Methods and apparatus for optical network management using pilot tones

1. A method of managing an optical network comprising:

a) selecting an optical path having a plurality of nodes from a database defining an expected optical network;

b) generating a detected list of pilot tones associated with each node of the selected optical path;

c) generating an expected list of pilot tones associated with each node of the selected optical path; and

d) comparing the detected and expected lists to identify any mismatched nodes.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of nodes includes at least one pilot tone origination node.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of nodes includes at least one pilot tone detection node.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of nodes includes at least one pilot tone termination node.

5. A method of managing an optical network comprising:

a) scanning an optical network to generate a detected list of nodes carrying a selected pilot tone value; and

b) inferring a node connectivity order to map an optical path associated with a first pilot tone source having the selected pilot tone value.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein b) comprises:

i) generating optical path permutations for the detected list of nodes;

ii) applying extraneous information to eliminate permutations; and

iii) selecting a likely optical path for the first pilot tone source from the remaining permutations.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the extraneous information includes at least one of: a node type, directional information, and network configuration rules.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein any other pilot tone source is set to have a pilot tone value other than the selected pilot tone value.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein the optical network comprises a plurality of other pilot tone sources, wherein the plurality of other pilot tone sources is set to have the same pilot tone value distinct from the selected pilot tone value.

10. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

c) setting the pilot tone source to have the selected pilot tone value; and

d) setting all other pilot tone sources to an associated pilot tone value other than the selected pilot tone value.

11. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

c) retrieving at least a portion of the extraneous information from a network database describing an expected map of the optical network.

12. An apparatus comprising:

a database defining an expected optical network having a plurality of nodes, wherein the database enables identification of pilot tones associated with each node of any optical path of the expected optical network; and

a processor coupled to an actual optical network having a plurality of nodes, wherein the processor generates a detected list of pilot tones associated with each node of a selected optical path, wherein the processor generates an expected list of nodes for the selected optical path from the database, wherein the processor compares the detected list with the expected list to identify mismatched nodes.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the plurality of nodes includes at least one pilot tone origination node.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the plurality of nodes includes at least one pilot tone detection node.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the plurality of nodes includes at least one pilot tone termination node.

16. A computer readable storage medium apparatus storing processor executable instructions for managing an optical network, wherein upon execution, the processor executable instructions instruct the processor to perform the following:

a) select an optical path having a plurality of nodes from a database defining an expected optical network;

b) generate a detected list of pilot tones associated with each node of the selected optical path;

c) generate an expected list of pilot tones associated with each node of the selected optical path; and

d) compare the detected and expected lists to identify any mismatched nodes.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the plurality of nodes includes at least one pilot tone origination node.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the plurality of nodes includes at least one pilot tone detection node.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the plurality of nodes includes at least one pilot tone termination node.