This paper proposes a λ-ring system that is a wavelength-based self-healing-ring application unlike ordinary fiber-based ones. To design survivable networks of interconnected such self-healing ring systems, a virtual mesh network scheme is used, in which wavelength assignment in virtual links can be considered according to the λ-ring-system or fiber-ring-system applications of the bidirectional wavelength-path switched architecture. Integer-programming-based design problems are then formulated that minimize the total fiber length in these self-healing-ring applications. Numerical examples show that the λ-ring-system application is always superior to 4-fiber and 2-fiber-ring-system applications and 1+1 end-to-end path protection.

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.