Optical packet and circuit integrated networks

Abstract

An optical packet and circuit integrated (OPCI) network provides both high-speed, inexpensive services and deterministic-delay, low-data-loss services according to the users' usage scenarios, from the viewpoint of end users. From the viewpoint of network service providers, this network provides large switching capacity with low energy consumption, high flexibility, and efficient resource utilization with a simple control mechanism. This paper presents the recent progress made in the development of an OPCI network. We have developed OPCI nodes which are capable of layer 3 switching from/to Ethernet frame to/from optical packet in the optical packet edge part and burst-tolerant optical amplifier and optical buffer with optical fiber delays in 100Gbps optical packet switching part. The OPCI node achieves a packet error rate less than 10-4 and is used as node in a lab-network that has an access to the Internet. A distributed automatic control works in a control plane for the circuit switching part. An address search engine for further power reduction and network management system for shifting from R&D to operation are also described.