Cisco Optical Network Controller Configuration Guide, Releases 26.x.x

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Cisco Optical Network Controller Configuration Guide, Releases 26.x.x

PSM OMS protection

Updated: July 22, 2026

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This section explains PSM OMS protection, including protection behavior and supported topology conditions. Use it to understand how Cisco Optical Network Controller represents protected PSM fiber paths.

PSM OMS protection is a Cisco Optical Network Controller capability that

  • supports the related optical network management workflow,

  • provides context for configuration, monitoring, or troubleshooting tasks, and

  • helps operators understand how the feature behaves before they use it.

PSM OMS protection details

Protection Switching Module (PSM) is a Cisco Optical Network Controller feature that protects the Optical Multiplex Section (OMS) segment in the optical network. It ensures the continuity of signal transmission by automatically switching circuit paths in case of any fiber cut.

Note

  • Cisco Optical Network Controller supports only brownfield network.

  • Cisco Optical Network Controller does not support greenfield networks. From Cisco Optical Network Controller, you cannot create new PSM services.

  • PSM module is supported by Cisco Optical Network Controller only on the NCS 1001 chassis.

  • NCS 1001 is supported only if it is managed by a COSM instance running over a NCS 1014 chassis.

Configuration in PSM Circuits

PSM supports two-way configurations and can be manually configured. Out of the two paths one will be active and the other will be a standby path. Whenever the active path fails due to fiber cut then the standby path is used for receiving the signal. This is because both the active and standby paths are always used in the TX direction for transmitting the signal, but only one of them can be used to receive the signal at a time.

Note

PSM supports both automatic and manual path switching. Once you cross launch to COSM, there is also a manual switch option provided there for you to select any path and use it as the active path in the PSM circuit.

Benefits of PSM

The benefits of using PSM are:

  • Enhanced network reliability and protection through PSM OMS protection.

  • Improved network management and monitoring with clear visualization of active and standby paths in the circuits.

  • Flexibility in network design with support for various connection scenarios for PSM.

  • Comprehensive event logging and user-driven OAM for better operational control. See Configuration Guide for Cisco NCS 1001.

  • Being multiplexer-agnostic ensures compatibility with various network components.

Note

Protection switching in optical circuits with NCS 1010 ILA modules between NCS 1010 OLT nodes.

Additional PSM Functions

PSM generates alarms and performs automatic path switching with minimal data loss. PSM is integral to circuit creation and can be deployed in any network segment for protection. Additionally, it includes features for monitoring channel power and composite power.

PSM Circuit in Service Manager

In the Service Manager application, the PSM circuit is created like any other circuit using the Provision Circuit option. Once the PSM circuit is installed and it appears in the Services screen it can be visualized in the Service Assurance and the Workspace applications.

Limitations of PSM OMS protection

  • Cisco Optical Network Controller does not support 3-way PSM Protection switching.

  • The W-RX and P-RX thresholds for the NCS 1001 PSM must be set carefully based on the number of channels. If the number of channels is lower, a significant power drop from one channel going off may cause the PSM to switch, leading to traffic hits on other channels. See Configuration Guide for Cisco NCS 1001

  • Cisco Optical Network Controller does not display the Reason for switchover.

  • Cisco Optical Network Controller supports only configurations with amplifiers positioned after the PSM module. OMS protection is not supported.

  • You must perform a resync if you onboard devices, add or modify IPCs, or add or remove degrees to the network after onboarding the PSM.

  • If the same network is being managed by two separate active Cisco Optical Network Controller instances, the same connection service, either a discovered service in both instances, or a service provisioned in one and discovered in the other, must be deleted on both instances for all types of connection services.

  • Do not create the protected service until the degrees are reconnected.

  • If a service is created before reconnecting the degrees, Cisco Optical Network Controller may create the service with only one path instead of two protected paths.

  • Delete the service, reconnect the degrees, and create the service again. Once the degrees are reconnected, Cisco Optical Network Controller correctly presents all three paths.

  • If the IPC between two PSMs is missing, Cisco Optical Network Controller may discover the service with only one path.

  • If the IPC between the PSMs is created later, Cisco Optical Network Controller does not add the new paths to the already discovered service.

  • Delete both nodes from Cisco Optical Network Controller and onboard the nodes again.

  • After the nodes are onboarded again, Cisco Optical Network Controller discovers the service with all three paths.

View PSM circuits in the workspace

Use this procedure to view PSM circuits in the workspace in Cisco Optical Network Controller. Complete this task when you need to configure, verify, or manage the related network operation.

To view the selected PSM circuit follow the steps:

Before you begin

Follow these steps to view PSM circuits in the workspace:

Procedure

1.

Click Workspace option on the left panel.
2.

In Circuit Monitoring, click Launch.

3.

Select the PSM circuit.

This will display the PSM circuit on the Topology screen where you can see the active PSM circuit path displayed with a blue colored arrow.

Note

  • The Detailed Service Path displays all the equipments crossed by the circuit. The active path appears in blue and the standby path in grey color.

  • The blue arrows indicate the RX direction of the light for a given PSM.

Note

  • From Release 26.1.1, the NCS 1001 PSM Circuit Workspace has these UI enhancements.

  • The Detailed Service Path.

  • Highlights the active path between the NCS 1001 PSM nodes.

  • Displays the equipment between the NCS 1010 OLT nodes as a cloud.

  • From R26.1.1, service history is now enabled for PSM service to show discovery events, operation state changes, and switch events.

  • In the Service List pane, the OCH-Trail services for NCS 1001 PSM cover the carrier (wavelength) information and add these new labels to each provisioned channel.

  • Work—Channel passing through nominal Work port of PSM.

  • Protect—Channel passing through nominal Protect port of PSM.

  • Forward—Traffic flow from node A to Node Z ,where Node A is the Source Node.

  • Reverse—Traffic flow from node Z to Node A ,where Node Z is the Source Node.

  • Active—This label is added before the Forward/Reverse labels to indicate that the channel is carrying traffic in that Forward/Reverse direction.

  • Standby—Channel that is not carrying any traffic

Figure 1. PSM Circuit in Workspace
Screenshot of PSM Circuit in Workspace

  • Unidirection service states are supported and displayed at channel level.

  • If only one of the channel is discovered, work or protect, then the controller marks the service as PARTIAL. When that channel and carrier is INSTALLED, then the service moves to INSTALLED when other channel is discovered.

  • If a path is standby in both directions, then it will show up as dotted line in topology in Circuit monitoring workspace.

  • If different paths are active in different directions, then we will not see dotted line.

The view PSM circuits in the workspace task is complete.

PSM wavelength protection

Use this reference to understand PSM wavelength protection.

Details about PSM wavelength protection.

Table 1. Feature History

Feature Name

Release Information

Feature Description

Two-way PSM wavelength protection

Release 26.1.1

PSM wavelength protection is connecting the NCS 1001 PSM module COM port with the transponder trunk port.

PSM wavelength protection supports two-way protection switching in optical circuits with NCS 1010 ILA modules between NCS 1010 OLT nodes. PSM wavelength protection does not support three-way and four-way switching.

The Circuit Monitoring workspace UI is improved with for the PSM wavelength protection.

  • Only brownfield circuit discovery is supported.

  • In Services List pane, OCH-Trail services are added if an IPC between transponders and NCS 1001 PSM COM port is present. If IPC is not present, then PSM services are discovered as OCH-NC.

  • Onboard the node containing the PSM through Cisco Optical Network Controller to discover the circuit present in Cisco Optical Site Manager device.

  • In Services List pane, new labels are added to indicate the work and protect channels. The new labels are Work, Protect, Forward direction, Reverse direction, Active, Standby.

  • In Topology pane, the equipment connected between two NCS 1010 OLT nodes are represented as a cloud for a concise view. You can expand the cloud to check the equipment added between the two NCS 1010 OLT nodes.

PSM wavelength protection details

PSM wavelength protection is connecting the NCS 1001 PSM module COM port with the transponder trunk port.

Characteristics of PSM wavelength protection

Cisco Optical Network Controller supports only brownfield network. You can only discover the PSM wavelength protection services as OCH-NC and OCH-Trail. To discover or add nodes to the PSM wavelength protection services, see . Cisco Optical Network Controller does not support greenfield circuits, that is, circuit creation by selecting two endpoints in the circuit creation wizard in CONC service manager. From Cisco Optical Network Controller, you cannot create new PSM services. Create cross-connect between PSM COM port and LINE port using CLI and onboard them to COSM, then onboard all these nodes to CONC. Service discovery - Once your onboard all the COSM nodes with cross connects, then the CONC discovers the PSM services and displays in the service list. The listed services are tagged with Active, Standby, Protect, Work, Forward and Reverse. PSM switching is unidirectional and bidirectional, CONC will show both unidirectional and bidirectional services based on the Active and Standby labels. PSM switching supports only Centralized control plane circuits (CPCE) circuits. CPCE circuits are service-level circuits managed by Cisco Optical Network Controller using PCE for path computation and provisioning. In Circuit Monitoring workspace, you can check the service, detailed service path, and service history. PSM module is supported by Cisco Optical Network Controller only on the NCS 1001 chassis. NCS 1001 is supported only if it is managed by a COSM instance running over a NCS 1014 chassis.

Note

  • Cisco Optical Network Controller supports only brownfield network. You can only discover the PSM wavelength protection services as OCH-NC and OCH-Trail. To discover or add nodes to the PSM wavelength protection services, see #psm-wavelength-protection__section_gmh_pg2_y3c.

  • Cisco Optical Network Controller does not support greenfield circuits, that is, circuit creation by selecting two endpoints in the circuit creation wizard in CONC service manager. From Cisco Optical Network Controller, you cannot create new PSM services.

  • Create cross-connect between PSM COM port and LINE port using CLI and onboard them to COSM, then onboard all these nodes to CONC.

  • Service discovery - Once your onboard all the COSM nodes with cross connects, then the CONC discovers the PSM services and displays in the service list.

  • The listed services are tagged with Active, Standby, Protect, Work, Forward and Reverse.

  • PSM switching is unidirectional and bidirectional, CONC will show both unidirectional and bidirectional services based on the Active and Standby labels.

  • PSM switching supports only Centralized control plane circuits (CPCE) circuits. CPCE circuits are service-level circuits managed by Cisco Optical Network Controller using PCE for path computation and provisioning.

  • In Circuit Monitoring workspace, you can check the service, detailed service path, and service history.

  • PSM module is supported by Cisco Optical Network Controller only on the NCS 1001 chassis.

  • NCS 1001 is supported only if it is managed by a COSM instance running over a NCS 1014 chassis.

Discover the PSM wavelength protection

Discover the PSM wavelength protection includes:

  • Before discovering the PSM wavelength circuits, do these actions.

  • Create cross-connect between PSM COM port and LINE port of NCS 1010 or NCS1K-MD-32O/E-C patch panel mux/demux using CLI commands.

  • Onboard the nodes to COSM, then onboard all these COSM nodes to CONC.