Discovery of an adjacent network element within a network data plane

摘要

The present invention provides a system, apparatus and method for discovery of network elements, which are adjacent within the network data plane but may or may not be adjacent in the network control plane. In one embodiment of the present invention, digital network elements, with a plurality thereof having a lambda switching capability (hereinafter “LSC”) interface, is provided. A digital network element with an LSC interface originates and sends a local advertisement to its immediate control neighbor. Using this LSC originated advertisements; a neighboring network element may be discovered that is adjacent on the network data plane.

主权项

1. A method in which a first digital network element discovers a second digital network element, a plurality of optical signals being communicated between the first digital network element and the second digital network element, each of the plurality of optical signals having a corresponding one of a plurality of wavelengths, the plurality of wavelengths being divided into groups of wavelengths, each of the groups of wavelengths being a corresponding one of a plurality of optical channel groups, the method comprising:
transmitting, on a first optical service channel from the first digital network element to the second digital network element, a first local advertisement including first information identifying a number of the plurality of optical channel groups carried on a physical link extending from the first digital network element to the second digital network element; receiving the first local advertisement at the second digital network element; processing the first local advertisement at the second digital network element; and transmitting a second local advertisement including second information from the second digital network element to the first digital network element on a second optical service channel, the second information indicating that the second digital network element is configured to receive said at least one of the plurality of optical channel groups.