Patent ID: 7218852

Claim:
A method of discovering lightpath information in a wavelength division multiplexed optical network having a plurality of nodes, the method comprising: responsive to a request for lightpath information, a selected node requesting channel attribute data from at least one other node of the wavelength division multiplexed optical network via an optical inter-node communication channel using a Telecom Markup Language (TML) format, wherein the channel attribute data from the at least one other node includes supported wavelength channel(s) and at least one corresponding attribute associated with providing an optical service on the supported wavelength channel(s); and the selected node receiving the channel attribute data from the at least one other node, consolidating the channel attribute data from the at least one other node with the channel attribute data of the selected node, and analyzing the consolidated channel attribute data using a hierarchy of rules to fulfill the request for lightpath information; wherein the hierarchy of rules comprises determining the add/drop capabilities of the selected node and the at least one other node, determining the passthrough capabilities of the selected node and the at least one other node, and determining the sustainability of service attributes between the selected node and the at least one other node.