MULTI LAYER PROTECTION CONTROL FOR COHERENT DWDM NETWORKS

A terminal node, an optical network and/or a method are described in which a first processor of a first optical protection switching module having a first optical switch, and a second processor of a second optical protection switching module having a second optical switch coordinate switching of the first optical switch and the second optical switch upon detection of a first failure by the first processor, or the detection of a second failure by the second processor. The first processor monitors optical signals received by a first line port to determine a first failure in a first working path at a first layer (e.g., physical layer) within an optical communication model. The second processor monitors the optical signals received by another line port to determine a second failure in the first working path at a second layer (e.g., optical layer) within the optical communication model.