Abstract
The proliferation of data-centric networks has intensified the research
efforts for development of architectures and technologies supporting fast
reconfigurable optical networks accommodating any temporal and (or) spatial traffic
fluctuations without WDM channel overprovisioning. The novel core network
architecture presented in this paper is based on partitioning a meshed network into
a number of clusters. Within each cluster the architecture exploits metropolitan
area concepts (MACs) to achieve statistical multiplexing gain by transparent
transportation of fixed duration slots. These short slots, which are controlled by
means of a MAC protocol, are combined to form larger frames that are then exchanged
between the clusters. Specific nodes that serve as gateways between clusters
undertake the coordination of frame switching and end-to-end routing. Thus, traffic
within a particular cluster enjoys reservation-based no-loss transport, while for
the communication between clusters either robust two-way reservation schemes or even
optical burst switching (OBS) approaches are possible. The end result is an
architecture that supports statistical multiplexing within the optical layer with
good performance and reasonable complexity.
© 2004 Optical Society of America
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