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

Spectrum utilization and path finder capabilities

Updated: March 10, 2026

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Overview

Key components
Find a custom path
Select path manually
View spectrum utilization and find available spectrum

Overview

Describes the functionality of spectrum utilization and path finder capabilities. Explains the benefits of this feature and how it contributes to efficient and robust network planning.

A spectrum utilization and path finder are network visualization features that

streamline the identification of available and used optical spectrum across network sites and fibers,
enable interactive path selection and custom route planning, and
provide tools for both comprehensive and minimal network mapping.

Table 1. Feature History
Feature Name	Release Information	Feature Description
Spectrum Utilization and Path Finder	Cisco ONP Release 24.3.1	The spectrum utilization and path finder introduces the Minimal Map, a streamlined network visualization tool focusing on essential data points like Sites and Fibers, enhancing usability and performance. General Settings now allow individual customization, including default map views and spectrum utilization colors. The Path Finder/Selector enables interactive path selection with options for manual and custom path finding for multiple routing options. The Spectrum Utilization provides a comprehensive visualization of used spectrum, while the Spectrum Finder helps locate and apply available spectrum across fibers, offering dual-view capabilities and multiple selection methods. These enhancements collectively improve network management, planning, and resource optimization.

Key components

The spectrum utilization and path finder feature introduces several key components to enhance network visualization, planning, and resource optimization:

Minimal map: A visualization tool that focuses on sites and fibers, presenting a simplified network map for easier navigation and analysis.
Path finder/selector: An interactive feature that lets users select network paths, supporting both manual and customized route finding to optimize network planning.
Spectrum utilization: A visualization function that displays the usage status of optical spectrum, helping operators assess how spectrum resources are allocated.
Spectrum finder: A utility that locates available optical spectrum on fibers and applies this information for provisioning circuits or media channels.

Find a custom path

Use this procedure to customize a fiber path on the map.

The Custom Path Finder is accessible exclusively through the minimal map. When you choose the custom path finder, the detailed map automatically switches to the minimal map.

Limitations

This feature applies only to circuits (NCS1010/NCS1001), waves (NCS2000 NON-SSON), and media channels (NCS2000 SSON).

Before you begin

Procedure

In the network tree, select the section of the media channel or circuit that you want to add a new path.

Click the Ellipses icon and select Custom Path Finder.

The Custom Path Finder for the selected section opens.

In the Visualization area, choose the required map view.

Map View	Result
Complete Map	Shows a complete network map of the selected path with other sites.
Sub Map	Shows only maps with chosen sites and fiber.

In the Options area, choose the required parameters to calculate the Path Finder.

Option	Description
Minimum Hop	Routes using the minimum number of hop counts, regardless of the fiber length.
Minimum Length	Routes using the minimum fiber length, regardless of hop count.
Distinct Fiber Set	Provides a distinct set of fibers, ensuring that the same fiber is not used in other paths.
Number of Path Count	Calculates the number of paths according to the specified value.

Click Calculate.

The system displays the list of paths calculated using the chosen parameters.

The calculated paths table contains the path parameters.

Table 2. Path Parameters
Parameter	Description
S.No	Displays the serial number.
Path	Shows the fiber path direction based on the selected Options parameters.
Funnel icon	Filters the path based on fiber labels.
Hops	Displays the hop count.
Total Length	Displays the total length of the fiber path.

Click Export to export the chosen fiber path.

In the Selected Service and Path area, check the service and path information and click Apply Path to apply the selected path.

Select path manually

The manual path selector is accessible exclusively through the minimal map. When you choose the manual path selection, the detailed map automatically switches to the minimal map.

Limitations

Available in Design and Upgrade modes where circuits path can be updated.
Applies to only Circuits (NCS1010/ NCS1001), Waves (NCS2000 NON-SSON), media channel (NCS2000 SSON).
Applies to regen circuits/waves/media channel.
Additional options are applicable for Section under Network Tree.

The procedure to select a path manually on the map is as follows:

Before you begin

Procedure

	1.	In the network tree, select the section of the media channel that you want to add a new path.
	2.	Click the Ellipses icon and select Manual Path Selection.
	3.	In the Search field, enter the site or fiber to focus on it.
	4.	Select the required the fibers to create a path. The selected fibers appear on the Operation Modes pop-up pane under Fibers area.
	5.	Click Apply.

View spectrum utilization and find available spectrum

Use this procedure to analyze the availability of network fiber spectrum and to apply the selected spectrum to a planned service.

The spectrum finder is accessible exclusively through the minimal map. When you choose the spectrum finder, the detailed map automatically switches to the minimal map.

Use the spectrum finder for the network in Design/Upgrade/Release Upgrade mode and view the spectrum utilization in Analyze mode.

Before you begin

Procedure

In the network tree, select the section of the media channel to view the spectrum utilization for each fiber.

Click the Ellipsis icon and select Spectrum Finder.

The spectrum finder for the selected section opens.

In the Selected Fibers area, click +Add Fiber and choose the required fibers from the drop-down list.

In the Visualization area, choose the required map view.

Map View	Result
Complete Map	Shows a complete network map of the selected path with other sites.
Sub Map	Shows only the maps with chosen sites and fiber.

In the Spectrum Finder area, modify the parameters as required.

Option	Description
Tabular View	Similar to Spectrum Utilization View.
Detailed View	Displays multiple fibers in a vertical orientation (Y-Axis) and the spectrum on the horizontal axis (X-Axis).
Spectrum Selection	Enable Spectrum Selection to modify the subsequent parameters.
Spacing	Enter the bandwidth (GHz) that is required for the network circuit.
Distinct Fiber Set	Provides Distinct set of fibers. This makes sure the same fiber is not repeated in other paths.
Number of Path Count	Calculates the number of paths based on the number provided.
Allow Overlap	Allows you to select overlapping wavelengths with selected fibers, when enabled.
Zoom	Zooms in and out of detailed view to granular view. Click Default reset zoom.
View Labels	Displays the labels. Enable to view the labels. You can also view the labels of existing occupied circuits.
Hovered Spectrum	Shows the start, end, and central wavelengths (THz) of the hovered spectrum when moving across the view.
Selected Spectrum	Shows the start, end, and central wavelengths (THz) of the selected spectrum when selecting across the view.
C-Band	Toggle to view the C-band spectrum usage.
L-Band	Toggle to view the L-band spectrum usage.
Fiber Utilization Graph	Displays the frequency utilized in a fiber for each span in continuation in a vertical axis. Each square block is 3.125GHz. The frequency range starts from the left and continues towards the right, increasing 3.125GHz per block for both C- and L-band. For C-band, the first row has the starting frequency as 191.325 THz. A single row contains 53 blocks, totaling 0.165625 THz ( 53*3.125 GHz). The starting frequency of subsequent rows increment at 0.165625 GHz.

Color tone of the blocks varies in the fiber utilization graph.


Dark red	Indicates overlap of same spectrum across multiple waves.
Light red	Indicates less spectrum usage.

In the Apply Properties to Existing Service area, check the service parameters and click Apply Wavelength and Apply Path.

Click Apply Wavelength and Apply Path to revert the changes.

Select Apply to Service.

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