Photonic routing systems and methods for loop avoidance

1. A photonic network, comprising:

a plurality of nodes each supporting add and drop of at least Y wavelengths;

a plurality of optical links interconnecting the plurality of nodes, wherein the plurality of optical links support up to X wavelengths, Y≦X;

an optical routing protocol configured to compute a loop-free path through the plurality of nodes on the plurality of links, wherein the loop-free path is computed for one of the X wavelengths or a group of the X wavelengths using routing constructs adapted to a photonic domain; and

optical components at each of the plurality of nodes configured to selectively block at least one of the X wavelengths based on the computed loop-free path.

2. The photonic network of claim 1 , wherein the loop-free path is computed through a spanning tree computation.

3. The photonic network of claim 2 , wherein the spanning tree computation utilizes costs of the plurality of optical links set to bias selection of amplified links over unamplified links.

4. The photonic network of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of nodes comprise a broadcast and select architecture.

5. The photonic network of claim 4 , wherein the loop-free path is computed through a Shortest Path Bridging computation.

6. The photonic network of claim 5 , wherein the Shortest Path Bridging computation is compliant to IEEE 802.1aq (2011) and replaces Ethernet bridges with the plurality of nodes and Ethernet links with the plurality of links; and

wherein the Shortest Path Bridging computation defines a Shortest Path Virtual Local Area Network Identifier (SPVID) in the photonic network as identifying unidirectional Shortest Path Trees for multicast traffic for one or more wavelengths sharing common root and endpoints.

7. The photonic network of claim 6 , wherein wavelength selective switches in the broadcast and select architecture are programmed to block at least one wavelength on ports not on a Shortest Path Tree for wavelengths belonging to that Shortest Path Tree.

8. The photonic network of claim 1 , wherein, responsive to a failed link of the plurality of links, the optical routing protocol is configured to compute an updated loop-free path through the plurality of nodes on the plurality of links with the failed link excluded from the computation.

9. The photonic network of claim 8 , wherein the optical components at each of the plurality of nodes are reconfigured to selectively block and unblock the at least one of the X wavelengths based on the updated loop-free path.

10. The photonic network of claim 1 , wherein the loop-free path is computed utilizing a plurality of costs associated with each of the plurality of links; and

wherein the plurality costs are derived based on factors comprising link length, link loss, regeneration, amplification, non-linear effects, and available bandwidth.

11. The photonic network of claim 1 , wherein the routing constructs comprise Layer 2 or Layer 3 constructs;

wherein the Layer 2 or Layer 3 constructs comprise any of Spanning Tree Protocol, Shortest Path Bridging, Ethernet Ring Protection Switching, and Open Shortest Path First; and

wherein the Layer 2 or Layer 3 constructs are adapted to the photonic domain by treating wavelengths equivalent to one of packet traffic and virtual private networks in the Layer 2 or Layer 3 constructs.

12. A processor-implemented photonic routing method, comprising:

modeling an optical network as a plurality of nodes interconnected by a plurality of links;

assigning a cost to each of the plurality of links;

utilizing a routing technique to compute a loop-free path for N wavelengths through the plurality of nodes, wherein the routing technique is adapted to operate on the N wavelengths in a photonic domain, wherein the loop-free path comprises any feasible combination of links of the plurality of links; and

setting a plurality of optical components in the optical network based on the computed loop-free path.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

computing a spanning tree through the optical network for the loop-free path; and

assigning the cost to each of the plurality of links with a bias to encourage selection of amplified links over unamplified links.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of nodes comprise a broadcast and select architecture.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

computing the loop-free path through a Shortest Path Bridging computation.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the Shortest Path Bridging computation is compliant to IEEE 802.1aq (2011) and replaces Ethernet bridges with the plurality of nodes and Ethernet links with the plurality of links; and

wherein the Shortest Path Bridging computation defines a Shortest Path Virtual Local Area Network Identifier (SPVID) in the photonic network as identifying unidirectional Shortest Path Trees for multicast traffic for one or more wavelengths sharing common root and endpoints.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein wavelength selective switches in the broadcast and select architecture are programmed to block at least one wavelength on ports not on a Shortest Path Tree for wavelengths belonging to that Shortest Path Tree.

18. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

responsive to a failed link of the plurality of links, recomputing an updated loop-free path through the plurality of nodes on the plurality of links with the failed link excluded from the computation; and

adjusting blocking behavior of the optical components at each of the plurality of nodes based on the updated loop-free path.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the routing technique comprises one of a Layer 2 technique and a Layer 3 technique;

wherein the Layer 2 technique or the Layer 3 technique comprise any of Spanning Tree Protocol, Shortest Path Bridging, Ethernet Ring Protection Switching, and Open Shortest Path First; and

wherein the Layer 2 technique or the Layer 3 technique are adapted to the photonic domain by treating wavelengths equivalent to packet traffic and/or virtual private networks in the Layer 2 technique or the Layer 3 technique.

20. A photonic node, comprising:

N degrees;

Y local add/drop channels;

optical components configured to selectively block up to X wavelengths at any of the N degrees, Y≦X, wherein the optical components comprise one of a wavelength selective switch configured to selectively block any wavelength exiting any port and an optical blocking element located in-line with each of the N degrees; and

a processor executing an optical routing protocol configured to compute a loop-free path through a network in which the photonic node participates, wherein the loop-free path is computed for one of the X wavelengths or a group of the X wavelengths using routing constructs adapted to a photonic domain, and wherein the optical routing protocol is communicatively coupled to the optical components for setting blocking based on the computed loop-free path.