This paper reviews the work carried out under the European ACTS KEOPS (KEys to Optical Packet Switching) project, centering on the definition, development and assessment of optical packet switching and routing networks capable of providing transparency to the payload bit rate. The adopted approach uses optical packets of fixed duration with low bit rate headers to facilitate processing at the network/node interfaces. The paper concentrates on the networking concepts developed in the KEOPS project through a description of the implementation issues pertinent to optical packet switching nodes and network/node interfacing blocks, and consideration of the network functionalities provided within the optical packet layer. The implementation, from necessity, relies on advanced optoelectronic components specifically developed within the project, which are also briefly described.

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The application of the Optical Transparent Packet (OTP) network concept, as developed in the framework of the ACTS KEOPS project, in the evolving Information and Communication Network Technology is presented where users are IP traffic sources. In particular the OTP network is supposed to operate as an interconnection facility for high capacity backbone routers and to provide the high switching capability needed for border routers at Network Access Points. The network architecture is described and performance evaluation is carried on at network access and on end-to-end basis. The investigation of algorithms for managing packet flows with different quality of service requirements is also developed as a key issue for the future network scenarios. Corporate Corporate network Corporate network 214 EIT