Multicasting in WDM Single-Hop Local Lightwave Networks

In modem networks, the demand for bandwidth and high quality of service (QoS) requires the efficient utilisation of network resources such as transmitters, receivers and channel bandwidth. One method for conserving these resources is to employ efficient implementations of multicasting wherever possible. Using multicasting, a source sending a message to multiple destinations may schedule a single transmission which can then be broadcasted to multiple destinations or forwarded from one destination to another, thus conserving the source transmitter usage and channel bandwidth. This thesis investigates the behaviour of single-hop WDM optical networks when they carry multicast traffic. Each station in the network has a fixed-wavelength transceiver and is set to operate on its own unique wavelength as a control channel. Each station also has a tuneable wavelength transceiver in order to transmit or receive signals to or from all the other stations. A transmission on each channel is broadcasted by a star coupler to all nodes. Multicasting in single-hop WDM networks has been studied with different protocols. This thesis studies the multicasting performance adopting receiver collision avoidance (RCA) protocol as a multicasting protocol. This study takes into consideration the effect of the tuneable transceiver tuning time which is the time required to switch from one wavelength to another, and the propagation time required by a packet to propagate from one node to another. The strategy in RCA protocol is that nodes request transmission time by sending a control packet at the head of their queues. Upon receipt of this information all nodes run a deterministic distributed algorithm to schedule the transmission of the multicast packet. With the control information, nodes determine the earliest time at which all the members of the multicast group can receive the packet and the earliest time at which it can be transmitted. If a node belongs to the multicast group addressed in the control packet, its receiver must become idle until all nodes in the group have tuned to the appropriate wavelength to receive the packet. This problem leads to poor transmission and consequently low channel utilisation. However, throughput degradation due to receiver conflicts decreases as the multicast size increases. This is because for a given number of channels, the likelihood of a receiver being idle decreases as the number of intended recipients per transmission increases. The number of wavelengths available in a WDM network continues to be a major constraint. Thus in order to support a large number of end users, such networks must use and reuse wavelengths efficiently. This thesis also examines the number of wavelengths needed to support multicasting in single-hop optical networks

Dynamic bandwidth allocation in CDMA-based passive optical networks

Fiber to the home (FTTH) technology is an attractive solution for providing high bandwidth from the Central Office (CO) to residences and small-and medium-sized businesses. The emergence of Internet Protocol-based communication within households such as VoIP, IPTV, video conferencing, and high definition multimedia shows that there is a need for high-capacity networks that can handle differentiated services. By providing an optical fiber link to a household where the optical network unit (ONU) is located, there will be a tremendous increase in information capacity with respect to Digital Subscriber Line and cable modem technologies that are currently in place. In access networks, Passive Optical Networks (PON) are rapidly replacing copper-based technologies due to a wide range of benefits, one of which is having the capability to transmit data at a higher rate and reach further distances without signal degradation. Under the PON family of technologies, Ethernet PON (EPON) was developed and is specified in the IEEE 802.3 standard outlining the framework that can deliver voice, data, and video over a native Ethernet port to businesses and residential customers. An increasingly important subject to network operators is Quality of Service (QoS). Although the EPON specification provides mechanisms for supporting QoS, it does not specify or define an algorithm for providing QoS. Rather it is up to the CO to design and implement an appropriate algorithm to meet the specifications of services that are offered to their clients. Researchers have extensively studied bandwidth allocation in EPON where the challenge is to develop bandwidth allocation algorithms that can fairly redistribute bandwidth among ONUs based on their demand. These algorithms were developed for the uplink direction, from ONUs to CO, in a network where only a single ONU is permitted to transmit at a time. Another well-established PON technology is Optical Code-Division Multiple Access PON (OCDMA-PON). In recent years, it has become more economical due to hardware advancements and it has gained a lot of attention due to its benefits over EPON. The most attractive benefit of OCDMA-PON is that multiple ONUs may transmit to the CO simultaneously, depending on a number of constraints, whereas EPON is limited to a single ONU transmission at a time. In this thesis, we develop a dynamic bandwidth allocation algorithm called Multi-Class Credit-Based Packet Scheduler (MCBPS) for OCDMA-PON in the uplink direction that supports the Internet Protocol (IP) Differentiated Services and takes advantage of the simultaneous nature of OCDMA. The IP Differentiated Services specifications stipulate the following traffic classifications: Expedited Forwarding for low latency, low packet loss, and low jitter applications; Assured Forwarding for services that require low packet loss; and Best Effort which are not guaranteed any bandwidth commitments. MCBPS incorporates the use of credit pools and the concept of a credit bank system to provide the same services as EPON by assigning ONUs specific timeslots to transmit data and also by specifying the amount of bytes from each class. MCBPS is a central office based algorithm that provides global fairness between Quality of Service (QoS) classes while also ensuring that at any given moment the desired number of simultaneous transmissions is not exceeded. We demonstrate through simulation that MCBPS algorithm is applicable in both EPON and OCDMA-PON environments. An in-house simulation program written in the C programming language is used to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. The MCBPS algorithm was tested alongside a benchmark algorithm called Interleaved Polling with Adaptive Cycle Time (IPACT) algorithm to compare network throughput, average packet delay, maximum packet delay, and packet loss ratio. From the simulation results it was observed that MCBPS algorithm is able to satisfy the QoS requirements and its performance is comparable to IPACT where the simultaneous transmission is limited to one. The simulation results also show that as the number of simultaneous transmissions within the network increases, so does the bandwidth. The MCBPS algorithm is able to re-distribute the scaling bandwidth while ensuring that a single ONU or QoS class does not monopolize all the available bandwidth. In doing so, through simulation results, as the simultaneous transmissions increases, the average packet delay decreases and the packet loss ratio improves

Dark signalling and code division multiple access in an optical fibre LAN with a bus topology

This thesis describes an optical fibre network that uses a bus topology and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA). Various potential configurations are analysed and compared and it is shown that a serious limitation of optical CDMA schemes using incoherent correlators is the effect of optical beating due to the presence of multiple incoherent optical signals at the receiver photodiode. The network proposed and analysed in this thesis avoids beating between multiple optical fields because it only uses a single, shared, optical source. It does this through the SLIM (Single Light-source with In-line Modulation) configuration in which there is a continuously-operating light source at the head-end of a folded bus, and modulators at the nodes to impose signals on the optical field in the form of pulses of darkness which propagate along the otherwise continuously bright bus. Optical CDMA can use optical-fibre delay-line correlators as matched filters, and these may be operated either coherently or incoherently.Coherent operation is significantly more complex than incoherent operation, but incoherent correlators introduce further beating even in a SLIM network. A new design of optical delay-line correlator, the hybrid correlator, is therefore proposed, analysed and demonstrated. It is shown to eliminate beating. A model of a complete network predicts that a SLIMbus using optical CDMA with hybrid correlators can be operated at TeraBaud rates with the number of simultaneous users limited by multiple access interference (MAI), determined only by the combinatorics of the code set

ATM optical wireless networks

The aim of the research is to propose, design and evaluate a new wireless communication, local area network (LAN). Such a LAN will be able to extend the asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) wireline technology into indoor optical wireless networks

Digital signal processing optical receivers for the mitigation of physical layer impairments in dynamic optical networks

IT IS generally believed by the research community that the introduction of complex network functions—such as routing—in the optical domain will allow a better network utilisation, lower cost and footprint, and a more efficiency in energy usage. The new optical components and sub-systems intended for dynamic optical networking introduce new kinds of physical layer impairments in the optical signal, and it is of paramount importance to overcome this problem if dynamic optical networks should become a reality. Thus, the aim of this thesis was to first identify and characterise the physical layer impairments of dynamic optical networks, and then digital signal processing techniques were developed to mitigate them. The initial focus of this work was the design and characterisation of digital optical receivers for dynamic core optical networks. Digital receiver techniques allow for complex algorithms to be implemented in the digital domain, which usually outperform their analogue counterparts in performance and flexibility. An AC-coupled digital receiver for core networks—consisting of a standard PIN photodiode and a digitiser that takes samples at twice the Nyquist rate—was characterised in terms of both bit-error rate and packet-error rate, and it is shown that the packet-error rate can be optimised by appropriately setting the preamble length. Also, a realistic model of a digital receiver that includes the quantisation impairments was developed. Finally, the influence of the network load and the traffic sparsity on the packet-error rate performance of the receiver was investigated. Digital receiver technologies can be equally applied to optical access networks, which share many traits with dynamic core networks. A dual-rate digital receiver, capable of detecting optical packets at 10 and 1.25 Gb/s, was developed and characterised. The receiver dynamic range was extended by means of DC-coupling and non-linear signal clipping, and it is shown that the receiver performance is limited by digitiser noise for low received power and non-linear clipping for high received power

Optical packet networking using optical time division multiplexing.

Growing demands for capacity have stimulated the development of high-speed optical shared media networks. At present, most research on optical networking has concentrated on wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM). Optical time-division multiplexing (OTDM), which offers advantages over WDM networks, is considered as an alternative to WDM for future networks proving a single stream data rates of 100 Gb/s using a single wavelength. In such systems all optical routers, which overcome the bottleneck of optoelectronic conversion, play an important role. This thesis concentrates on the modelling and simulation of a novel optical router, which uses two terahertz optical asymmetric demultiplexers (TOAD) as the routing element for OTDM systems.In this work, the author has developed a mathematical model of an all optical router based on TOADs. The model architecture is based on a system, which has as its input an OTDM packet containing header and payload information. The model simulates extraction of header information, using one TOAD, from the data stream, which is subsequently used to make a routing decision. The payload information is routed through a second TOAD according to the information contained in the header. A comprehensive theoretical analysis supported by computer simulations has been carried out to study characteristics of crosstalk, noises, signal to noise ratio (SNR), Bit error rate (BER), and power penalty of the router. The results obtained, whenever possible, have been compared with the experimented data.The performance analysis of the all optical router is shown by the simulation results. The proposed router is capable of routing packet containing data in excess of 250 Gb/s all in optical domain. New models of all optical router with multi-input and outputs have been developed i.e. 1x4 router, 2x2 router, which are based on 1x2 TOAD routers. Results show that threshold switching energy is present at 0.2 pJ. Higher values result in a decrease in crosstalk and lower values result in negligible switching. Also shown is crosstalk induced penalty depends on the crosstalk level of individual 1x2 switches as well as on the size and architecture of the switching fabric.Finally, it has been shown that the proposed all-optical router has potentially useful characteristics as a component for high-speed optical TDM networks due to its ultrafast switching capability compared with existing devices. At this stage a simple 8 by 8 Banyan network is presented, however further work will enhance the model to a network with more inputs and outputs

Design and cost performance of WDM pons for multi-wavelength users

Die rasante Verbreitung des Internet führt zu einem steigenden Bedarf an höheren Bitraten in Telekommunikationsnetzwerken. Dieser kann derzeit nur mit optischen Netzwerken erfüllt werden, insbesondere mit der Wellen¬längen¬multiplex-Technik (WDM). Viele Forschungsergebnisse weisen darauf hin, dass WDM Passive Optische Netzwerke (PON) die nächste Generation der optischen Zugangsnetze darstellen. Die Wellenlängenmultiplex-Technik beruht darauf, dass mehrere optische Kanäle mit niedrigen Bitraten über eine Faser übertragen werden und so ein WDM Signal mit hoher Bitrate erzeugen. Ziel dieser Arbeit ist die Identifizierung von neuen Architekturen, welche jedem Benutzer und jedem Dienst mindestens eine Wellenlänge zur Verfügung stellen. Neue Methoden und Modelle zur Berechnung von ein- und mehrstufigen WDM PONs werden eingeführt. Um alle technologisch realisierbaren ein- und mehrstufigen WDM PONs zu berechnen und zu analysieren wurde ein Design Tool entwickelt. Für einen flächendeckenden kommerziellen Einsatz reicht es nicht aus, funktionierende Technologien anzubieten, vielmehr müssen ökonomische Über¬legungen miteinbezogen werden. Diese Arbeit ermöglicht einen Vergleich unterschiedlicher Architekturen hinsichtlich ihrer Wirtschaftlichkeit und zielt darauf ab, jene Architekturen zu identifizieren, welche kostenoptimal sind. Neue kosten¬optimale Netzwerk-Architekturen führen zu einer schnelleren Marktpenetration und dazu, Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) Realität werden zu lassen.Due to the incomparable popularity of the Internet, the already enormous and still rocketing bandwidth demand may only be satisfied by optical networks, particularly by using the Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) technology. In many research labs, WDM Passive Optical Networks (PON) access networks are considered as the next generation optical access. To obtain WDM signals with high bit rates, multiple channels operating at a lower transmission speed can be supported on a single optical fiber. The subject of this thesis will be engineering new cutting edge architectures offering each user and service at least one wavelength. New techniques and models are introduced to design single and multistage WDM PONs. A design tool was implemented to analyze all technologically feasible single and multistage WDM PON architectures. During real deployments, the technology has worked but the economic factors have proven to be too costly. Thus, it is important to examine these economic aspects. The objective is to identify those architectures that minimize costs. Access to these newly identified network architectures will prompt market introduction as well as market penetration helping Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) to become reality

Performance analysis and centralised optical processing in next generation access networks

The Next Generation Passive Optical Network (NG-PON) is currently being standardised and developed, with a goal to achieve higher bandwidth at 10Gb/s, greater capacity at thousands of users and longer backhaul reach at 60km or 100km. The aim is to provide cost effective solutions for telecom operators to vastly deploy optical access networks, enabling customers with the benefit of the greater bandwidth and wider range of services. This thesis presents research that has identified and addressed various design issues relating to next generation access networks. Interferometric noise may be present in future, ring based, access networks which utilise WDM and OADMs. Simulation and experiment results are presented which studies the performance tolerance to not-precisely-defined wavelength, in the presence of interferometric noise. The impact of receiver electrical filtering was also investigated. The next generation access network will, in the upstream direction, use burst transmission and are likely to need a large tolerance to wavelength drift due to the low cost equipment used at the customer’s premises. A demonstration of optical burst equalisation was presented, based on SOAs. This study also explores the possibility of reducing the SOA saturation induced non-linear distortions through simulations and experiments. As an extension to the optical burst equaliser and to remedy the saturation induced distortions, an intermediate site optical processing system was proposed. This solution not only performs burst-mode wavelength conversion at 10 Gb/s, but also pre-chirps the signal to allow long-reach transmission and suppressed level fluctuation to ease the requirements on the burst-mode receiver. As a result, a proof of concept 10Gb/s Wavelength Converting Optical Access Network (WCOAN) with up to 62km DWDM backhaul is experimentally demonstrate. It is designed to consolidate drifting wavelengths, generated with an uncooled laser in the upstream direction, into a stable wavelength channel for DWDM long backhaul transmission

Optical flow switched networks

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2009.Includes bibliographical references (p. 253-279).In the four decades since optical fiber was introduced as a communications medium, optical networking has revolutionized the telecommunications landscape. It has enabled the Internet as we know it today, and is central to the realization of Network-Centric Warfare in the defense world. Sustained exponential growth in communications bandwidth demand, however, is requiring that the nexus of innovation in optical networking continue, in order to ensure cost-effective communications in the future. In this thesis, we present Optical Flow Switching (OFS) as a key enabler of scalable future optical networks. The general idea behind OFS-agile, end-to-end, all-optical connections-is decades old, if not as old as the field of optical networking itself. However, owing to the absence of an application for it, OFS remained an underdeveloped idea-bereft of how it could be implemented, how well it would perform, and how much it would cost relative to other architectures. The contributions of this thesis are in providing partial answers to these three broad questions. With respect to implementation, we address the physical layer design of OFS in the metro-area and access, and develop sensible scheduling algorithms for OFS communication. Our performance study comprises a comparative capacity analysis for the wide-area, as well as an analytical approximation of the throughput-delay tradeoff offered by OFS for inter-MAN communication. Lastly, with regard to the economics of OFS, we employ an approximate capital expenditure model, which enables a throughput-cost comparison of OFS with other prominent candidate architectures. Our conclusions point to the fact that OFS offers significant advantage over other architectures in economic scalability.(cont.) In particular, for sufficiently heavy traffic, OFS handles large transactions at far lower cost than other optical network architectures. In light of the increasing importance of large transactions in both commercial and defense networks, we conclude that OFS may be crucial to the future viability of optical networking.by Guy E. Weichenberg.Ph.D