Abstract:
In the core and metro network, climbing Internet traffic growth rates are expected to find support from optical technology. The strength of optics is in its potential bandwidth of nearly 25 Terabits per fiber. The challenge, however, is to identify how this bandwidth can be made readily available to higher layer protocols, e.g., IP, providing the high speed network support required by bandwidth-greedy Internet applications.

This tutorial provides an overview of emerging optical technologies that are likely to become essential in the design of the Next Generation Internet, covering both the IP/MPLS and optical layer perspective. Probable network architectures will be reviewed, including IP over Wavelength Division Multiplexed (WDM) optical signal. Issues and challenges of designing a cost effective high speed network will be identified, presenting research proposals that address multiple access, protection and restoration, traffic grooming and TCP/IP internetworking. Short and long term solutions, including testbeds from leading companies and consortia, will be reviewed, examining key components and anticipated advantages.