The present disclosure relates to optical access networks, and more specifically, relates to managing and automating capacity over-utilization in Optical Distribution Networks (ODNs).
BACKGROUND
[0002] In the last few years, changing infrastructure and business requirements are forcing enterprises to reassess their networks. Enterprises are looking for network infrastructures that increase network efficiency, flexibility, and cost reduction. In this context, optical networks such as passive optical networks (PONs) are one of the best next-generation access network candidates utilizing point-to-multipoint topology that can meet the increasing bandwidth demand of end-users with reduced cost and improved flexibility. The PONs provide connectivity between a central office of a service provider (hub) and premises of the end-users using an optical line terminal (OLT) and optical network units (ONUs). The OLT resides in the central office that couples the PONs to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) or a local exchange carrier and the ONUs couple with home networks of the end-users through customer-premises equipment (CPE).
[0003] To reduce OPEX (operation expense), minimize network downtime and boost network, various performance monitoring and management systems have been implemented in the PONs till date. However, the existing performance monitoring and management systems are not automated and still require human/administrative interventions to diagnose and take corrective measures and actions in case of, for example, fluctuations of subscriber's capacity demand and other faults and fluctuations.
[0004] Due to the need for human interventions, often the timeliness of these problems, like fixing the capacity allocation, are not maintained, and that leads to a more negative impact of Quality of Experience for the end-users (subscribers), sometimes these issues also disrupt services for end-users. As the timeliness and accuracy of corrective actions become dependent on human skills,

their availability, attention to the details and absence of some of these could become an issue for taking proper corrective action.
[0005] Some of the prior art references are given below:
[0006] US8483562B2 discloses an approach for integrating one or more fiber switches in a passive optical network. A platform generates a command signal to control a splitter hub of a passive optical network, the splitter hub being configured to communicate with a plurality of optical network terminals that respectively serve a plurality of customer premises. The splitter hub includes a fiber switch configured to provide switching between one of a plurality of input ports and one of a plurality of output ports of the splitter hub.
[0007] US20130251362A1 provides a system for performance monitoring in a passive optic network (PON). The system includes an optical line terminal (OLT) and an optical network unit (ONU). The OLT includes an optical transceiver configured to transmit optical signals to and receive optical signals from the ONU, and a performance monitoring mechanism configured to monitor the performance of the PON based on received optical signals.
[0008] The optical network system structure of CN1798054A comprises a network level webmaster module, intelligent network management module, traditional network management module, intelligent object, conventional optical network functional module and interface module. Wherein the interface module comprises a human-machine interface module and Network Management Equipment interface module. Network level webmaster module is carried out with unified management to the overall optical network, comprises all functions of conventional optical network webmaster, as plans the end-to-end route, fault and alarming processing etc., and issues teleservice to intelligent network management module and/or traditional network management module.
[0009] US20150063797A1 teaches a system for fault recovery in an optical network that may include an initial loading equipment (ILE) apparatus configured to supply power to a set of channels over a first communications link of the optical network, the set of channels including data channels and spare channels, and a control system configured to detect an optical power level over the data channels of

the first communications link and determine whether a Q-factor corresponding to the data channels of the first communications link is below an error correction threshold, the control system configured to alert the ILE apparatus to adjust its optical power output over the spare channels upwardly based on the determination that the Q-factor is below the error correction threshold to increase the Q-factor.
[0010] TWI474669B discloses that to provide low-cost and high-bandwidth reliable services to users, PONs must maintain a reliable and low-cost method. PON maintenance ideally provides proactive and continuous monitoring of network connectivity quality without disrupting service and performs optical transceivers. Fault diagnosis of common faults of optical transceiver modules and optical distribution networks (ODN) fiber segments and passive diverging components.
[0011] While the prior arts and prevalent industry's practice offer diagnosis and control capabilities, but requires human intervention to comprehend the diagnostics result and identify suitable control actions. The prior arts cover diagnosis methods like, fiber switch, BER (Bit Error Rate) analysis, Q-Factor monitoring. Some prior arts are even disclosing automated corrective actions but none of them are providing an effective solution of automated pre-emptive and reactive diagnosis for the issue, the localization and correlation method. In light of the above-stated discussion, there is a need to overcome the above stated problems and disadvantages.
OBJECT OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0012] A principal object of the present disclosure is to manage and automate capacity over-utilization in Optical Distribution Networks (ODNs).
[0013] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a system and a method for managing and automating capacity over-utilization in the ODNs.
[0014] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide an integrated and automated method and system for pre-emptive or reactive fault diagnosis, correlation, and preventive or corrective actions taken over an FTTx (Fiber to the x).

[0015] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide closed-loop automated remote support during capacity fluctuations or other capacity consumption related challenges in the ODNs.
SUMMARY
[0016] Accordingly, a system and a method for managing and automating capacity over-utilization are disclosed.
[0017] The method manages and automates capacity over-utilization in an Optical Distribution Network (ODN) by measuring a utilizing capacity of one or more ports associated with one or more network components periodically. The method further detects faults and alarms generated from the one or more ports associated with the one or more network components and detects a configured threshold for the generated faults and alarms. Based on which, the method includes localizing the one or more ports associated with the one or more network components, confirming a source and distribution of overall utilization and triggering a remote operation for the one or more network components.
[0018] The detection/diagnosis is an automated pre-emptive diagnosis for a configurable periodicity that includes retrieving a capacity utilization measurement from the one or more ports associated with the one or more network components, computing an exceeding level of permissible utilization against each of the one or more ports associated with the one or more network components, comparing the exceeding level of permissible utilization with a permissible threshold, storing the retrieved capacity utilization measurement and the computed exceeding level of permissible utilization along with timestamps, comparing the stored capacity utilization measurement and excess capacity utilization values of each timestamp with previous timestamp values, identifying fluctuations of the excess capacity utilization values over time, identifying a threshold breach situation and raising pre¬emptive notification for every identified threshold breach situation.
[0019] Alternatively, the detection/diagnosis is an automated reactive diagnosis for a configurable periodicity that includes receiving utilization breach

faults from the one or more ports associated with the one or more network components and raising reactive notifications for every received fault.
[0020] A pre-emptive fault or a reactive fault is localized by segregating the one or more network components into a plurality of macro and sub-macro zones by listing excess utilization of the one or more ports associated with the one or more network components, wherein localizing the pre-emptive fault or the reactive fault is based on the identification of a location of the pre-emptive fault or the reactive fault in the one or more network components and the source and distribution of the overall utilization.
[0021] While triggering the remote operation, the method triggers an automated corrective remote operation or an automated preventive remote operation for capacity over-utilization by identifying suspected overused and underused one or more network components for automated remote operations, identifying consequences of actions performed and raising manual supervision requests by a monitoring and control unit if no positive consequences are achieved.
[0022] The method further includes performing operation reconciliation by identifying a capacity over utilization issue having duplicate entries into a list across a scope of a current policy instance as well as across the monitoring and control unit that is running various policy instances and automating an action remotely by updating a particular Optical Network Unit Management Control Interface Managed Entity (OMCI ME) corresponding to at least one of rate-limiting and prioritization.
[0023] The one or more network components are at least one of one or more Optical Network Units (ONU) and one or more Optical Network Terminal (ONT) and the one or more ports are associated with an optical line terminal (OLT).
[0024] These and other aspects herein will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the following descriptions are given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention herein without departing from the spirit thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES
[0025] The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, throughout which like reference letters indicate corresponding parts in the drawings. The invention herein will be better understood from the following description with reference to the drawings, in which:
[0026] FIG. 1 illustrates an Optical Distribution Network (ODN).
[0027] FIG. 2 illustrates a system for managing and automating capacity over-utilization in the ODN.
[0028] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method for managing and automating capacity over-utilization in the ODN.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0029] In the following detailed description of the invention, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be obvious to a person skilled in the art that the invention may be practiced with or without these specific details. In other instances, well known methods, procedures and components have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the invention.
[0030] Furthermore, it will be clear that the invention is not limited to these alternatives only. Numerous modifications, changes, variations, substitutions and equivalents will be apparent to those skilled in the art, without parting from the scope of the invention.
[0031] The accompanying drawings are used to help easily understand various technical features and it should be understood that the alternatives presented herein are not limited by the accompanying drawings. As such, the present disclosure should be construed to extend to any alterations, equivalents and substitutes in addition to those which are particularly set out in the accompanying drawings. Although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are generally only used to distinguish one element from another.
[0032] FIG. 1 illustrates an optical network (i.e., an optical distribution network or a passive optical network) 100. In general, an optical network is a communication infrastructure that utilizes light signals to exchange information between two or more points using optical fibers, switches, splitters or other components. The optical network 100 is preferably an FTTX (Fiber to the X) network, which is a fiber network (optical fiber based infrastructure) with low latency and high bandwidth, for which pre-emptive or reactive fault diagnosis, correlation, and preventive or corrective actions are performed (discussed below).
[0033] The FTTX network or fiber in the loop is a generic term for any broadband network architecture using optical fiber to provide all or part of the local loop used for last mile telecommunications. With its high bandwidth potential, FTTx has been closely coupled with services related to voice, video and data. With

different network destinations, the FTTx can be categorized into several terminologies, such as FTTH, FTTN, FTTC, FTTB, FTTP, etc. The following parts introduce the above terms at length:
[0034] FTTH: FTTx is commonly associated with residential FTTH (fiber to the home) services, and FTTH is certainly one of the fastest growing applications worldwide. In an FTTH deployment, optical cabling terminates at the boundary of the living space to reach the individual home and business office where families and officers can both utilize the network in an easier way.
[0035] FTTN: In an FTTN (fiber to the node) deployment, the optical fiber terminates in a cabinet which may be as much as a few miles from the customer premises. And the final connection from the street cabinet to customer premises usually uses copper. FTTN is often an interim step toward full FTTH and is typically used to deliver advanced triple-play telecommunications services.
[0036] FTTC: In an FTTC (fiber to the curb) deployment, optical cabling usually terminates within 300 yards of the customer premises. Fiber cables are installed or utilized along the roadside from the central office to the home or office. Using the FTTC technique, the last connection between the curb and home or office can use the coaxial cable. It replaces the old telephone service and enables the different communication services through a single line.
[0037] FTTB: In an FTTB (fiber to the building) deployment, optical cabling terminates at the buildings. Unlike FTTH which runs the fiber inside the subscriber's apartment unit, FTTB only reaches the apartment building's electrical room. The signal is conveyed to the final distance using any non-optical means, including twisted pair, coaxial cable, wireless, or power line communication. FTTB applies for the dedicated access, thus the client can conveniently enjoy the 24-hour high speed Internet by installing a network card on the computer.
[0038] FTTP: FTTP (fiber to the premise) is a North American term used to include both FTTH and FTTB deployments. Optical fiber is used for an optical distribution network from the central office all the way to the premises occupied by the subscriber. Since the optical fiber cable can provide a higher bandwidth than

copper cable over the last kilometre, operators usually use FTTP to provide voice, video, and data services.
[0039] Now referring to FIG. 1, the optical network 100 may comprise one or more optical network units (ONUs) 110, a passive optical splitter/combiner 120
and an optical line terminal (OLT) 130. An ONU (110a or 110b or 1 lOn) is a
component of the optical network 100 that is located around customer's/end-user's premise, that is, the ONU couples with the home network of the end-user through a customer-premises equipment (CPE). Though it is not shown in FIG. 1, one or more ONTs (Optical Network Terminals) may also be connected to the OLT 130 in the optical network 100, where the ONTs are located at the customer's premise (residential or commercial), which may be a separate box that connects the optical network 100 to TV sets, telephones, computers, a wireless router, for example. The terms ONU and ONT may interchangeably be used throughout the disclosure. The ONU converts optical signals to electrical signals via a fiber cable. Further, the ONU organizes and optimizes different types of data coming from the customer(s) to efficiently send it upstream to the OLT 130 via the passive optical splitter/combiner 120. The OLT 130 resides in a central office that couples the optical network 100 to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) or a local exchange carrier and serves as the ISP's endpoint of the optical network 100. The passive optical splitter/combiner 120 splits and distributes downstream optical signals to the customer(s) from the OLT 130 and combines upstream optical signals from the customer(s) to the OLT 130.
[0040] Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the OLT 130 comprises a transceiver (Tx/Rx) 132 configured to transmit optical signals to and receive optical signals
from one or more transceivers (Tx/Rx), for example 112a, 112b 112n associated
with the one or more ONUs (110a or 110b or 1 lOn) (or ONTs) respectively.
The transceivers may be optical transceivers.
[0041] FIG. 2 illustrates a system 200 for optical network operations such as managing and automating capacity over-utilization in the Optical Distribution Network (ODN) 100. The system 200 may monitor and manage the operations of the ODN 100 by performing pre-emptive or reactive fault diagnosis, correlation,

and preventive or corrective actions thus may be called as the system 200 of self-correcting, pre-emptive, or reactive fault diagnosis that comprises the ODN 100 of FIG. 1 and a monitoring and control unit 210. However, the components of the system 200 are not limited to the above-described example, and for example, the system 200 may include more or fewer components than the illustrated components. Further, although the monitoring and control unit 210 is shown as a separate entity, however, the monitoring and control unit 210 may be deployed/integrated within the ODN 100, for example, in ONUs/ONTs or within the OLT 130 or in a server or computing hardware (not shown). In a preferred implementation, a part of the monitoring and control unit 210 is integrated with the ONUs/ONTs and the OLT 130 and the remaining part of the monitoring and control unit 210 resides in the server or computing hardware.
[0042] The monitoring and control unit 210 may be configured for self-correcting, pre-emptive, or reactive fault diagnosis of the ODN 100. The monitoring and control unit 210 may be a remote unit that utilizes closed-loop automation, enabling the monitoring and control unit 210 to continuously assess real-time network conditions, resource availability and traffic demands to discover the best placement of traffic for optimal quality of service and resource utilization according to operator-defined policies. The closed-loop refers to a feedback loop of interaction between the monitoring, identifying, adjusting and optimizing network performance, resulting in a self-optimized and self-driving network. The monitoring and control unit 210 may be configured to have network automation and management capabilities that monitor and assess network occurrences such as faults and congestion and take corrective measures to correct any issues.
[0043] The monitoring and control unit 210 may act as automated remote support for monitoring and resolving network faults that may lead to malfunction or crash. The monitoring and control unit 210 may be configured to monitor/measure a utilizing capacity of one or more ports associated with one or
more network components such as the one or more ONUs 110a, 110b, 1 lOn
and/or the one or more ONTs and/or the OLT 130 periodically and detect faults and alarms generating from the one or more ports associated with the one or more

network components. The monitoring and control unit 210 may further detect a configured threshold for the generated faults and alarms.
[0044] During fault and alarm diagnosis/detection, the monitoring and control unit 210 may be configured to perform at least one of an automated pre-emptive diagnosis and an automated reactive diagnosis for a configurable periodicity.
[0045] In the automated pre-emptive diagnosis, the monitoring and control unit 210 may retrieve a capacity utilization measurement from the one or more ports associated with the one or more network components and compute an exceeding level of permissible utilization against each of the one or more ports associated with the one or more network components.
[0046] The monitoring and control unit 210 may have storage capabilities that store a permissible threshold. Once the exceeding level of permissible utilization has been computed, the same may be compared with the permissible threshold to identify a threshold breach situation.
[0047] The monitoring and control unit 210 may store all the above information such as retrieved capacity utilization measurement and computed exceeding the level of permissible utilization along with timestamps.
[0048] Based on the above parameters, the monitoring and control unit 210 may further be configured to compare the stored capacity utilization measurement and excess capacity utilization values of each timestamp with previous timestamp values of configured numbers, identify fluctuations of excess capacity utilization values over time and identify the threshold breach situation. Further, the monitoring and control unit 210 may raise pre-emptive notification for every identified threshold breach situation.
[0049] On the contrary, during the automated reactive diagnosis, the monitoring and control unit 210, for a configurable periodicity, may receive utilization breach faults from the one or more ports associated with the one or more network components and raise reactive notifications for every received fault.
[0050] Post the automated pre-emptive diagnosis or the automated reactive diagnosis, the monitoring and control unit 210 may localize the one or more ports

associated with the one or more network components and confirm the source and distribution of overall utilization. That is, the localization may be based on the identification of a location of a pre-emptive or a reactive fault in one or more network components and the source and distribution of the overall utilization.
[0051] The localization of the pre-emptive or the reactive fault may be done by segregating the one or more network components into a plurality of macro and sub-macro zones by listing excess utilization of the one or more ports associated with the one or more network components, such as an OLT PON port. After localization, the monitoring and control unit 210 may trigger configured remote operation for one or more network components for capacity over-utilization. The remote operation(s) may be at least one of an automated corrective remote operation or an automated preventive remote operation. The automated remote operation may comprise identifying suspected overused and underused one or more network components for automated remote operations, identifying consequences of actions performed and raising manual supervision requests by the monitoring and control unit 210 if no positive consequences are achieved. The localization and remote operation techniques are further detailed below:
[0052] ODN-Area-OLTX corresponds to a single OLT
[0053] ODN-Macro-ZoneX_Ml to Mn corresponds to Macro-Zone 1 to n, which are subsets of ODN-Area-OLTX
[0054] ODN-ZoneX_Mn_Zl to Zn' corresponds to Zone 1 to n', which are subsets of ODN-Macro-ZoneXMn
[0055] ODN-Sub-ZoneX_Mn_Zn'_Sl to Sn" corresponds to Sub-Zone 1 to n", which are subsets of ODN-ZoneXZn'
[0056] Where n, n', and n" are any positive integers as per the actual segregation possibility of the network infrastructure, and x represents a unique number of particular OLT.
[0057] Thus, the relationship can be represented as -ODN-Area-OLTX c ODN-Macro-ZoneXMl to Mn c ODN-ZoneX_Mn_Zl to Zn' c ODN-Sub-ZoneX Mn Zn' SI to Sn"

[0058] For every detection of preemptive / reactive issue of Rx / Tx Excess Utilization of a particular ONU / ONT, or aggregated Utilization of group of ONUs, or Excess Utilization of OLT PON Ports, following Automated Localization steps to be performed -
• To evaluate, if the particular ONU is the only entity facing the issue within ODN-Sub-ZoneX_Mn_Zn'_Sn''
• If Yes, add this ONU into the "Suspected Over/Under Used ONUs/ONTs" list
• If not, measure what percentage of the total ONUs within the ODN-Sub-ZoneXMnZn'Sn" facing the issue, and add all the impacted ONUs into the list "Suspected Over/Under Used ONUs/ONTs"
• Then, if other ONUs belonging to another ONU-Sub-Zone under the same ODN-ZoneX_Mn_Zn' is being detected for the same issue
• Add that ONUs into the list of " Suspected'Over/Under Used'ONUs/ONTs", , and consider adding the Distribution Point of ODN-ZoneX_Mn_Zn' into a list for "Suspected Over/Under Used PON"
• Then, if other ONUs belonging to another ONU-Zone under the same ODN-Macro-ZoneXMn is being detected for same issue
• Add those ONUs into the list of "Suspected Over/Under Used ONUs/ONTs", and consider adding the Distribution Point of ODN-Macro-ZoneXMn into a list for "Suspected Over/Under Used PON"
• For every entries of "Suspected Over/Under Used ONUs/ONTs", provision an "Automated Action First Attempt" that could be triggered and carried out remotely
• After a configurable degree of completion achieved by executing "Automated Action First Attempt", the Preemptive Diagnosis Method needs to be triggered to evaluate the consequences of actions performed
• If no positive consequences are achieved, and if there is any "Automated Action Second Attempt" provisioned, the same needs to be

invoked on every entry of either
" Suspected_Over/Under_Used_ONUs/ONTs" or
"Suspected_Over/Under_Used_PON", whichever has been provisioned for subsequent actions
• After a configurable degree of completion achieved by executing "Automated Action Second Attempf\ Preemptive Diagnosis Method needs to be triggered to evaluate the consequences of actions performed
• If no positive consequences are achieved, manual supervision requests to be raised by the system
[0059] Apart from the above-disclosed network components, the remote operation(s) may also be invoked for Multi-Dwelling Units (MDUs), Remotely Operable Transceivers, Micro-Plugs, etc., that support invoking the remote operation. While triggering the configured remote operation for the one or more network components for capacity over-utilization, the monitoring and control unit 210 may ensure that no other provisioned automated engines are acting upon a current situation for which the remote operations are going to be triggered or already triggered. For the same, the monitoring and control unit 210 may perform operation reconciliation. The reconciliation method may identify a capacity over-utilization issue having duplicate entries into a list across the scope of a current policy instance as well as across the monitoring and control unit 210 that could be running various policy instances and automate an action remotely by updating a particular ONU Management Control Interface Managed Entity (OMCI ME) corresponding to at least one of rate-limiting and prioritization. That is:
[0060] Reconciliation Method ensures that
"Suspected Over/Under Used ONUs/ONTs" and
"Suspected Over/Under Used PON" corresponding to ODN-Area-OLTX and
associated with Rx/Tx Capacity Over-utilization Issue are not having duplicate
entries into the list, across the scope of this policy instance as well as across the
whole system that could be running various different policy instances.
Reconciliation method ensures that entries of

"Suspected Over/Under Used ONUs/ONTs" and
"Suspected Over/Under Used PON" may be changed/filtered/updated between the execution cycles of "Automated Action First Attempt" and "Automated Action Second Attempt' if that is how it needs to be provisioned.
[0061] As mentioned earlier, prevalent industry practice offers diagnosis and control capabilities separately but requires human intervention to comprehend the diagnostics result and identify suitable control actions. The proposed solution automates the diagnosis capabilities, the comprehension of it, and then accordingly decides on the right corrective actions to be taken as could be done as few initial automated steps. Unlike conventional techniques, the solution provides the scope of considering the subject matter knowledge of an expert administrator for a particular FTTx infrastructure and offers provision for setting up the whole automation engine (or monitoring or control unit) offline by the expert administrator as the expert administrator feels suitable and then as per that administrative configuration, or as per default rules, the automation engine defines its scope and coverage of actions, and then trigger a request for human intervention when the situation goes beyond the defined threshold. Further, the solution introduced in the present disclosure establishes the closed-loop automation capability that is non-existent in today's industry deployments.
[0062] Advantageously, establishing a system defined automated diagnosis and control capability reduces LI support overhead, introduces better timeliness of corrective actions, and in turn reduces negative impact on quality and availability of services (reduced probability of service disruption due to undetected and unattended capacity over-utilization, and thus improved Service Level Agreement), and also reduces the margin of human errors and negligence.
[0063] Additionally, as mentioned earlier, the prior art references are using the diagnosis method like: Fiber switch, BER analysis, Q-Factor monitoring. In the proposed solution, no additional fiber switch at every central office is required, thereby resulting in a cost-effective system and implementation.
[0064] FIG. 3 is a flowchart 300 illustrating a method for managing and automating capacity over-utilization in the Optical Distribution Network (ODN)

100. It may be noted that in order to explain the method steps of the flowchart 300, references will be made to the elements explained in FIG. 1 through FIG. 2.
[0065] At step 302, the method includes monitoring/measuring the utilizing capacity of the one or more ports associated with the one or more network
components such as the one or more ONUs 110a, 110b, 1 lOn and/or the one
or more ONTs and/or the OLT 130 periodically.
[0066] At step 304, the method includes detecting the faults and alarms generated from the one or more ports associated with the one or more network components.
[0067] At step 306, the method includes detecting the configured threshold for the generated faults and alarms.
[0068] At step 308, the method includes localizing the one or more ports associated with the one or more network components and confirming the source and distribution of overall utilization.
[0069] At step 310, the method includes triggering the configured remote operation for the one or more network components.
[0070] It may be noted that flowchart 300 is explained to have above stated process steps; however, those skilled in the art would appreciate that the flowchart 300 may have more/less number of process steps which may enable all the above stated implementations of the present disclosure.
[0071] The various actions act, blocks, steps, or the like in the flow chart and sequence diagrams may be performed in the order presented, in a different order or simultaneously. Further, in some implementations, some of the actions, acts, blocks, steps, or the like may be omitted, added, modified, skipped, or the like without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
[0072] The embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented using at least one software program running on at least one hardware device and performing network management functions to control the elements.
[0073] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention. While the foregoing written description

of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is considered presently to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The invention should therefore not be limited by the above-described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope of the invention. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary, with the true scope of the invention being indicated by the claims.
[0074] The methods and processes described herein may have fewer or additional steps or states and the steps or states may be performed in a different order. Not all steps or states need to be reached. The methods and processes described herein may be embodied in, and fully or partially automated via, software code modules executed by one or more general purpose computers. The code modules may be stored in any type of computer-readable medium or other computer storage device. Some or all of the methods may alternatively be embodied in whole or in part in specialized computer hardware.
[0075] The results of the disclosed methods may be stored in any type of computer data repositories, such as relational databases and flat file systems that use volatile and/or non-volatile memory (e.g., magnetic disk storage, optical storage, EEPROM and/or solid-state RAM).
[0076] The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, routines, and algorithm steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or combinations of both. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability of hardware and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules, and steps have been described above generally in terms of their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system. The described functionality can be implemented in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the disclosure.

[0077] Moreover, the various illustrative logical blocks and modules described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented or performed by a machine, such as a general purpose processor device, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general-purpose processor device can be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor device can be a controller, microcontroller, or state machine, combinations of the same, or the like. A processor device can include electrical circuitry configured to process computer-executable instructions. In another embodiment, a processor device includes an FPGA or other programmable device that performs logic operations without processing computer-executable instructions. A processor device can also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. Although described herein primarily with respect to digital technology, a processor device may also include primarily analog components. A computing environment can include any type of computer system, including, but not limited to, a computer system based on a microprocessor, a mainframe computer, a digital signal processor, a portable computing device, a device controller, or a computational engine within an appliance, to name a few.
[0078] The elements of a method, process, routine, or algorithm described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein can be embodied directly in hardware, in a software module executed by a processor device, or in a combination of the two. A software module can reside in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. An exemplary storage medium can be coupled to the processor device such that the processor device can read information from, and write information to, the storage medium. In the alternative, the storage medium can be integral to the

processor device. The processor device and the storage medium can reside in an ASIC. The ASIC can reside in a user terminal. In the alternative, the processor device and the storage medium can reside as discrete components in a user terminal.
[0079] Conditional language used herein, such as, among others, "can," "may," "might," "may," "e.g.," and the like, unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey those certain alternatives include, while other alternatives do not include, certain features, elements and/or steps. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements and/or steps are in any way required for one or more alternatives or that one or more alternatives necessarily include logic for deciding, with or without other input or prompting, whether these features, elements and/or steps are included or are to be performed in any particular alternative. The terms "comprising," "including," "having," and the like are synonymous and are used inclusively, in an open-ended fashion, and do not exclude additional elements, features, acts, operations, and so forth. Also, the term "or" is used in its inclusive sense (and not in its exclusive sense) so that when used, for example, to connect a list of elements, the term "or" means one, some, or all of the elements in the list.
[0080] Disjunctive language such as the phrase "at least one of X, Y, Z," unless specifically stated otherwise, is otherwise understood with the context as used in general to present that an item, term, etc., may be either X, Y, or Z, or any combination thereof (e.g., X, Y, and/or Z). Thus, such disjunctive language is not generally intended to, and should not, imply that certain alternatives require at least one of X, at least one of Y, or at least one of Z to each be present.
[0081] While the detailed description has shown, described, and pointed out novel features as applied to various alternatives, it can be understood that various omissions, substitutions, and changes in the form and details of the devices or algorithms illustrated can be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure. As can be recognized, certain alternatives described herein can be embodied within a form that does not provide all of the features and benefits set forth herein, as some features can be used or practiced separately from others.

CLAIMS
We Claim:

1. A method for managing and automating capacity over-utilization in an
Optical Distribution Network (ODN) (100), comprising:
measuring, by a monitoring and control unit (210), a utilizing capacity of one or more ports associated with one or more network components periodically;
detecting, by the monitoring and control unit (210), faults and alarms generating from the one or more ports associated with the one or more network components;
detecting, by the monitoring and control unit (210), a configured threshold for the generated faults and alarms;
localizing, by the monitoring and control unit (210), the one or more ports associated with the one or more network components and confirming, by the monitoring and control unit (210), a source and distribution of overall utilization; and
triggering, by the monitoring and control unit (210), a remote operation for the one or more network components.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1 comprising an automated pre-emptive
diagnosis for a configurable periodicity by:
retrieving a capacity utilization measurement from the one or more ports associated with the one or more network components;
computing an exceeding level of permissible utilization against each of the one or more ports associated with the one or more network components;
comparing the exceeding level of permissible utilization with a permissible threshold;

storing the retrieved capacity utilization measurement and the computed exceeding level of permissible utilization along with timestamps;
comparing the stored capacity utilization measurement and excess capacity utilization values of each timestamp with previous timestamp values;
identifying fluctuations of the excess capacity utilization values over time; and
identifying a threshold breach situation and raising pre-emptive notification for every identified threshold breach situation.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1 comprising an automated reactive
diagnosis for a configurable periodicity by:
receiving utilization breach faults from the one or more ports associated with the one or more network components; and
raising reactive notifications for every received fault.
4. The method as claimed in claim 1 comprising localizing a pre-emptive fault or a reactive fault by segregating the one or more network components into a plurality of macro and sub-macro zones by listing excess utilization of the one or more ports associated with the one or more network components.
5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein localizing the pre-emptive fault or the reactive fault is based on the identification of a location of the pre-emptive fault or the reactive fault in the one or more network components and the source and distribution of the overall utilization.
6. The method as claimed in claim 1 comprising an automated corrective remote operation or an automated preventive remote operation for capacity over-utilization by:

identifying suspected overused and underused one or more network components for automated remote operations;
identifying consequences of actions performed; and
raising manual supervision requests by the monitoring and control unit (210) if no positive consequences are achieved.
7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the remote operation is invoked for at least one of Multi-Dwelling Units (MDUs), Remotely Operable Transceivers, Micro-Plugs, Optical Line Terminal (OLT) port.
8. The method as claimed in claim 1 comprising a method for operation reconciliation by:
identifying a capacity over utilization issue having duplicate entries into a list across a scope of a current policy instance as well as across the monitoring and control unit (210) that is running various policy instances; and
automating an action remotely by updating a particular Optical Network Unit Management Control Interface Managed Entity (OMCI ME) corresponding to at least one of rate-limiting and prioritization.
9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ODN (100) is an FTTX (fiber to the x) network including all types of optical fiber-based infrastructures.
10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more network components are at least one of one or more Optical Network Units (ONU) (110) and one or more Optical Network Terminal (ONT) and the one or more ports are associated with an optical line terminal (OLT) (130).