Optical networking with support for unidirectional optical links

1. An apparatus comprising:

first bidirectional communications equipment comprising a transmitter and a receiver, wherein the first bidirectional communications equipment is configured to operate in at least a first configuration and a second configuration;

wherein, in the first configuration, the first bidirectional communications equipment is configured to provide a bidirectional communication link with a transmitter and a receiver of second bidirectional communications equipment; and

wherein, in the second configuration, the first bidirectional communications equipment is configured to provide (i) a first unidirectional communication link between the transmitter of the first bidirectional communications equipment and the receiver of the second bidirectional communications equipment and (ii) a second unidirectional communication link between the receiver of the first bidirectional communications equipment and a transmitter of third bidirectional communications equipment.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, in the second configuration, the first bidirectional communications equipment is configured to provide the first unidirectional communication link with a different capacity or bandwidth than the second unidirectional communication link.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, in the second configuration, the first bidirectional communications equipment is configured to use different frequencies or wavelengths for the first and second unidirectional communication links.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, in the second configuration, the first bidirectional communications equipment is configured to use different forward error correction (FEC) codes for the first and second unidirectional communication links.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, in the second configuration, the first bidirectional communications equipment is configured to use different modulation formats for the first and second unidirectional communication links.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first bidirectional communications equipment further comprises additional bidirectional interfaces configured to provide additional bidirectional or unidirectional communication channels.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first bidirectional communications equipment comprises an optical interface card, the optical interface card comprising the transmitter and the receiver of the first bidirectional communications equipment.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second unidirectional communication links provision a bidirectional link between a first location at which the first bidirectional communications equipment is located and a second location, the first unidirectional communication link having a different optical path than the second unidirectional communication link.

9. A method comprising:

configuring first bidirectional communications equipment to operate in one of a first configuration of the first bidirectional communications equipment or a second configuration of the first bidirectional communications equipment;

wherein the first bidirectional communications equipment comprises a transmitter and a receiver;

wherein, in the first configuration, the first bidirectional communications equipment is configured to provide a bidirectional communication link with a transmitter and a receiver of second bidirectional communications equipment; and

wherein, in the second configuration, the first bidirectional communications equipment is configured to provide (i) a first unidirectional communication link between the transmitter of the first bidirectional communications equipment and the receiver of the second bidirectional communications equipment and (ii) a second unidirectional communication link between the receiver of the first bidirectional communications equipment and a transmitter of third bidirectional communications equipment.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein, in the second configuration, the first bidirectional communications equipment is configured to provide the first unidirectional communication link with a different capacity or bandwidth than the second unidirectional communication link.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein, in the second configuration, the first bidirectional communications equipment is configured to use different frequencies or wavelengths for the first and second unidirectional communication links.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein, in the second configuration, the first bidirectional communications equipment is configured to use different forward error correction (FEC) codes for the first and second unidirectional communication links.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein, in the second configuration, the first bidirectional communications equipment is configured to use different modulation formats for the first and second unidirectional communication links.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first and second unidirectional communication links provision a bidirectional link between a first location at which the first bidirectional communications equipment is located and a second location, the first unidirectional communication link having a different optical path than the second unidirectional communication link.

15. A non-transient computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, are configured to:

configure first bidirectional communications equipment to operate in one of a first configuration of the first bidirectional communications equipment or a second configuration of the first bidirectional communications equipment;

wherein the first bidirectional communications equipment comprises a transmitter and a receiver;

wherein, in the first configuration, the first bidirectional communications equipment is configured to provide a bidirectional communication link with a transmitter and a receiver of second bidirectional communications equipment; and

wherein, in the second configuration, the first bidirectional communications equipment is configured to provide (i) a first unidirectional communication link between the transmitter of the first bidirectional communications equipment and the receiver of the second bidirectional communications equipment and (ii) a second unidirectional communication link between the receiver of the first bidirectional communications equipment and a transmitter of third bidirectional communications equipment.

16. The non-transient computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein, in the second configuration, the first bidirectional communications equipment is configured to provide the first unidirectional communication link with a different capacity or bandwidth than the second unidirectional communication link.

17. The non-transient computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein, in the second configuration, the first bidirectional communications equipment is configured to use different frequencies or wavelengths for the first and second unidirectional communication links.

18. The non-transient computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein, in the second configuration, the first bidirectional communications equipment is configured to use different forward error correction (FEC) codes for the first and second unidirectional communication links.

19. The non-transient computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein, in the second configuration, the first bidirectional communications equipment is configured to use different modulation formats for the first and second unidirectional communication links.

20. The non-transient computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions are executed by a network management system.