Multi-layer mechanisms to optimize optical transport network margin allocation

1. A method, in a software defined network (SDN) controller, of optimizing optical transport the method comprising:

defining, by the SDN controller, a margin optimization function based on at least one optical system performance metric, wherein the margin optimization function includes at least one related initiation criterion;

collecting, by the SDN controller, at least one measurement for the at least one optical system performance metric, wherein the measurement includes an assessment of deployed carriers not carrying client data;

determining, by the SDN controller, whether the initiation criterion is met based on the at least one collected measurement;

selecting, by the SDN controller, a system margin optimization mechanism and defining a system margin optimization threshold criterion on a condition that the initiation criterion is met;

determining, by the SDN controller, whether the system margin optimization threshold criterion is met; and

implementing, by the SDN controller, one or more optimization events on a condition that the system margin optimization threshold criterion is met,

wherein the one or more optimization events includes controlling a plurality of optical sources in a transponder to transmit additional wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) carriers based on an output of the SDN controller.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein one or more optimization events are implemented on a condition that the system margin optimization threshold criterion is met within a time period.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the optimization events includes minimizing an available optical system margin.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

further collecting, by the SDN controller, at least one measurement for an optical system performance metric on a condition that the system margin optimization threshold criterion is not met within a time period.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the system margin optimization mechanism further includes optimizing forward error correction (FEC)-gain sharing by choosing a grouping of the WDM carriers.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the the additional WDM carriers are transmitted while maintaining constant network capacity.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the additional WDM carriers provide additional network capacity.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the optical system performance metric is one of a Q-Factor metric, a transmission metric, a reception metric, a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) metric, a digital signal processing (DSP) metric, a transponder metric, a power metric, a chromatic dispersion metric, a signal to noise ratio metric, a bit error rate (BER) metric, a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) metric, a crosstalk metric, an optical amplification gain level metric, an erbium doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) a gain level metric, a Raman gain level metric, an optical fiber characteristic metric, an optical power monitor metric, an optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR) metric, a multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) tunnel utilization metric, an optical transport network (OTN) tunnel utilization metric, a label switched path (LSP)-round-trip delay (RTD) metric, a baud rate metric, a bit rate metric, a carrier capacity metric or a fiber capacity metric.

9. A software defined network (SDN) controller for optimizing optical transport, the SDN controller comprising:

a transponder including a plurality of optical sources;

a processor configured to define a margin optimization function based on at least one optical system performance metric, wherein the margin optimization function includes at least one related initiation criterion;

a communication interface operatively coupled to the processor, the communication interface and the processor configured to collect at least one measurement for the at least one optical system performance metric, wherein the measurement includes an assessment of deployed carriers not carrying client data;

the processor configured to determine whether the initiation criterion is met based on the at least one collected measurement;

the processor configured to select a system margin optimization mechanism and define a system margin optimization threshold criterion on a condition that the initiation criterion is met;

the processor configured to determine whether the system margin optimization threshold criterion is met;

the communication interface and the processor configured to implement one or more optimization events on a condition that the system margin optimization threshold criterion is met, and

the one or more optimization events includes controlling the plurality of optical sources in the transponder to transmit additional wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) carriers based on an output of the SDN controller.

10. The SDN controller of claim 9 , wherein one or more optimization events are implemented on a condition that the system margin optimization threshold criterion is met within a time period.

11. The SDN controller of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the optimization events includes minimizing an available optical system margin.

12. The SDN controller of claim 9 , further comprising:

the communication interface and the processor configured to further collect at least one measurement for an optical system performance metric on a condition that the system margin optimization threshold criterion is not met within a time period.

13. The SDN controller of claim 9 , wherein the system margin optimization mechanism further includes optimizing forward error correction (FEC)-gain sharing by choosing a grouping of the WDM carriers.

14. The SDN controller of claim 9 , wherein the additional WDM carriers are transmitted while maintaining constant network capacity.

15. The SDN controller of claim 9 , wherein the the additional WDM carriers provide additional network capacity.

16. The SDN controller of claim 9 , wherein the optical system performance metric is one of a Q-Factor metric, a transmission metric, a reception metric, a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) metric, a digital signal processing (DSP) metric, a transponder metric, a power metric, a chromatic dispersion metric, a signal to noise ratio metric, a bit error rate (BER) metric, a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) metric, a crosstalk metric, an optical amplification gain level metric, an erbium doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) a gain level metric, a Raman gain level metric, an optical fiber characteristic metric, an optical power monitor metric, an optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR) metric, a multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) tunnel utilization metric, an optical transport network (OTN) tunnel utilization metric, a label switched path (LSP)-round-trip delay (RTD) metric, a baud rate metric, a bit rate metric, a carrier capacity metric or a fiber capacity metric.