Configuration Guide for Cisco Optical Site Manager, IOS XR Release 26.x.x

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Configuration Guide for Cisco Optical Site Manager, IOS XR Release 26.x.x

External links

Updated: October 14, 2026

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This section explains external links in Cisco Optical Site Manager. In network communication, external links refer to the connections between two optical degrees belonging to adjacent nodes.

In network communication, external links refer to the connections between two optical degrees belonging to adjacent nodes. You can add external links to a node using different optical degrees configured on that node. These links are created to manage a remote node and are used when it's not possible to create an optical-service-channel (OSC) communication.

Cisco Optical Site Manager allows you to create logical links between a local node and a remote node using local and remote degrees. The nodes require IP addresses of the NCS 1000 devices.

You can create external links using NETCONF by specifying one interface and two endpoints. Each endpoint should specify one link index and IP address.

Limitations for DCN Extension

  • If a device already has an external link configured for a particular degree, you cannot use the same degree for another external link on that device or node. To use the degree for a new external link, you must first delete the existing link and then create a new one on the same degree of the device.

  • You cannot delete a degree if it is being used by an external link.

Use this task to manage external links.

Use this task to add, view, or delete external links on the node.

Before you begin

Before configuring external links, ensure that:

Follow these steps to manage external links.

Procedure

  1. Click Optical Setup in the left panel.

  2. Click the Optical Configuration tab and then click External Links to expand it.

  3. Perform these steps, as needed.

    1. To add a new external link, perform these steps:

      1. Click the + button.

        The New External Link dialog box appears.

      2. In the Local IP field, the Local IP address of Cisco Optical Site Manager instance that you are connected is displayed.

      3. Enter the username of the remote user who is allowed to perform configuration on the remote Cisco Optical Site Manager instance in the Remote Username field.

      4. Enter password of the remote user who is allowed to perform configuration on the remote Cisco Optical Site Manager instance in the Remote Password field.

      5. Enter the IP address of an Cisco Optical Site Manager instance that you want to get connected in the Remote IP field.

      6. Click the Fetch Degrees button at the end of the Remote IP field. The details from the remote node are fetched to allow the configuration.

      7. Select the available local degrees to create a starting point for the external link connection from the Local Degrees drop-down list.

      8. Select the available remote degrees to create an ending point for the external link connection from the Remote Degrees drop-down list.

        Note

        If no degree is displayed, check the remote Cisco Optical Site Manager instance to configure the degrees.

      9. Click Add.

        The external link is added to the table of the local and remote Cisco Optical Site Manager Node Configuration pages.

    2. To delete the external link, perform these steps:

      1. Select the check boxes corresponding to the external links you want to delete.

      2. Click the - button to delete the selected external link.

        A confirmation message appears. You must authenticate with the username and password for the remote Cisco Optical Site Manager instance to which the external links are connected.

      3. Click Yes.

        The external link is deleted from both the local and remote Cisco Optical Site Manager instances.

The table displays the following information under the External Links section:

  • Local Degrees-Specifies the local degree on which the external link is created.

  • Interfaces-Specifies the interfaces on which the external link is created.

  • Connected To-Specifies the remote node instance to which it is connected. You can click the remote node instance link that is connected and it opens the remote node Cisco Optical Site Manager instance. If nothing is displayed, then the local endpoint is not connected.

  • Local IP-Specifies the IP address of the NCS 1000 device on which the external link is created.

  • Remote IP-Specifies the NCS 1000 remote device IP address which is the end of the external link connection.