Experimental WDM Packet Networks for Metro Experimental WDM Packet Networks for Metro Applications: the RingO and Wonder Projects

A. BIANCIOTTO, A. CARENA, V. DE FEO, J. M. FINOCHIETTO, R. GAUDINO, F. NERI, C. PIGLIONE, P. POGGIOLINI

Eindhoven, Holanda

Conferencia; 9th European Conference on Networks & Optical Communications (NOC 2004); 2004

This paper presents the activities carried out at Politecnico di Torino, Italy, onan advanced ring-based WDM optical packet network suitable for a high-capacitymetro environment. We present two alternative architectural designs, and elaborateon the effectiveness of optical with respect to electronic technologies, trying toidentify an optimal mix of the two technologies [1]. The first presented architecturerefers to a research project called RingO, which ended in 2002, while the secondone refers to the current ongoing project Wonder. Both projects are funded by theItalian Ministry for Education and Research (MIUR). We present the design andprototyping of a simple but efficient access control protocol, based upon the equivalenceof the proposed network architecture with input-buffering packet switches.We discuss the problem of node allocation to WDM channels, which can be viewedas a particular optical network design problem. The main contribution of the paperis the identification and experimental validation of an innovative optical networkarchitecture, which is feasible and cost effective with technologies available today,and can be a valid alternative to more consolidated solutions in metro applications.