Evaluation of Core-Continuity-Constrained ROADMs for Flex-Grid/MCF Optical Networks

Abstract

In order to effectively keep pace with the global IP traffic growth forecasted in the years to come, Flex-Grid over Multi-Core Fiber (MCF) networks can bring superior spectrum utilization flexibility, as well as bandwidth scalability far beyond the non-linear Shannon's limit. In such a network scenario, however, full node switching reconfigurability will require an enormous node complexity, pushing the limits of current optical device technologies at expenses of prohibitive capital expenditures. Therefore, cost-effective node solutions will most probably be the key enablers of Flex-Grid/MCF networks, at least in the shortand mid-term future. In this context, this paper proposes a cost-effective Reconfigurable Optical Add/Drop Multiplexer (ROADM) architecture for Flex-Grid/MCF networks, called CCC-ROADM, which reduces technological requirements (and associated costs) in exchange of demanding core continuity along the end-to-end communication. To assess the performance of the proposed CCC-ROADM in comparison with a fully-flexible ROADM (i.e., a Fully Non-Blocking ROADM, called FNB-ROADM in this work) in large-scale network scenarios, a novel lightweight heuristic to solve the route, modulation, core and spectrum assignment (RMCSA) problem in Flex-Grid/MCF networks is presented in this work, whose goodness is successfully validated against optimal ILP formulations previously proposed for the same goal. The obtained numerical results in a significant number of representative network topologies with different MCF configurations of 7, 12 and 19 cores show almost identical network performance in terms of maximum network throughput when deploying CCC-ROADMs vs. FNB-ROADMs, while decreasing network capital expenditures to a large extent.

Elastic Networks Thematic Network Results I: Planning and Control of Flex-Grid/SDM

“…In [3] an illustrative use case of Net2plan as Flex-Grid/MCF framework is explained. This study is about the performance comparison of the FNB and CCC SDM-ROADMs by means of heuristics as well as benchmark ILP algorithms applied in two reference topologies (Internet2 and Top 7 Spain [1]).…”

“…distance in km) are computed. Results in [3] and plotted in Fig. 2 describe the performance in terms of throughput of such scenario.…”

Planificación y optimización de redes ópticas en el Internet del futuro

“…Esta idea se evaluó inicialmente en un artículo presentado en el congreso ONDM17, donde además se presentan las ventajas de uso de un ROADM basado en esta idea [Rumip17a]. Dicho trabajo se expande sustancialmente en el análisis off-line en un contexto MCF (Multi Core Fiber) publicado en la revista Journal of Optical Communications and Networking [Moren17]. Por otra parte, la idea de continuidad es puesta a prueba satisfactoriamente en un marco dinámico en el artículo publicado en la revista Computer Communications [Rumip18].…”

“…Las contribuciones académicas de la tesis al proyecto ONOFRE se exponen en las siguientes publicaciones: [Rumip17a], [Moren17], [Pavon17], [Rumip18].…”

“…Los resultados de esta colaboración han abierto la puerta a una posible continuación de la propia red temática de excelencia. Las contribuciones académicas en las que ha participado el doctorando dentro del contexto de tesis han sido: [Rumip17a], [Moren17], [Moren18c]…”