From Network Design to Dynamic Provisioning and Restoration in Optical Cross-Connect Mesh Networks: An Architectural and Algorithmic Overview

This article presents a broad overview of the architectural and algorithmic aspects involved in deploying an optical cross-connect mesh network, starting from the network design and capacity planning phase to the real-time network operation phase involving dynamic provisioning and restoration of lightpaths and online algorithms for route computation. Frameworks for offline design and capacity planning of optical networks based on projected future lightpath demands are discussed. The essential components of an IP-centric control architecture for dynamic provisioning and restoration of lightpaths in optical networks are outlined. These include neighbor discovery, topology discovery, route computation, lightpath establishment, and lightpath restoration. Online algorithms for route computation of unprotected, 1+1 protected and mesh-restored lightpaths are discussed in both the centralized and distributed scenarios.