Method, system and storage medium for monitoring power control loops in optical communication networks

1. A method for monitoring a power control loop in an optical communication network, the method comprising:

obtaining power management information from a network element at a network management system in the optical communication network, the power management information comprising whether the network element power control loop is operating in open loop mode or closed loop mode;

obtaining network type from the network element, wherein said network type comprises one of a BLSR, UPSR, Linear ADM, Point to Point, and mesh;

selecting power management rules in response to whether the network element power control loop is operating in open loop mode or closed loop mode and in response to said network type;

applying the power management rules to the power management information; and

detecting a valid or invalid power control loop in response to said applying, wherein said detecting step is performed differently responsive to the network type actually present;

wherein said power management information identifies a component in the network element;

wherein said selecting the power management rules is dependent on the component; and

wherein the component is identified as a first type of variable optical attenuator having a first response speed or a second type of variable optical attenuator having a second response speed, wherein the first response speed and the second response speed comprise a relatively fast response speed and a relatively slow response speed.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying power control loop mode and status.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending a corrective command to the network element if an invalid power control loop is detected.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

notifying a technician if an invalid power control loop is detected.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting whether expected power at the network element is greater than a measurement threshold; and

determining that open loop mode is valid if the expected power is greater than the measurement threshold.

6. An optical communication network comprising:

a network element implementing a power control loop, said network element including a memory device including power management information, the power management information comprising whether the network element power control loop is operating in open loop mode or closed loop mode and the power management information comprising a network type, wherein said network type comprises one of a BLSR, UPSR, Linear ADM, Point to Point, and mesh;

a network management system in communication with said network element, said network management system obtaining the power management information;

said network management system selecting power management rules in response to whether the network element power control loop is operating in open loop mode or closed loop mode and in response to said network type;

said network management system applying the power management rules to the power management information; and

said network management system detecting a valid or invalid power control loop in response to applying the power management rules, wherein said network management system detects differently responsive to the network type actually present;

wherein the power management information identifies a component in said network element;

wherein said network management system selects the power management rules in response to said component; and

wherein said component is identified as a first type of variable optical attenuator having a first response speed or a second type of variable optical attenuator having a second response speed, wherein the first response speed and the second response speed comprise a relatively fast response speed and a relatively slow response speed.

7. The optical communication network of claim 6 wherein:

said network management system displays power control loop mode and status.

8. The optical communication network of claim 6 wherein:

said network management system sends a corrective command to said network element if an invalid power control loop is detected.

9. The optical communication network of claim 6 wherein:

said network management system notifies a technician if an invalid power control loop is detected.

10. The optical communication network of claim 6 wherein:

said network management system detects whether expected power at said network element is greater than a measurement threshold; and

said network management system determines that open loop mode is valid if the expected power is greater than the measurement threshold.

11. A storage medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code for monitoring a power control loop in an optical communication network, the storage medium including instructions for causing a network management system to implement a method comprising:

obtaining power management information from a network element at the network management system in the optical communication network, the power management information comprising whether the network element power control loop is operating in open loop mode or closed loop mode;

obtaining network type from the network element, wherein said network type comprises one of a BLSR, UPSR, Linear ADM, Point to Point, and mesh;

selecting power management rules in response to whether the network element power control loop is operating in open loop mode or closed loop mode and in response to said network type;

applying the power management rules to the power management information; and

detecting a valid or invalid power control loop in response to said applying, wherein said detecting step is performed differently responsive to the network type actually present;

wherein said power management information identifies a component in the network element;

wherein said selecting the power management rules is dependent on the component; and

wherein the component is identified as a first type of variable optical attenuator having a first response speed or a second type of variable optical attenuator having a second response speed, wherein the first response speed and the second response speed comprise a relatively fast response speed and a relatively slow response speed.