Patent ID: 8873948

Claim:
A method in a first border node of an optical network, comprising the steps of: detecting a failure in a first existing optical path within the optical network for a first, externally-originating optical channel; receiving, from an optical channel originator external to the optical network, optical channel traffic parameters associated with the first, externally-originating optical channel, the optical channel traffic parameters including one or both of a modulation or a transmission rate for the first, externally-originating optical channel; determining, using the received optical channel traffic parameters, the suitability of a second optical path within the optical network for the first, externally-originating optical channel, wherein the first existing optical path and the second optical path for the first, externally-originating optical channel include the first border node and the first existing optical path includes one or more optical communication links in the optical network different from the optical communication links in the optical network included in the second optical path; and in response to a positive determination of the suitability of the second optical path, sending to the optical channel originator an optical channel availability message indicating the availability at the border node of the second optical path within the optical network for the optical channel.