In the examples provided herein, a system has a plurality of arrayed waveguide gratings (AWG) having a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports. A signal within a given wavelength channel transmitted to one of the input ports of a given AWG is routed to one of the output ports of the given AWG based on a signal wavelength. The system also has a plurality of nodes, with each node comprising a set of components for each AWG that the node is coupled to. Each set of components comprises a plurality of optical transmitters, where each optical transmitter is tunable over multiple wavelength channels within a different wavelength band; a band multiplexer to multiplex the multiple wavelength channels within each different wavelength band; and a first output fiber to couple an output of the band multiplexer to one of the input ports of a first AWG.

A method including receiving, by a device in communication with a first endpoint and a second endpoint in a mesh network, a first communication from the first endpoint and a second communication from the second endpoint; selectively comparing, by the device, first observed connection state information associated with the first communication with the stored connection state information associated with outgoing communications transmitted by the device, and second observed connection state information associated with the second communication with the stored connection state information; and selectively processing, by the device, the first communication based at least in part on a result of selectively comparing the first observed connection state information with the stored connection state information, and the second communication based at least in part on a result of selectively comparing the second observed connection state information with the stored connection state information. Various other aspects are contemplated.

In response to a connectivity disruption in an underlying optical transport ring supporting a routing and packet switching topology, one or more of optical devices of the optical transport ring are modified to establish connectivity between spine nodes in different data centers to reroute communication between at least a subset of the leaf network devices so as to traverse an inter-spine route via the optical modified optical transport ring. That is, in response to a connectivity disruption in a portion of underlying optical transport ring, one or more optical devices within the optical transport ring are modified such that packets between at least a portion of the leaf devices are rerouted along optical paths between at least two of the spine network devices.

Embodiments provides a low-latency data switching device and method. The device includes at least two boundary hardware modules and at least one optical forwarding module. The first boundary hardware module is configured for matching, with a first data forwarding table, signaling message information for a signaling message sent by a host router, acquiring a service request sent by the host router, and searching a second data forwarding table for an optical channel for the service request. The at least one optical forwarding module is configured for mapping the service request to a second service request, and forwarding the second service request in sequence via the optical channel, the second boundary hardware module is configured for acquiring next-hop routing information of the data switching device for the service request, and forwarding the service request to the next-hop router of the data switching device.

Optical switch control circuit for optical network protection. In an exemplary embodiment, an apparatus includes a latching optical switch that routes signals in an optical network. The apparatus also includes a switch control circuit coupled to the latching optical switch. The switch control circuit controls the latching optical switch to selectively operate in a latching mode or in a non-latching mode based on a received command and a network power state. A method is disclosed that includes receiving a command that indicates how optical signals are to be routed by a latching optical switch, and determining a resulting routing state based on a current routing state, the command, and a power state. The method also includes controlling the latching optical switch to operates in the resulting routing state such that the latching optical switch selectively operates in a latching mode or in a non-latching mode.

Systems and methods for path computation in an optical network include obtaining optical layer characteristics related to one or more optical paths in the optical network based in part on performance measurements in the optical network; responsive to service establishment or service restoration, determining a path from source to destination based on utilizing the optical layer characteristics to confirm physical validity of the path; and provisioning a service on the determined path from the source to the destination in the optical network.

A method including storing, by a first device in a mesh network, stored connection state information associated with an outgoing communication transmitted by the first device; determining, by the first device, observed connection state information based at least in part on receiving an incoming communication from a second device in the mesh network; comparing, by the first device, the observed connection state information with the stored connection state information; and selectively processing, by the first device, the incoming communication based at least in part on a result of the comparing. Various other aspects are contemplated.

Optical switch control circuit for optical network protection. In an exemplary embodiment, an apparatus includes a latching optical switch that routes signals in an optical network. The apparatus also includes a switch control circuit coupled to the latching optical switch. The switch control circuit controls the latching optical switch to selectively operate in a latching mode or in a non-latching mode based on a received command and a network power state. A method is disclosed that includes receiving a command that indicates how optical signals are to be routed by a latching optical switch, and determining a resulting routing state based on a current routing state, the command, and a power state. The method also includes controlling the latching optical switch to operates in the resulting routing state such that the latching optical switch selectively operates in a latching mode or in a non-latching mode.

In the examples provided herein, a system has a plurality of arrayed waveguide gratings (AWG) having a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports. A signal within a given wavelength channel transmitted to one of the input ports of a given AWG is routed to one of the output ports of the given AWG based on a signal wavelength. The system also has a plurality of nodes, with each node comprising a set of components for each AWG that the node is coupled to. Each set of components comprises a plurality of optical transmitters, where each optical transmitter is tunable over multiple wavelength channels within a different wavelength band; a band multiplexer to multiplex the multiple wavelength channels within each different wavelength band; and a first output fiber to couple an output of the band multiplexer to one of the input ports of a first AWG.

A passive signal transport medium, constructed as an array of spectral-temporal connectors, connects a large number of access nodes to a number of distributors to form a single-hop network of wide coverage and high throughput yet simplified control. Parameterized spectral-temporal connectors define network expansion over networks using conventional signal transport media. A network accommodating 32000 access nodes with a throughput of an Exabits/second is realizable. The distributors may be geographically distributed (the access nodes are naturally geographically distributed). The entire network structure is parameterized. Selecting the number of distributors to equal the number of access nodes, and pairing each access node with a respective distributor to form an integrated node, an expanded fully-meshed network is realized with each pair of integrated nodes having a direct path and numerous single-hop paths. Several routing schemes within the fully-meshed network are considered to enable both global control and distributed control.