We analyze the cost of networks consisting of optical cross-connect nodes with different architectures for realizing the next generation large bandwidth networks. The node architectures include wavelength granular and fiber granular optical routing cross-connects. The network cost, capital expenditure (CapEx), involves link cost and node cost, both of which are evaluated for different scale networks under various traffic volumes. Numerical experiments demonstrate that the subsystem modular architecture with wavelength granular routing yields the highest cost effectiveness over a wide range of parameter values.

Optical Code Division Multiplexing (OCDM) is a multiplexing technology for constructing future all-optical networks. Compared with other multiplexing technologies, it can be easily controlled and can establish lightpaths of smaller granularity. However, previous research has revealed that OCDM networks are vulnerable to cycle attacks. Cycle attacks are caused by multi-access interference (MAI), which is crosstalk noise on the same wavelength in OCDM networks. If cycle attacks occur, they disrupt all network services immediately. Previous research has proposed a logical topology design that is free of cycle attacks. However, this design assumes that path assignment is centrally controlled. It also does not consider the delay between each node and the centralized controller. In this paper, we propose novel logical topology designs that are free of cycle attacks and methods of establishing paths. The basic concepts underlying our methods are to autonomously construct a cycle-attack-free logical topology and to establish lightpaths by using a distributed controller. Our methods can construct a logical network and establish lightpaths more easily than the previous method can. In addition, they have network scalability because of their distributed control. Simulation results show that our methods have lower loss probabilities than the previous method and better mean hop counts than the centralized control approach.

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a simple method for monitoring optical signal-to-noise ratio. The novel method can be used in the optical transport networks using optical cross-connects or reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexers. OSNR is measured by monitoring the transmitted optical power and the reflected optical power from fiber Bragg grating. We have obtained OSNR with an error less than 0.8 dB.

Emerging GMPLS (Generalized Multi-Protocol Label Switching)-based photonic networks are expected to realize the dynamic allocation of network resources for a wide range of applications, such as carriers' backbone networks as well as enterprise core networks and GRID computing. To address diverse reliability requirements corresponding to different application needs, photonic networks have to support various optical path recovery schemes. Thus GMPLS standardization bodies have developed failure recovery protocols for 1+1 protection, 1:N protection and restoration, with support of extra traffic and shared use of back-up resources. Whereas the standardization efforts cover a full spectrum of recovery schemes, there have not been many reports on actual implementations of such functionalities, and none of them included extra traffic. This paper introduces an OXC (Optical Cross Connect) implementation of GMPLS's failure recovery functionalities supporting 1+1 protection, M:N protection and extra path. Here extra path is an extension of GMPLS protection's extra traffic which can partially reuse protected paths' back-up resources. Evaluation of the implementation confirms rapid recovery of protected traffic upon a failure, even when preemption of an extra path is involved. It is also shown that its preemption scheme can resolve the issue of the poor scalability of GMPLS-based preemption when multiple extra paths are preempted upon a failure.

We study the configuration issue of three-stage multi-granularity optical cross-connects (MG-OXC) for the dynamic traffic model in all-optical networks. From the single node point of view, we propose a configuration algorithm to configure different granularity cross-connects for arrival sub-requests with different traffic types and bandwidths. The performance of the configuration algorithm is evaluated by simulation and, furthermore, is validated by experiment based on our flexible Multi-functional Optical Switching Testbed (MOST).

We develop a new optical switching fabric with multi-granularity grooming based on our lambda-group model, as well as algorithms that can handle dynamic environments. The proposed fabric based on a new multi-granular grooming scheme presents the distinctive approach of assigning different contiguous groups of granularities to different paths for effective treatment. Results and figures from experiments show that the particular partitioning approach not only is helpful to port reduction significantly, but also improves the SNR of signal and blocking performance for dynamic connection requests.

A combination of horizontal expansion and vertical stacking of optical Banyan (HVOB) is the general architecture for building Banyan-based optical cross-connects (OXCs), and the intrinsic crosstalk problem of optical signals is a major constraint in designing OXCs. In this paper, we analyze the blocking behavior of HVOB networks and develop the lower bound on blocking probability of a HVOB network that is free of first-order crosstalk in switching elements. The proposed lower-bound is significant because it provides network designers an effective tool to estimate the minimum blocking probability they can expect from a HVOB architecture regardless what kind of routing strategy to be adopted. Our lower bound can accurately depict the overall blocking behavior in terms of the minimum blocking probability in a HVOB network, as verified by extensive simulation based on a network simulator with both random routing and packing routing strategies. Surprisingly, the simulated and theoretical results show that our lower bound can be used to efficiently estimate the blocking probability of HVOB networks applying packing strategy. Thus, our analytical model can guide network designers to find the tradeoff among the number of planes (stacked copies), the number of SEs, the number of stages and blocking probability in a HVOB network applying packing strategy.

The network performance of a single joint multicasting capable optical cross-connect (jMC-OXC) integrating both space- and frequency-splitters is simulated. The results show that the jMC-OXC architecture with limited frequency-splitters can obtain a close performance to that with full frequency splitters. The improvement offered by jMC-OXCs on the performance of multicasting routing is also discussed.

The concept of an optical path layer has become increasingly attractive with the growth of traffic in the backbone network. The recent advances in optical switching technology support the deployment of optical cross-connect (OXC) nodes and the construction of large-scale optical path networks. This paper proposes a highly-reliable and fast pre-assigned restoration scheme for optical path networks. To achieve the pre-assigned restoration scheme, this paper investigates the extension of the Generalized Multi-Protocol Label Switching (GMPLS) protocol functionality considering the interoperability with GMPLS capable IP routers in the future. This paper also proposes a new network control architecture called the "partition model" through discussion of network architecture. We clarify that the M:N end-to-end restoration scheme achieves efficient resource usage and management of the network especially in the "partitioned model" network. With the finite design of the GMPLS protocol extension based on the M:N end-to-end restoration scheme, we successfully achieve an intelligent protocol that guarantees 100% recovery against single link failure and is capable of protection grade fast restoration of the optical path less than 50 msec. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of GMPLS-controlled protection grade fast optical path restoration.

A configuration capable of wavelength routing is indispensable in constructing an optical network that has the IP-over-WDM capability. A ring network based on WDM is one of the configurations that can make wavelength routing possible. As the nodes used to construct a WDM ring network, we have the optical ADM system (OADM) and optical cross connect system (OXC). In this paper, in order to make ring network realistic, we examined a wavelength routing way using the number of possible wavelengths and the number of Node-Connections. A wavelength routing way placement on a lattice letter logically, and the all paths forward by 1 hop or 2 hops. As the parameters for determining the number of nodes and the distance of transmission, we evaluated the deterioration resulting from coherent crosstalk and OSNR. As a result of evaluation, the number of node-passes for 1 hop transmission amounts to less than 20. In addition, when we made a test bed and made evaluations, the results almost coincided with theoretical values.

This paper proposes an optimal design scheme for photonic transport networks that interconnect multiple wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) self-healing ring systems by using optical cross connects (OXCs). To calculate the number of OXCs required in each hub to interconnect these ring systems, a virtual mesh network is generated, on which the route of each optical path (OP) going through multiple adjacent rings ("ring" is defined as circle in network topology) is determined based on a list of hubs. An integer-programming-based design problem is then formulated that minimizes the overall cost of facilities including OXCs as well as ring systems to accommodate a given demand. By solving this problem, we can simultaneously optimize required number of ring systems in each ring, wavelength assignment within each individual bidirectional ring system, required number of OXCs in each hub, and capacity to be allocated to each OP. Numerical examples show that the ring-based network is more cost-effective than the mesh restorable network when the cost of an OADM is lower than that of an OXC, and the OXC-to-fiber cost-coefficient ratio is sufficiently large.

An optical communications technology roadmap leading up to the second decade of the 21st century has been investigated to provide a future vision of the optoelectronic technology in 15 to 20 years. The process whereby technology may progress toward the realization of the vision is indicated. A transmission rate of 100 Mbps for homes and a rate of 5 Tbps for the backbone network will be required in the first decade of the 21 century. Two technology roadmaps for public and business communications networks are discussed. It is concluded both WDM and TDM technology will be required to realize such an ultra-high capacity transmission. Technical tasks for various optical devices are investigated in detail.