Patent ID: 8559812

Claim:
A method for hierarchical mesh restorations of connections in an Automatically Switched Optical Network, comprising: receiving a request to create a Virtual Sub Network Connection, wherein the Virtual Sub Network Connection comprises a defined payload type, wherein the Virtual Sub Network Connection comprises an Optical Transport Network (OTN) Sub Network Connection carrying a combination of OTN, Synchronous Optical Network (SONET), and Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) signals such that OTN, SONET, and SDH signals each participate in a same mesh restoration scheme at an OTN, SONET, and SDH layer, and wherein SONET and SDH bandwidth is only defined at origination and termination points of the Virtual Sub Network Connection whereas OTN bandwidth is defined at each point of the Virtual Sub Network Connection; creating an originating Virtual Connection Point at an originating node; creating a terminating Virtual Connection Point at a terminating node; mapping the defined payload type to the originating Virtual Connection Point and the terminating Virtual Connection Point; responsive to a failure, performing mesh restoration in a hierarchical manner, wherein the hierarchical manner comprises: a) attempting to mesh restore the Virtual Sub Network Connection; and b) if unable to mesh restore the Virtual Sub Network Connection, splintering the Virtual Sub Network Connection into individual connections and restoring the individual connections by performing one of standard mesh restoration and Local Span Mesh Restoration of individual Sub Network Connections within the Virtual Sub Network Connection.