To meet the bandwidth demand from the traffic explosion from emerging Internet applications like IPTV, VoIP, P2P, e-business and e-healthcare as well as large-scale science applications such as high energy nuclear physics, grid computing, and remote experimentation, optical networks using wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) technology, which divides the enormous fiber bandwidth into a large number of wavelengths, is the foremost solution. The rapid advances in dense WDM technology with hundreds of wavelengths per fiber and world-wide fiber deployment have brought about a tremendous increase in size of the photonic switches or cross-connects, the cost and difficulty associated with controlling such large cross-connects. This project investigates developing a multi-granular switching framework to reduce the complexity, cost, and size of both electronic and optical switches. The key efforts involve the investigation of reliable waveband switching, multi-granular services, and related theoretical modeling. In particular, the project will explore design of multi-layer and single-layer photonic cross-connect architectures, optimal wavelength grouping (or wavebanding), waveband protection/restoration schemes, and reliable dynamic provisioning of multi-granular services. The project seeks to yield a fundamental understanding of multi-granular optical networks.
Broader Impacts:
While the results from this research will advance the state-of-the-art knowledge in wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) networks, they may also be extended to other networks (e.g., with time or code division multiplexing technology) providing multi-granular switching. The proposed project will develop and transfer technology to stimulate the optical networking industry. By involving both undergraduate and graduate students in the research, incorporating research agenda into both undergraduate and graduate lectures and course projects, and disseminating findings at technical conferences and journals, the project will also help train the future scientists and engineers in high demand fields related to optical networking. The course materials developed in this project will establish a new paradigm for integrating research and education in high-speed networking.
