Physical and logical validation of a network based on all-optical packet switching systems

The large growth of telecommunication traffic demand generated by multiple new applications and expected to last at least for the next decade will force Telecom operators to consider offering more flexible transport services. All-optical packet switching is a powerful technique to provide this flexibility and to support in a cost-efficient way a wide range of bandwidth consuming applications. After a very brief introduction about the packet-switched network architecture studied in the framework of the ACTS KEOPS project, we describe the structure of the packet-switching node we have defined. We then move into physical and logical analysis of the network feasibility. On a physical level, we have demonstrated that a network including more than 40 network sections based on 160 Gb/s throughput optical packet switching nodes could operate error free, In addition, logical simulations have proved that such networks could provide a quality of service (packet loss rate and packet transfer delay per node) compatible with a large variety of service classes. Both results validate the feasibility of the network concept and pave the way toward a flexible network based on all-optical switching techniques.