Abstract

Reconfigurable Optical Add/Drop Multiplexers (ROADMs) and unified control planes are relevant features for next-generation optical transport networks. Where ROADM hardware will enable single-channel add/drop of any wavelength anywhere, the control plane and the related interfaces (GMPLS, OIF UNI, NNI) will lead to deep changes in network concepts, enabling direct interworking of the IP/MPLS and optical layers in order to control flexible components like ROADMs. This will lead to significant operational cost savings for future IP-minded networks. This paper discusses the relevant techniques, concepts, and applications of ROADMs and the unified control plane.

© 2007 Optical Society of America