuracy while maintaining fast provisioning speeds.
Solution Approach 2:
Validation rules and circuit design constraints are established in advance through preliminary action. The system pre-configures all necessary validation criteria and design parameters, allowing automated real-time validation during the provisioning process without adding manual steps, thus reducing both time and errors.
3Ease of operation
If a unified graphical interface is implemented for circuit design, then ease of operation improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The workflow management server implements a universal graphical interface that handles multiple functions including circuit design, validation, provisioning, and management through a single unified platform. This multi-functional approach improves ease of operation while consolidating system complexity into a centralized management layer rather than increasing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The workflow management server acts as an intermediary layer between the graphical user interface and the underlying network management systems. This mediator handles the complexity of system integration and communication protocols, presenting a simplified unified interface to users while managing the intricate backend operations automatically.
4Productivity
If automated provisioning systems are implemented, then provisioning speed and efficiency improve, but initial system complexity and implementation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The automated provisioning system is segmented into distinct functional modules including workflow management, validation, design, and provisioning components. Each module operates independently with well-defined interfaces, allowing the system to achieve high provisioning throughput while managing complexity through modular architecture that can be implemented and maintained in discrete units.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach simplifies the provisioning of high-capacity optical carrier circuits, enabling efficient broadcast at multiple locations by automating the design and management process, reducing manual errors and increasing operational efficiency through a unified interface.
Implementation Method 1
leveraging wavelength selective switching (WSS) in Reconfigurable Optical Add/Drop Multiplexer (ROADM) devices
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes receiving an order for services to be provided by an optical network, the order identifying bandwidth requirements for the optical network and multiple broadcast locations; creating an optical network identifier, the optical network identifier including an aggregation of dense wavelength data multiplexers that may define one or more paths; prompting a user to select a path for a broadcast circuit through the dense wavelength data multiplexers using a graphical user interface; querying an operations support service for available bandwidth to support bandwidth requirements over the selected path; and assigning the circuit path based on the available bandwidth.