METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETECTING NETWORK ELEMENTS IN AN OPTICAL COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK

摘要

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is a method of detecting network elements in an optical communications network. The method includes an initiating network element generating a neighbor discovery message (200) including a requested hierarchy level at which neighbor discovery is requested and transmitting the neighbor discovery message downstream along the optical communications network. A downstream network element receives the neighbor discovery message, determines if the downstream network element operated at the requested hierarchy level (202). The downstream network element generates a responding neighbor discovery message (206) if the downstream network element operates at the requested hierarchy level and transmits the responding neighbor discovery message to the initiating network element (208). Alternate embodiments include a system and storage medium for implementing the method.