Out-of-band communication channel for subcarrier-based optical communication systems

1. A system comprising:

a hub transceiver configured to be communicatively coupled to a first network node and to an optical communications network; and

a plurality of edge transceivers, wherein each of the edge transceivers is configured to be communicatively coupled to a respective second network node and to the optical communications network;

wherein the hub transceiver is operable to:

determine a plurality of optical subcarriers available for assignment by the hub transceiver to the plurality of the edge transceivers for use in communicating over the optical communications network,

assign, to each of the edge transceivers, a respective subset of the optical subcarriers use in communicating over the optical communications network,

wherein each of the subsets of the optical subcarriers comprises a respective data optical subcarrier for transmitting data over the optical communications network, and

wherein at least one of the subsets of the optical subcarriers comprises one or more respective idle optical subcarriers, wherein each of the one or more idle optical subcarriers carries a pseudorandom bit sequence (PRBS) or a predetermined bit sequence, and

transmit, to each of the edge transceivers, an indication of the respective subset of the optical subcarriers assigned to the edge transceiver, and

wherein each of the edge transceivers is operable to:

receive, from the hub transceiver, the indication of the respective subset of the optical subcarriers assigned to the edge transceiver, and

transmit data over the optical communications network using the respective subset of the optical subcarriers assigned to the edge transceiver.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein for at least one of the subsets of the optical subcarriers, the data optical subcarrier and the one or more idle optical subcarriers are contiguous.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein for at least one of the subsets of the optical subcarriers, the data optical subcarrier precedes the one or more idle optical subcarriers.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the subsets of the optical subcarriers do not overlap.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the hub transceiver is configured to be physically coupled to an external connection interface of the first network node.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein each of the edge transceivers is configured to be physically coupled to a respective external connection interface of the respective second network node.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first network node and the second network nodes are computing devices.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a hub transceiver configured to be communicatively coupled to a first network node and to an optical communications network, wherein the hub transceiver is operable to:

determine a plurality of optical subcarriers available for assignment by the hub transceiver to a plurality of edge transceivers for use in communicating over the optical communications network,

assign, to each of the edge transceivers, a respective subset of the optical subcarriers for use in communicating over the optical communications network,

wherein each of the subsets of the optical subcarriers comprises a respective data optical subcarrier for transmitting data over the optical communications network, and

wherein at least one of the subsets of the optical subcarriers comprises one or more respective idle optical subcarriers, wherein each of the one or more idle optical subcarriers carries a pseudorandom bit sequence (PRBS) or a predetermined bit sequence, and

transmit, to each of the edge transceivers, an indication of the respective subset of the optical subcarriers assigned to the edge transceiver.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein for at least one of the subsets of the optical subcarriers, the data optical subcarrier and the one or more idle optical subcarriers are contiguous.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein for at least one of the subsets of the optical subcarriers, the data optical subcarrier precedes the one or more idle optical subcarriers.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the subsets of the optical subcarriers do not overlap.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the hub transceiver is configured to be physically coupled to an external connection interface of the first network node.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the first network node is a computing device.

14. A method comprising:

determining, by a hub transceiver communicatively coupled to a first network node and to an optical communications network, a plurality of optical subcarriers available for assignment by the hub transceiver to a plurality of edge transceivers for use in communicating over the optical communications network,

assigning, by the hub transceiver to each of the edge transceivers, a respective subset of the optical subcarriers for use in communicating over the optical communications network,

wherein each of the subsets of the optical subcarriers comprises a respective data optical subcarrier for transmitting data over the optical communications network, and

wherein at least one of the subsets of the optical subcarriers comprises one or more respective idle optical subcarriers, wherein each of the one or more idle optical subcarriers carries a pseudorandom bit sequence (PRBS) or a predetermined bit sequence, and

transmitting, from the hub transceiver to each of the edge transceivers, an indication of the respective subset of the optical subcarriers assigned to the edge transceiver.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein for at least one of the subsets of the optical subcarriers, the data optical subcarrier and the one or more idle optical subcarriers are contiguous.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein for at least one of the subsets of the optical subcarriers, the data optical subcarrier precedes the one or more idle optical subcarriers.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the subsets of the optical subcarriers do not overlap.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the hub transceiver is configured to be physically coupled to an external connection interface of the first network node.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first network node is a computing device.