Management Node Automating WDM Port Matching via Attribute Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Establishing communicative connections between ports in a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) optical network is cumbersome and time-consuming, requiring significant manual intervention, especially in aggregated communications networks where scaling with increasing data traffic volume becomes complex.
Innovation Solution
A method in a management node that decides suitable ports for connection by obtaining and matching attributes associated with available and discovered ports, using attribute identifiers and rules to automate the connection process, thereby reducing manual intervention and facilitating automated network design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual intervention is used to establish communicative connections between ports in a WDM optical network, then connection establishment can be performed with existing network management systems, but the process becomes cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables ports to automatically discover and establish connections with compatible ports through self-service mechanisms. The management node autonomously matches available ports with discovered ports based on compatibility attributes, eliminating the need for manual intervention and significantly reducing connection establishment time
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing attribute profiles for ports including compatibility information, service types, and technical specifications. When a connection is needed, the management node quickly retrieves and compares these pre-prepared attributes to rapidly determine compatibility and establish connections
2Ease of manufacture
If data packet aggregation is used to converge multiple services into one network, then hardware expense is reduced, but scaling becomes difficult and complexity increases with increasing data traffic volume
Solution Approach 1:
The system manages complexity by dynamically changing and matching multiple parameters including service types, data rates, protocol types, and port attributes. The management node automatically adjusts and compares these parameters to determine compatibility, enabling scalable network management without increasing operational complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the network management function into distinct components: port discovery, attribute extraction, compatibility matching, and connection establishment. This segmentation allows each component to be independently optimized and managed, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining scalability
3Productivity
If optical domain aggregation using WDM is used to aggregate multiple services, then the network can handle increasing data traffic volume, but establishment of communicative connections between optical ports becomes cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the management node continuously monitors port attributes, service requirements, and network conditions. This feedback enables dynamic adjustment of connection decisions and automatic optimization of port matching, making the operation of high-capacity WDM networks easier and more adaptive
Data Source
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AI summary
A method and management node (250; 350) for deciding ports suitable to be communicatively connected to each other in a communications network (210; 310). The communications network comprises an available port (230A; 330A) communicatively connected to the communications network (210; 310), and a discovered port (233B; 330B) that is discovered as being communicatively connected to the communications network (210; 310). The management node (250; 350) obtains Information associating at least the available port (230A; 330A) and the discovered port (233B; 330B) with respective one or more attributes and with a respective attribute identifier identifying the respective one or more attributes. The management node (250; 350) receives (402; 702), from a port discovering network node (225; 320B), a message comprising the attribute identifier associated with the discovered port (233B; 330B). The management node (250; 350) decides (404; 704) that the available port (230A; 330A) is suitable to be communicatively connected with the discovered port (233B; 330B) based on that the respective one or more attributes are considered matching.