Increasing incidents of cyber attacks and evolution of quantum computing poses challenges to secure existing information and communication technologies infrastructure. In recent years, quantum key distribution (QKD) is being extensively researched, and is widely accepted as a promising technology to realize secure networks. Optical fiber networks carry a huge amount of information, and are widely deployed around the world in the backbone terrestrial, submarine, metro, and access networks. Thus, instead of using separate dark fibers for quantum communication, integration of QKD with the existing classical optical networks has been proposed as a cost-efficient solution, however, this integration introduces new research challenges. In this paper, we do a comprehensive survey of the state-of-the-art QKD secured optical networks, which is going to shape communication networks in the coming decades. We elucidate the methods and protocols used in QKD secured optical networks, and describe the process of key establishment. Various methods proposed in the literature to address the networking challenges in QKD secured optical networks, specifically, routing, wavelength and time-slot allocation (RWTA), resiliency, trusted repeater node (TRN) placement, QKD for multicast service, and quantum key recycling are described and compared in detail. This survey begins with the introduction to QKD and its advantages over conventional encryption methods. Thereafter, an overview of QKD is given including quantum bits, basic QKD system, QKD schemes and protocol families along with the detailed description of QKD process based on the Bennett and Brassard-84 (BB84) protocol as it is the most widely used QKD protocol in the literature. QKD system are also prone to some specific types of attacks, hence, we describe the types of quantum hacking attacks on the QKD system along with the methods used to prevent them. Subsequently, the process of point-to-point mechanism of QKD over an optical fiber link is described in detail using the BB84 protocol. Different architectures of QKD secured optical networks are described next. Finally, major findings from this comprehensive survey are summarized with highlighting open issues and challenges in QKD secured optical networks.

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Abstract-In this paper, we report on the dynamic services provisioned optical transport (DynaSPOT) test-bed-a next-generation metro ring architecture that facilitates provisioning of emerging services such as Triple Play, Video-on-Demand (VoD), pseudowire edge-to-edge emulation (PWE3), IPTV, and Data Center Storage traffic. The test-bed is based on the recently proposed strongly connected light-trail (SLiT) technology that enables the triple features of dynamic provisioning, spatial subwavelength grooming and optical multicasting-that are quintessential for provisioning of the aforementioned emerging services. SLiT technology entails the use of a bidirectional optical wavelength bus that is time-shared by nodes through an out-of-band control channel. To do so, the nodes in a SLiT exhibit architectural properties that facilitate bus function. These properties at the network side include ability to support the dual signal flow of drop and continue as well as passive add, while at the client side include the ability to store data in order to support time-shared access. The latter (client side) improvisation is done through a new type of transponder card-called the trailponder that provides for (electronic) storage of data and fast transmission (burst-mode) onto the SLiT. Further in order to efficiently provision services over the SLiT, there is a need for an efficient algorithm that facilitates meeting of service requirements. To meet service requirements we propose a dynamic bandwidth allocation algorithm that allocates data time-slots to nodes based on a valuation method. The valuation method is principally based on an auctioning scheme whereby nodes send their valuations (bids) and a controller node responds to bids by sending a grant message. The auctioning occurs in the control layer, out-of-band and ahead in time. The novelty of the algorithm is the ability to take into consideration the dual service requirements of bandwidth request, as well as delay sensitivity. At the hardware level, implementation is complex-as our trailponders are layer-2 devices that have limited service differentiation capability. Here, we propose a dual VLAN tag and GFP-based unique approach that is used for providing service differentiation at layer-2. Another innovation in our test-bed is the ability to support multispeed traffic. While some nodes function at 1 Gb/s, and others function at 2.5 Gb/s (using corresponding receivers), a select few nodes can support both 1-and 2.5-Gb/s operation. This novel multispeed support coalesced with the formerly mentioned multiservice support is a much needed boost for services in the metro networks. We showcase the test-bed and associated results, as well as descriptions of hardware subsystems.

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Optical backbone networks carry a huge amount of bandwidth and serve as a key enabling technology to provide telecommunication connectivity across the world. Hence, in events of network component (node/link) failures, communication networks may suffer from huge amount of bandwidth loss and service disruptions. Natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, etc., occur at different places around the world, causing severe communication service disruptions due to network component failures. Most of the previous works on optical network survivability assume that the failures are going to occur in future, and the network is made survivable to ensure connectivity in events of failures. With the advancements in seismology, the predictions of earthquakes are becoming more accurate. Earthquakes have been a major cause of telecommunication service disruption in the past. Hence, the information provided by the meteorological departments and other similar agencies of different countries may be helpful in designing networks that are more robust against earthquakes. In this work, we consider the actual information provided by the Indian meteorological department (IMD) on seismic zones, and earthquakes occurred in the past in India, and propose a scheme to improve the survivability of the existing Indian optical network through minute changes in network topology. Simulations show significant improvement in the network survivability can be achieved using the proposed scheme in events of earthquakes.

In this work, we exploit the spatial dimension of spectrally-spatially flexible optical networks (SS-FONs) to perform path selection. The existing path selection schemes in SS-FONs predominantly use k-shortest paths (KSP) method. However, in this work, we demonstrate that in SS-FONs, consideration of core selection along with link selection between source and destination nodes can significantly increase the spectrum utilization efficiency. We propose a k-core arrangement based paths (KCAP) scheme that performs path calculation and prioritization on the basis of core arrangement in different multicore fiber (MCF) structures, threshold crosstalk (XT) values, distance adaptive modulation (DAM), and the number of MCF links. The proposed KCAP achieves better spectrum utilization than the existing XT-aware and predefined core-prioritization schemes.