The novel optical path routing architecture named flexible waveband routing networks is reviewed in this paper. The nodes adopt a two-stage path routing scheme where wavelength selective switches (WSSs) bundle optical paths and form a small number of path groups and then optical switches without wavelength selectivity route these groups to desired outputs. Substantial hardware scale reduction can be achieved as the scheme enables us to use small scale WSSs, and even more, share a WSS by multiple input cores/fibers through the use of spatially-joint-switching. Furthermore, path groups distributed over multiple bands can be switched by these optical switches and thus the adaptation to multi-band transmission is straightforward. Network-wide numerical simulations and transmission experiments that assume multi-band transmission demonstrate the validity of flexible waveband routing.

Multi-band transmission technologies promise to cost-effectively expand the capacity of optical networks by exploiting low-loss spectrum windows beyond the conventional band used in already-deployed fibers. While such technologies offer a high potential for capacity upgrades, available capacity is seriously restricted not only by the wavelength-continuity constraint but also by the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) constraint. In fact, exploiting more bands can cause higher SNR imbalance over multiple bands, which is mainly due to stimulated Raman scattering. To relax these constraints, we propose wavelength-selective band switching-enabled networks (BSNs), where each wavelength channel can be freely switched to any band and in any direction at any optical node on the route. We also present two typical optical node configurations utilizing all-optical wavelength converters, which can realize the switching proposal. Moreover, numerical analyses clarify that our BSN can reduce the fiber resource requirements by more than 20% compared to a conventional multi-band network under realistic conditions. We also discuss the impact of physical-layer performance of band switching operations on available benefits to investigate the feasibility of BSNs. In addition, we report on a proof-of-concept demonstration of a BSN with a prototype node, where C+L-band wavelength-division-multiplexed 112-Gb/s dual-polarization quadrature phase-shift keying signals are successfully transmitted while the bands of individual channels are switched node-by-node for up to 4 cascaded nodes.

Link-level and node-level blocking in photonic networks has been intensively investigated for several decades and the C/D/C approach to OXCs/ROADMs is often emphasized. However, this understanding will have to change in the future large traffic environment. We herein elucidate that exploiting node-level blocking can yield cost-effective large-capacity wavelength routing networks in the near future. We analyze the impact of link-level and node-level blocking in terms of traffic demand and assess the fiber utilization and the amount of hardware needed to develop OXCs/ROADMs, where the necessary number of link fibers and that of WSSs are used as metrics. We clarify that the careful introduction of node-level blocking is the more effective direction in creating future cost effective networks; compared to C/D/C OXCs/ROADMs, it offers a more than 70% reduction in the number of WSSs while the fiber increment is less than ~2%.

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.

This paper proposes optical node architectures for the single-layer optical cross-connect (OXC) and hierarchical OXC (HOXC) that utilize dedicated add/drop switches for originating/terminating traffic at a node. For both single-layer OXC and HOXC, three architectures with different restrictions on add/drop capabilities are presented. The performance of the proposed architectures is compared through numerical experiments. The architectures significantly reduce total switch scale and minimize necessary switch size while attaining colorless, directionless and contentionless capabilities.

We propose a compact matrix-switch-based hierarchical optical cross-connect (HOXC) architecture that effectively handles the colorless waveband add/drop ratio restriction so as to realize switch scale reduction. In order to implement the colorless waveband add/drop function, we develop a wavelength MUX/DMUX that can be commonly used by different wavebands. We prove that the switch scale of the proposed HOXC is much smaller than that of conventional single-layer optical cross-connects (OXCs) and a typical HOXC. Furthermore, we introduce a prototype system based on the proposed architecture that utilizes integrated novel wavelength MUXs/DMUXs. Transmission experiments prove its technical feasibility.

This paper proposes new switch architectures for hierarchical optical path cross-connect (HOXC) systems. The architectures allow incremental expansion of system scale in terms of the number of input/output fiber ports, wavebands, and optical paths per waveband. These features assure the cost-effective introduction of HOXCs even at the outset when traffic volume is not so large. Furthermore the effectiveness of the proposed switch architectures is demonstrated in a comparison with single-layer OXCs (conventional OXCs). The results provide useful criteria for the introduction of HOXCs in terms of hardware scale.

This paper investigates the prospects and challenges of hierarchical optical path networks. The merits and issues of introducing higher order optical paths are elucidated. State of the art of the key enabling technologies are demonstrated including hierarchical optical cross-connect switch architectures, hierarchical optical path network design algorithms, a newly developed waveband filter, and waveband conversion technologies.

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.

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).

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 WDM optical networks currently being deployed are opaque optical networks, in which each link is optically isolated by transponders. To reduce the number of expensive transponders and switching ports, a hierarchical optical architecture consisting of all-optical waveband switching and opaque OEO switching has been proposed. Although this architecture requires fewer transponders and ports, it also requires a large number of wavelength (waveband) multiplexers and demultiplexers. Switching the optical path solely at the fiber level (i.e., by using fiber cross-connects, or FXCs) is desirable as a way to reduce the total node cost. If all the core nodes in an optical network are FXCs, however, the grooming of wavelengths for the optical fibers is only possible at the edge nodes. This leads to poor utilization of wavelength resources when there is only demand for small numbers of wavelengths, and as a result, the link cost increases. This problem can be solved by adding an OEO grooming function to some of the FXCs. In this paper, we propose an algorithm for designing optical cross-connect (OXC) functions on the basis of the FXC, thus minimizing the total network cost.

This paper describes the requirements for fault recovery on photonic networks and proposes a fast restoration scheme for recovering optical networks. The proposed scheme is a type of pre-assignment restoration. The features of the scheme are that it is suitable for multi-recovery classes aimed at fine control of the optical paths and that it establishes harmonization between restoration control and distributed network control such as in IP networks. The scheme is implemented on Photonic multi protocol label switching (MPLS) routers. A restoration demonstration was performed and recovery was achieved within 500ms in the optical layer.

We report on the demonstration of a fast restorable all-optical WDM network. This network consisted of four 44 optical cross-connects (OXC's) and four in-line optical amplifiers. These OXC's monitored not only the status of various network elements and quality of optical signals but also the optical path of each channel continuously. Thus, this network could automatically identify the causes of most network failures. For the fast restoration, we implemented these OXC's by using thermo-optic polymer switches (switching time: < 1.5 ms) and used hardware interrupt when LOS was detected. In addition, we used a pre-planned routing table made by using a simple heuristic routing and wavelength assignment algorithm. The results show that this network could be restored from any single link failure within 6 ms even when the restoration path was 400 km.

We report on the demonstration of a fast restorable all-optical WDM network. This network consisted of four 44 optical cross-connects (OXC's) and four in-line optical amplifiers. These OXC's monitored not only the status of various network elements and quality of optical signals but also the optical path of each channel continuously. Thus, this network could automatically identify the causes of most network failures. For the fast restoration, we implemented these OXC's by using thermo-optic polymer switches (switching time: < 1.5 ms) and used hardware interrupt when LOS was detected. In addition, we used a pre-planned routing table made by using a simple heuristic routing and wavelength assignment algorithm. The results show that this network could be restored from any single link failure within 6 ms even when the restoration path was 400 km.

In order that they fully support human activities, new network services and applications are overwhelming conventional ones, such as telephony, facsimile, and telegraph. Demands for digital networks are exploding, not only in terms of quantity but also quality. Nobody can predict where these demands will lead. Traffic engineering, which is impossible in pure Internet protocol (IP) -based networks, is recognized as being indispensable for quality of service (QoS) control. It includes guaranteed services in terms of bandwidth, delay, delay variation (jitter), and service protection. The "engineered tunnel" through IP network supports virtual private networks (VPNs) and allows us to develop voice-over-IP (VoIP), teleconferencing and other secure private network services. This paper proposes the "photonic router" which makes use of wavelength-based networks for signal routing. IP packets having the same destination are bundled into a wavelength path. Interchange nodes along the path route control path routing on the basis of wavelength information, not on IP headers, which can not be read or processed with current optical techniques. In short, wavelength path routing offers "cut-through" in the photonic layer. This paper shows its feasibility by describing the combination of an optical cross-connect, payload assembler/disassembler, label controller, and IP router. Optical cross-connect systems, which are now being intensively studied worldwide, are deemed to be key equipment for a wavelength-path network with centralized control system. This paper proposes to apply the cross-connect to an IP network with distributed autonomous control.