Link Management Protocol (LMP)

Future optical networks will consist of photonic switches, optical crossconnects, and routers that may be configured with links consisting of a number of user bearer channels and an associated control channel. This paper describes a new link management protocol, called LMP, which runs between neighboring nodes and will be used for both link provisioning and fault isolation. A unique feature of LMP is that it is able to isolate faults in both opaque and transparent networks, independent of the encoding scheme used for the bearer channels. LMP will be used to maintain control channel connectivity, verify bearer channel connectivity, exchange link property information (such as M:N or 1+1 local span protection), and isolate link, fiber, or channel failures within the optical network.