Abstract
One of the most practical architectural options for optical networking is a
so-called translucent network based on a predominance of optically transparent
switch nodes and a smaller number of strategically placed opaque (electronic core)
switch nodes. In such a network it is technically easier to assume failure detection
at the opaque nodes only and thus natural to consider viewing the transparent path
segments between opaque nodes as the entities to be protected for network
survivability, as opposed to single spans or entire end-to-end paths. We develop and
test capacity-design models to compare this type of segment-based restoration scheme
with conventional schemes. More important, however, a fast, nearly optimal,
algorithm is proposed that can determine the placement of opaque nodes so that the
fewest possible number is needed that ensures complete translucent reachability and
single-failure survivability on the basis of the corresponding transparent path
segments. Our data and methods also reveal the trade-off between the transparent
reach obtainable by an ultra-long-haul (ULH) system and the corresponding number of
opaque nodes required in the network (including survivability considerations), and
thus we attain important insights to guide the relative allocation of research and
development efforts on ULH systems as opposed to optical-electronic-optical
cross-connect cost reduction.
© 2003 Optical Society of America
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