Collaborative Research: Exploring Architectures and Algorithms for Optical Networks

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Future networks are expected to offer solutions for the communication needs of a wide variety of applications. The goals of the proposed research are to address the issues related to the design of future optical networks. In particular, the design of scalable architectures and algorithms to manage, control, and deliver the required level of service efficiently is the primary goal. The proposal is based on the use of optical fiber technology, wavelength division multiplexing, wavelength conversion, and wavelength sharing. The objective is to develop solutions that will support a contract between source, destination, and network, and allow the use of gigabit bandwidths for user applications. The proposal is based on the sharing of a limited number of wavelengths among multiple users, the utilization of limited wavelength conversion capability in the network, and the use of multi-fiber links to support loss- and conflict-free communication for individual users by allocating dedicated resources to each connection. Specifically, the following research issues will be addressed. The balance between the minimum granularity of allocatable resources that can be supported by the available technology of WDM, wavelength sharing, wavelength conversion, multi-fiber links, and user needs will be indentified. Using this information base, new architectures and corresponding algorithms for resource allocation policies that efficiently utilize network resources will be developed. The architectural solutions will include spare capacity to tolerate single-fiber failures. When wavelength sharing is employed, different sources may transmit in a controlled manner such that they achieve their average rates. However, depending on the sharing mechanism, delay may be an important factor. Minimizing session blocking probabilities and delays in data delivery are the main issues in setting up session requests. An aim of this proposal is to develop effective solutions for this problem. Distributed routing algorithms that minimize both of these metrics in setting up an end-to-end request will be developed and evaluated. The results of the proposed research are expected to make significant advances towards the use of WDM-based all-optical technology. The initial approach to solve the proposed problems is to evaluate the proposed architectures using analytical models and simulations. The results of the initial studies will be used in developing alternative architectures and sophisticated routing algorithms.