Automated node level fibre audit

1. A method of automated testing and evaluation of a node of a communications network, the method comprising:

a management computer querying the node to discover pre-existing fibre trails within the node that can be safely tested, wherein the querying comprises obtaining a listing of one or more equipment associated with the node, wherein the listing is stored in a database associated with the node, and the listing identifies port layer and addresses, photodiode locations and addresses and Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) sources of the one or more equipment; and

the management computer interacting with the node to test, by adding a light source at the node that does not impact other in service wavelengths, at least continuity of each identified pre-existing fibre trail that can be safely tested.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is performed in response to a request.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is performed in accordance with a predetermined schedule.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein discovering pre-existing fibre trails within the node that can be safely tested comprises deriving a map of preexisting fibre trails within the node that are not in use carrying active wavelengths.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein deriving a map of pre-existing fibre trails within the node that are not in use carrying active wavelengths comprises:

obtaining information identifying each piece of equipment installed in the node;

for each identified piece of equipment, obtaining information identifying respective ports, photodiodes and Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) sources;

identifying port trails of active wavelengths;

identifying dark photodiodes;

identifying ASE sources upstream of identified dark photodiodes; and

identifying, from among the ASE sources upstream of dark photodiodes, those ASE sources that can be safely turned on.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein dark photodiodes include any one or both of receivers and Optical Performance Monitoring (OPM) devices of the node that are not receiving light of an active wavelength.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein testing at least continuity of each identified pre-existing fibre trail that can be safely tested comprises:

turning on a selected ASE source in an identified pre-existing fibre trail, and

detecting light from the ASE source at a dark photodetector downstream of the selected ASE source.

8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising software instructions implementing an automated testing and evaluation of a node of a communications network, the software instructions comprising:

instructions for controlling a management computer to query the node to discover preexisting fibre trails within the node that can be safely tested, wherein the querying comprises obtaining a listing of one or more equipment associated with the node, wherein the listing is stored in a database associated with the node, and the listing identifies port layer and addresses, photodiode locations and addresses and Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) sources of the one or more equipment; and

instructions for controlling the management computer to interact with the node to test, by adding a light source at the node that does not impact other in service wavelengths, at least continuity of each identified pre-existing fibre trail that can be safely.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the software instructions for discovering pre-existing fibre trails within the node that can be safely tested comprises software instructions configured to derive a map of pre-existing fibre trails within the node that are not in use carrying active wavelengths.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the software instructions configured to derive a map of pre-existing fibre trails within the node that are not in use carrying active wavelengths comprises instructions configured to control the management computer to:

obtain information identifying each piece of equipment installed in the node;

for each identified piece of equipment, obtain information identifying respective ports, photodiodes and Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) sources;

identify port trails of active wavelengths;

identify dark photodiodes;

identify ASE sources upstream of identified dark photodiodes; and

identify, from among the ASE sources upstream of dark photodiodes, those ASE sources that can be safely turned on.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein dark photodiodes include any one or both of receivers and Optical Performance Monitoring (OPM) devices of the node that are not receiving light of an active wavelength.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein testing at least continuity of each identified fibre trail that can be safely tested comprises turning on a selected ASE source in an identified fibre trail, and detecting light from the ASE source at a dark photodetector downstream of the selected ASE source.

13. A management computer configured to implement automated testing and evaluation of a node of a communications network, the management computer being configured to:

query the node to discover pre-existing fibre trails within the node that can be safely tested, wherein the query comprises obtaining a listing of one or more equipment associated with the node, wherein the listing is stored in a database associated with the node, and the listing identifies port layer and addresses, photodiode locations and addresses and Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) sources of the one or more equipment; and

interact with the node to test, by adding a light source at the node that does not impact other in service wavelengths, at least continuity of each identified pre-existing fibre trail that can be safely tested.

14. The management computer of claim 13 , wherein the management computer is a central management computer remote from the network node.

15. The management computer of claim 13 , wherein the management computer is a management computer of the network node.

16. The management computer of claim 13 , wherein the management computer is configured to discover pre-existing fibre trails within the node that can be safely tested by deriving a map of pre-existing fibre trails within the node that are not in use carrying active wavelengths.

17. The management computer of claim 16 , wherein deriving a map of pre-existing fibre trails within the node that are not in use carrying active wavelengths comprises:

obtaining information identifying each piece of equipment installed in the node;

for each identified piece of equipment, obtaining information identifying respective ports, photodiodes and Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) sources;

identifying port trails of active wavelengths;

identifying dark photodiodes;

identifying ASE sources upstream of identified dark photodiodes; and

identifying, from among the ASE sources upstream of dark photodiodes, those ASE sources that can be safely turned on.

18. The management computer of claim 17 , wherein dark photodiodes include any one or both of receivers and Optical Performance Monitoring (OPM) devices of the node that are not receiving light of an active wavelength.

19. The management computer of claim 13 , wherein the management computer is configured to test at least continuity of each identified preexisting fibre trail that can be safely tested by turning on a selected ASE source in an identified pre-existing fibre trail, and detecting light from the ASE source at a dark photodetector downstream of the selected ASE source.