This planning grant brings together the communities of optical networking and optical devices to define new research directions in optical networks over the next decade. New opportunities in optical networking and resulting applications are arising due to innovations in optical integration that is leading to leaps in functionality similar to what (V)LSI brought to electronics forty years ago. Also new ways (physics) to manipulate photons that could not have been predicted a decade ago show promise to change the way optics can fundamentally play a role in networking and communications. The key objectives of this project are to create a common understanding of optical technologies and their roadmap among the network research community and to roadmap photonic integrated technologies and identify which ones have the capability be disruptive and have high impact in pervasive optical network architectures and applications. A primary result of this project is to establish a clear vision to launch new, high impact networking research initiatives in this area. It is also expected that the results of this research will be to create a common framework and working model to enable researchers in the non-technology related subjects, working on interesting problems such control plane and theoretic performance, to understand how optics may affect their work.
A primary vehicle for this research is a series of two workshops that brings leaders of the optical and networking communities together to discuss common objectives and identify these new opportunities. The expected outcome of this project is to generate new research areas, topics and cross-disciplinary collaborations that lead to innovative proposals to the NSF and high-impact results.
