Coordinated and scheduled standards-based intervals in network elements

1. A method of coordinating and scheduling intervals in a network element in a network, the method comprising:

configuring one or more attributes of a plurality of timer-based events at the network element, wherein the plurality of timer-based events comprise protocol-based actions which are performed responsive to expiry of an associated timer, and wherein the one or more attributes define when the protocol-based actions occur, wherein the one or more attributes define a grouping of different timers required to expire before an associated protocol-based action can occur;

operating one or more services at one or more protocols; and

performing associated protocol-based actions based on the one or more attributes and based on expiry of the associated timer.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more protocols comprises any of photonic, Optical Transport Network (OTN), Time Division Multiplexed (TDM), and packet protocols.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the protocol-based actions comprise re-optimization events, resizing events, and reversion events.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more attributes define time of day when the protocol-based actions occur.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the one or more attributes further define event temporal stagger between uncorrelated protocol-based actions between different protocols.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more attributes constrain an associated protocol-based action unless associated timers have expired for all services with a common group variable and a current time is within the time window within which the associated protocol-based action is allowed to occur.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

synchronizing a clock at the network element utilizing a timing synchronization protocol in the network.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the grouping further defines a stagger time to prevent multiple events occurring concurrently or close to one another.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

triggering one or more of the associated protocol-based actions based on the expiry of the associated timer opportunistically overriding the one or more attributes.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuring is via a table including the plurality of timer-based events with associated protocol-based actions and associated one or more attributes.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuring is performed by an operator via any of a management system, a control plane, and an orchestrator.

12. A network element in a network configured to coordinate and schedule intervals, the network element comprising:

one or more ports configured to operate one or more services at one or more protocols; and

a controller communicatively coupled to the one or more ports, wherein the controller is configured to

configure one or more attributes of a plurality of timer-based events, wherein the plurality of timer-based events comprise protocol-based actions which are performed responsive to expiry of an associated timer, and wherein the one or more attributes define when the protocol-based actions occur, and

cause performance of associated protocol-based actions based on the one or more attributes and based on expiry of the associated timer,

wherein the one or more attributes constrain an associated protocol-based action unless associated timers have expired for all services with a common group variable and a current time is within a time window within which the associated protocol-based action is allowed to occur.

13. The network element of claim 12 , wherein the one or more protocols comprises any of photonic, Optical Transport Network (OTN), Time Division Multiplexed (TDM), and packet protocols.

14. The network element of claim 12 , wherein the protocol-based actions comprise re-optimization events, resizing events, and reversion events.

15. The network element of claim 12 , wherein the one or more attributes define time of day when the protocol-based actions occur.

16. The network element of claim 12 , wherein the one or more attributes define a grouping of different timers required to expire before an associated protocol-based action can occur.

17. The network element of claim 12 , wherein the configuring is via a table including the plurality of timer-based events with associated protocol-based actions and associated one or more attributes.

18. A network element in a network configured to coordinate and schedule intervals, the network element comprising:

one or more ports configured to operate one or more services at one or more protocols; and

a controller communicatively coupled to the one or more ports, wherein the controller is configured to

receive one or more attributes of a plurality of timer-based events from by an operator via any of a management system, a control plane, and an orchestrator,

configure the one or more attributes of the plurality of timer-based events, wherein the plurality of timer-based events comprise protocol-based actions which are performed responsive to expiry of an associated timer, and wherein the one or more attributes define when the protocol-based actions occur and the one or more attributes define a grouping of different timers required to expire before an associated protocol-based action can occur, and

cause performance of associated protocol-based actions based on the one or more attributes and based on expiry of the associated timer.

19. The network element of claim 18 , wherein the one or more protocols comprises any of photonic, Optical Transport Network (OTN), Time Division Multiplexed (TDM), and packet protocols.

20. The network element of claim 18 , wherein the protocol-based actions comprise re-optimization events, resizing events, and reversion events.