When an optical path arrangement is re-arranged, the packet loss amount is
reduced by judging whether to perform the shift in one stage or whether
to perform the shift in two stages in accordance with the state of the
network. This is implemented by an optical communication network
comprising a plurality of routers, a plurality of optical switches,
optical fiber connecting the routers and optical switches or connecting
the optical switches, and a management device. First, the first
evaluation value is determined by evaluating the packet loss amount
resulting from a one-stage shift. Thereafter, when the optical path
arrangement is changed by means of a two-stage shift, the optical path
group to be changed is divided into two, one optical path group is
selected as the first-order shift optical path, and the other optical
path group is made the second shift optical path. Thereafter, a second
evaluation value is established by evaluating the packet loss amount when
shifting the optical path arrangement by means of a two-stage shift. When
the second evaluation value is smaller than the first evaluation value,
the first evaluation value is substituted by the second evaluation value.
The above steps are repeated until the processing termination condition
is satisfied.