Determining asymmetries in a communication network

1. A method for measuring asymmetry in propagation delay of first and second links which connect a first node to a second node of a communication network comprising:

measuring a round trip delay of the first link;

measuring a round trip delay of the second link;

determining a forward propagation delay (df) of the first link from the first node to the second node based on the measured round trip delay of the first link;

determining a reverse propagation delay (dr) of the second link from the second node to the first node based on the measured round trip delay of the second link;

determining a difference between the forward propagation delay of the first link and the reverse propagation delay of the second link.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the measuring steps is performed at a wavelength that is normally used to carry traffic.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the measuring steps is performed at a wavelength, while the wavelength is carrying traffic.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein the at least one of the measuring steps uses overhead data.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the measuring steps is performed at a dedicated wavelength.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the measuring steps is performed at a wavelength used to carry an Optical Supervisory Channel.

7. A method according to claim 1 further comprising compensating for at least one of:

different wavelengths used in measuring the round trip delay of the first link;

different wavelengths used in measuring the round trip delay of the second link;

a different wavelength used in measuring a round trip delay of the second link compared to a wavelength used in measuring a round trip delay of the first link.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of measuring round trip delay of the first link comprises transmitting a test signal from the first node to the second node over the first link and receiving a reply to the test signal from the second node over the first link.

9. A method according to claim 8 , wherein the reply from the second node comprises a delay measured in the test signal by the second node.

10. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of measuring a round trip delay of the second link comprises transmitting a test signal to the second node over the second link and receiving a reply to the test signal from the second node over the second link.

11. A method according to claim 10 further comprising:

measuring a processing delay incurred at the second node between receiving the test signal and sending a reply to the test signal; and,

using the processing delay when determining a difference in the propagation delay of the first link with respect to the second link.

12. A method according to claim 1 further comprising measuring a delay incurred in a transmission path at the second node.

13. A method according to claim 12 wherein the step of measuring a delay incurred in a transmission path at the second node comprises measuring delay caused by at least one of: an optical amplifier, a dispersion compensation fibre.

14. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of determining a difference in the propagation delay of the first link with respect to the second link determines a difference in the propagation delay of the first link with respect to the second link at a first wavelength and the method further comprises determining a difference in the propagation delay of the first link with respect to the second link at a second, different, wavelength, using the determined difference in the propagation delay at the first wavelength.

15. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of determining a difference in the propagation delay of the first link with respect to the second link is performed at a plurality of different wavelengths and the method further comprises determining a difference in the propagation delay of the first link with respect to the second link at a further wavelength, using the values of difference in propagation delay calculated at the plurality of wavelengths.

16. A method according to claim 1 wherein the first link comprises a first optical fibre and the second link comprises a second optical fibre.

17. A method according to claim 1 , wherein:

measuring the round trip delay of the first link comprises:

transmitting, from an output port of the first node, a first test signal in a first propagation direction to the second node; and

receiving, at the output port of the first node, a first reply to the test signal from the second node, the first reply received from a second propagation direction that is opposite the first propagation direction.

18. A first network node of a communication network, the network node configured to measure asymmetry in propagation delay of first and second links connecting the first network node to a second network node, the first network node comprising:

an input port coupled to the first link;

an output port coupled to the second link; and

an optical supervisory unit operable to:

measure a round trip delay of the first link;

measure a round trip delay of the second link;

determine a forward propagation delay (df) of the first link from the first node to the second node based on the measured round trip delay of the first link;

determining a reverse propagation delay (dr) of the second link from the second node to the first node based on the measured round trip delay of the second link;

determining a difference between the forward propagation delay of the first link and the reverse propagation delay of the second link.

19. A computer-readable storage medium, having stored thereon a computer program executable by at least one processor to cause the at least one processor to:

measure a round trip delay of the first link;

measure a round trip delay of the second link;

determine a forward propagation delay (df) of the first link from the first node to the second node based on the measured round trip delay of the first link;

determine a reverse propagation delay (dr) of the second link from the second node to the first node based on the measured round trip delay of the second link; and

determine a difference between the forward propagation delay of the first link and the reverse propagation delay of the second link.