OSA: An Optical Switching Architecture for Data Center Networks With Unprecedented Flexibility

TLDR

Evolving traffic patterns, operator demands, and technology trends indicate a shift from nonblocking interconnects toward oversubscribed, on‑demand adaptable networks in data center environments. The paper presents the design, implementation, and evaluation of OSA, a novel optical switching architecture for data center networks. OSA employs runtime‑reconfigurable optical devices to dynamically modify its topology and link capacities, delivering unprecedented flexibility for changing traffic demands. Analytical simulations and a small‑scale prototype demonstrate that OSA achieves 60–100 % of nonblocking bisection bandwidth and is practically feasible.

Abstract

A detailed examination of evolving traffic characteristics, operator requirements, and network technology trends suggests a move away from nonblocking interconnects in data center networks (DCNs). As a result, recent efforts have advocated oversubscribed networks with the capability to adapt to traffic requirements on-demand. In this paper, we present the design, implementation, and evaluation of OSA, a novel Optical Switching Architecture for DCNs. Leveraging runtime reconfigurable optical devices, OSA dynamically changes its topology and link capacities, thereby achieving unprecedented flexibility to adapt to dynamic traffic patterns. Extensive analytical simulations using both real and synthetic traffic patterns demonstrate that OSA can deliver high bisection bandwidth (60%-100% of the nonblocking architecture). Implementation and evaluation of a small-scale functional prototype further demonstrate the feasibility of OSA.