Optical packet and circuit integrated network: Development and deployment

Abstract

An optical packet and circuit integrated network (OPCInet) 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. As for network service providers, OPCInet provides them with large switching capacity of low energy consumption, high flexibility, and efficient resource utilization in the form of a simple control mechanism. This paper presents the recent progress made in the development and deployment of an OPCInet. We have developed OPCI nodes, capable of Layer 3 switching between the Ethernet frame and the optical packet in the optical packet edge part. Burst-tolerant optical amplifier and optical buffer with optical fiber delays in 100Gbps optical packet switching part have also been developed. The header processor, capable of longest-prefix matching with very-low power consumption search engine LSIs, is also developed. Toward deployment of the OPCInet, we have succeeded in using the OPCI nodes in a lab-network that has an access to the Internet. Network management system for shifting from R&D to operation has come a step closer to reality.