Spectrum-efficient and scalable elastic optical path network: architecture, benefits, and enabling technologies

TLDR

Growing data traffic demands an efficient, scalable transport platform for 100 Gb/s+ links in future optical networks. The article proposes a novel, spectrum‑efficient, scalable optical transport architecture named SLICE. SLICE accommodates sub‑, super‑, and multi‑rate traffic with fractional bandwidth service, supports dynamic bandwidth variation for cost‑effective, energy‑efficient, and survivable connectivity, and relies on OFDM‑based flexible‑rate transponders and bandwidth‑variable wavelength cross‑connects. Performance evaluation reveals the benefits and technical challenges of the SLICE architecture.

Abstract

The sustained growth of data traffic volume calls for an introduction of an efficient and scalable transport platform for links of 100 Gb/s and beyond in the future optical network. In this article, after briefly reviewing the existing major technology options, we propose a novel, spectrum- efficient, and scalable optical transport network architecture called SLICE. The SLICE architecture enables sub-wavelength, superwavelength, and multiple-rate data traffic accommodation in a highly spectrum-efficient manner, thereby providing a fractional bandwidth service. Dynamic bandwidth variation of elastic optical paths provides network operators with new business opportunities offering cost-effective and highly available connectivity services through time-dependent bandwidth sharing, energy-efficient network operation, and highly survivable restoration with bandwidth squeezing. We also discuss an optical orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing-based flexible-rate transponder and a bandwidth-variable wavelength cross-connect as the enabling technologies of SLICE concept. Finally, we present the performance evaluation and technical challenges that arise in this new network architecture.