OPTICAL SWITCHING IN A FIBER COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

A fiber optics communications system and method are provided. The system includes a transmitter apparatus located at a first location and having a plurality of laser transmitters and a plurality of optical switches coupling optical signals from the laser transmitters to optical fibers. A receiver apparatus is located at a second location remote from the first location and includes a plurality of receivers and a plurality of optical switches coupling optical signals from the optical fibers to the optical receivers. A first control circuit controls the switches of the transmitter apparatus in accordance with conditions at the first and the second locations. A second control circuit controls the switches of the receiver apparatus in accordance with conditions at the first and second locations. The backing up of a plurality of transmitting lasers by a single back up laser and the backing up of a plurality of receivers by a single back up receiver are also described.