Apparatus, systems, and methods for optical channel management

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer (ROADM) having:

an input port to receive a first optical signal from a second device;

a first wavelength selective switch (WSS), in optical communication with the input port, to convert the first optical signal into a second optical signal;

a loopback, in optical communication with the first WSS, to transmit the second optical signal; and

a second WSS, in optical communication with the loopback, to convert the second optical signal to a third optical signal and direct the third optical signal back to the second device via the input port.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second device comprises a router.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the loopback comprises an optical amplifier to amplify the second optical signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the ROADM further comprises:

a spectral analyzer, operatively coupled to the input port, to acquire spectral information of the first optical signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the ROADM further comprises:

a first spectral analyzer, operatively coupled to the input port, to acquire first spectral information of the first optical signal;

at least one user port, operatively coupled to the first WSS, to receive at least a portion of the second optical signal;

a second spectral analyzer, operatively coupled to the at least one user port, to acquire second spectral information of the second optical signal; and

an optical channel monitor (OCM) operatively coupled to the first spectral analyzer and the second spectral analyzer, the OCM configured to:

receive the first spectral information so as to locate the at least one user port;

receive the second spectral information from the second spectral analyzer; and

transmit the second spectral information to the second device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the ROADM further comprises:

a first spectral analyzer, operatively coupled to the input port, to acquire first spectral information of the first optical signal;

a plurality of user ports operatively coupled to the first WSS, at least one user port in the plurality of user ports configured to receive at least a portion of the second optical signal;

a plurality of second spectral analyzers, each second spectral analyzer from the plurality of second spectral analyzers being operatively coupled to a corresponding user port in the plurality of user ports to acquire respective second spectral information transmitted to that corresponding user port; and

an optical channel monitor (OCM) operatively coupled to the first spectral analyzer and the plurality of second spectral analyzers, the OCM configured to:

receive the first spectral information from the first spectral analyzer;

receive the respective second spectral information from the each second spectral analyzer from the plurality of second spectral analyzers; and

locate the at least one user port that receives at least the portion of the second optical signal based at least in part on the first spectral information and the respective second spectral information.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the ROADM further comprises:

a first spectral analyzer, operatively coupled to the input port, to acquire first spectral information of the first optical signal;

a plurality of user ports operatively coupled to the first WSS, at least one user port in the plurality of user ports configured to receive at least a portion of the second optical signal;

a plurality of second spectral analyzers, each second spectral analyzer from the plurality of second spectral analyzers being operatively coupled to a corresponding user port in the plurality of user ports to acquire respective power information and respective second spectral information transmitted to the corresponding user port; and

an optical channel monitor (OCM) operatively coupled to the first spectral analyzer and the plurality of second spectral analyzers, the OCM configured to:

receive the first spectral information from the first spectral analyzer;

receive the respective power information on each user port;

in response to receiving the respective power information indicating a presence of an optical signal on a second plurality of users ports in the first plurality of user ports, receive the respective second spectral information on the second plurality of user ports; and

locate the at least one user port that receives the second optical signal based at least in part on the first spectral information and the respective second spectral information.

8. A method, comprising:

receiving a first optical signal from a second device via an input port of a reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer (ROADM);

transmitting the first optical signal to a first wavelength selective switch (WSS) to convert the first optical signal into a second optical signal;

transmitting the second optical signal to a second WSS, in optical communication with the input port, to convert the second optical signal to a third optical signal; and

transmitting the third optical signal towards the second device via the input port.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein receiving the first optical signal comprises receiving the first optical signal from a router or a switch.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

amplifying the second optical signal before transmitting the second optical signal to the second WSS.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

acquiring spectral information of the first optical signal.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

acquiring first spectral information of the first optical signal;

transmitting a portion of the second optical signal to at least one user port;

locating the at least one user port based at least in part on the first spectral information;

acquiring second spectral information of the second optical signal; and

transmitting the second spectral information to the second device.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

acquiring first spectral information of the first optical signal;

transmitting a portion of the second optical signal to at least one user port;

locating the at least one user port based at least in part on the first spectral information;

acquiring second spectral information of the second optical signal; and

provisioning an optical channel on the at least one user port based at least in part on the first spectral information and the second spectral information.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

generating a status representing connection between the second device and the input port based at least in part on the third optical signal.

15. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

acquiring first spectral information of the first optical signal;

transmitting a portion of the second optical signal to at least one user port in a plurality of user ports;

acquiring second spectral information transmitted to each user port in the plurality of user port; and

locating the at least one user port that receives the second optical signal based at least in part on the first spectral information and the second spectral information.

16. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

acquiring first spectral information of the first optical signal;

transmitting a portion of the second optical signal to at least one user port in a plurality of user ports;

detecting optical power at each user port in the plurality of user ports;

in response to detection of optical power at a second plurality of user ports in the first plurality of user ports, acquiring respective second spectral information transmitted to each user port in the second plurality of user ports; and

locating the at least one user port that receives the second optical signal based at least in part on the first spectral information and the second spectral information.

17. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first optical signal comprises a plurality of first test signals output from a colored multiplexer/demultiplexer, each first test signal having a distinct wavelength, and the method further comprises:

transmitting the plurality of the first test signals to the first WSS to convert the plurality of first test signal into a plurality of second test signals, at least one second test signal being transmitted to a user port;

receiving at least some of the plurality of the second test signals at the second device; and

locating at least one optical path between the second device and the user port based at least in part on the at least some of the second plurality of test signals received at the second device.

18. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first optical signal comprises a first output signal from a colorless multiplexer/demultiplexer, and the method further comprises:

transmitting the first output signal to the first WSS to convert the output signal into a second output signal, at least a portion of the second output signal being transmitted to a user port;

receiving at least a portion of the second output signal at the second device; and

locating at least one optical path between the second device and the user port based at least in part on the portion of the second output signal received at the second device.

19. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

setting a timer with a predetermined expiration time; and

in response to no signal received within the predetermined expiration time, generating an error message representing an erroneous connection between the second device and the input port.

20. A reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer (ROADM), comprising:

an input port to receive a first optical signal from a second device;

a wavelength selective switch (WSS), in optical communication with the input port, to convert the first optical signal into a second optical signal;

a first spectral analyzer, operatively coupled to the input port, to acquire first spectral information of the first optical signal;

an optical transmission line, in optical communication with the WSS, to transmit the second optical signal towards the second device;

at least one user port, operatively coupled to the WSS, to receive at least a portion of the second optical signal;

a second spectral analyzer, operatively coupled to the at least one user port, to acquire second spectral information of the second optical signal; and

an optical channel monitor (OCM) operatively coupled to the first spectral analyzer and the second spectral analyzer, the OCM configured to:

receive the first spectral information so as to locate the at least one user port;

receive the second spectral information from the second spectral analyzer; and

transmit the second spectral information to the second device.