The Development of Optical Control Plane

Abstract

In the near future, optical networks will change our network experience. These bandwidth-guaranteed and non-congested lightpaths, or lambdas, will provide specific research programs and collaboration projects faster and dedicated circuit-switched transmission. However, in order to incorporate with current packet-switched IP service, interfaces for users to subscribe optical channels and for connection setup between difference network domains are required. The optical control plane will furnish not only such interfaces but also management of optical link status as well. In this paper, the status of optical control plane implementation projects in several research networks at present is surveyed. For TWAREN optical network, we investigate its properties and present the control plane design for future development.