<title>Operation and maintenance issues in optical burst-switched networks</title>

Abstract

We discuss a number of operation and maintenance (OAM) issues in optical burst-switched (OBS) networks and propose an OAM framework in this respect. Four OBS functions are identified as bases for the proposed framework. These are the burst termination function, the burst transmission function, the switching function, and the routing and switching control function. The study focuses on the unique aspects of OBS networks and how they can be addressed from an OAM point of view. We propose an OAM architecture and investigate the functional, network, and node aspects of it. Novel OAM-capable structures for core and edge OBS nodes are introduced for the first time.