Optical Switching for Scalable Data Centre Networks

This thesis explores the use of wavelength tuneable transmitters and control systems within the context of scalable, optically switched data centre networks. Modern data centres require innovative networking solutions to meet their growing power, bandwidth, and scalability requirements. Wavelength routed optical burst switching (WROBS) can meet these demands by applying agile wavelength tuneable transmitters at the edge of a passive network fabric. Through experimental investigation of an example WROBS network, the transmitter is shown to determine system performance, and must support ultra-fast switching as well as power efficient transmission. This thesis describes an intelligent optical transmitter capable of wideband sub-nanosecond wavelength switching and low-loss modulation. A regression optimiser is introduced that applies frequency-domain feedback to automatically enable fast tuneable laser reconfiguration. Through simulation and experiment, the optimised laser is shown to support 122×50 GHz channels, switching in less than 10 ns. The laser is deployed as a component within a new wavelength tuneable source (WTS) composed of two time-interleaved tuneable lasers and two semiconductor optical amplifiers. Switching over 6.05 THz is demonstrated, with stable switch times of 547 ps, a record result. The WTS scales well in terms of chip-space and bandwidth, constituting the first demonstration of scalable, sub-nanosecond optical switching. The power efficiency of the intelligent optical transmitter is further improved by introduction of a novel low-loss split-carrier modulator. The design is evaluated using 112 Gb/s/λ intensity modulated, direct-detection signals and a single-ended photodiode receiver. The split-carrier transmitter is shown to achieve hard decision forward error correction ready performance after 2 km of transmission using a laser output power of just 0 dBm; a 5.2 dB improvement over the conventional transmitter. The results achieved in the course of this research allow for ultra-fast, wideband, intelligent optical transmitters that can be applied in the design of all-optical data centres for power efficient, scalable networking

On IP over WDM burst-switched long haul and metropolitan area networks

The IP over Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) network is a natural evolution ushered in by the phenomenal advances in networking technologies and technical breakthroughs in optical communications, fueled by the increasing demand in the reduction of operation costs and the network management complexity. The unprecedented bandwidth provisioning capability and the multi-service supportability of the WDM technology, in synergy with the data-oriented internetworking mechanisms, facilitates a common shared infrastructure for the Next Generation Internet (NGJ). While NGI targets to perform packet processing directly on the optical transport layer, a smooth evolution is critical to success. Intense research has been conducted to design the new generation optical networks that retain the advantages of packet-oriented transport prototypes while rendering elastic network resource utilization and graded levels of service. This dissertation is focused on the control architecture, enabling technologies, and performance analysis of the WDM burst-switched long haul and Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs). Theoretical analysis and simulation results are reported to demonstrate the system performance and efficiency of proposed algorithms. A novel transmission mechanism, namely, the Forward Resource Reservation (ERR) mechanism, is proposed to reduce the end-to-end delay for an Optical Burst Switching (OBS)-based IP over WDM system. The ERR scheme adopts a Linear Predictive Filter and an aggressive reservation strategy for data burst length prediction and resource reservation, respectively, and is extended to facilitate Quality of Service (QoS) differentiation at network edges. The ERR scheme improves the real-time communication services for applications with time constraints without deleterious system costs. The aggressive strategy for channel holding time reservations is proposed. Specifically, two algorithms, the success probability-driven (SPD) and the bandwidth usage-driven (BUD) ones, are proposed for resource reservations in the FRRenabled scheme. These algorithms render explicit control on the latency reduction improvement and bandwidth usage efficiency, respectively, both of which are important figures of performance metrics. The optimization issue for the FRR-enabled system is studied based on two disciplines - addressing the static and dynamic models targeting different desired objectives (in terms of algorithm efficiency and system performance), and developing a \u27\u27crank back\u27\u27 based signaling mechanism to provide bandwidth usage efficiency. The proposed mechanisms enable the network nodes to make intelligent usage of the bandwidth resources. In addition, a new control architecture with enhanced address resolution protocol (E-ARP), burst-based transmission, and hop-based wavelength allocation is proposed for Ethernet-supported IP over WDM MANs. It is verified, via theoretical analysis and simulation results, that the E-ARP significantly reduces the call setup latency and the transmission requirements associated with the address probing procedures; the burst-based transport mechanism improves the network throughput and resource utilization; and the hop-based wavelength allocation algorithm provides bandwidth multiplexing with fairness and high scalability. The enhancement of the Ethernet services, in tandem with the innovative mechanisms in the WDM domain, facilitates a flexible and efficient integration, thus making the new generation optical MAN optimized for the scalable, survivable, and IP-dominated network at gigabit speed possible

Design and analysis of a 3-dimensional cluster multicomputer architecture using optical interconnection for petaFLOP computing

In this dissertation, the design and analyses of an extremely scalable distributed multicomputer architecture, using optical interconnects, that has the potential to deliver in the order of petaFLOP performance is presented in detail. The design takes advantage of optical technologies, harnessing the features inherent in optics, to produce a 3D stack that implements efficiently a large, fully connected system of nodes forming a true 3D architecture. To adopt optics in large-scale multiprocessor cluster systems, efficient routing and scheduling techniques are needed. To this end, novel self-routing strategies for all-optical packet switched networks and on-line scheduling methods that can result in collision free communication and achieve real time operation in high-speed multiprocessor systems are proposed. The system is designed to allow failed/faulty nodes to stay in place without appreciable performance degradation. The approach is to develop a dynamic communication environment that will be able to effectively adapt and evolve with a high density of missing units or nodes. A joint CPU/bandwidth controller that maximizes the resource allocation in this dynamic computing environment is introduced with an objective to optimize the distributed cluster architecture, preventing performance/system degradation in the presence of failed/faulty nodes. A thorough analysis, feasibility study and description of the characteristics of a 3-Dimensional multicomputer system capable of achieving 100 teraFLOP performance is discussed in detail. Included in this dissertation is throughput analysis of the routing schemes, using methods from discrete-time queuing systems and computer simulation results for the different proposed algorithms. A prototype of the 3D architecture proposed is built and a test bed developed to obtain experimental results to further prove the feasibility of the design, validate initial assumptions, algorithms, simulations and the optimized distributed resource allocation scheme. Finally, as a prelude to further research, an efficient data routing strategy for highly scalable distributed mobile multiprocessor networks is introduced

Wavelength and time division multiplexing with lightpath trespassing for all-optical star local area networks

Many medium access control protocols have been proposed for optical wavelength division multiplexing local area networks with a star topology. These protocols range from those based on the concept of fixed-assignment of communication subchannels, such as TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access); reservation of communication subchannels, such as DAS (Dynamic Allocation Scheme); or random-access to communication subchannels, such as DT-WDMA (Dynamic Time-Wavelength Division Multiple Access). In addition various hybrid protocols have been considered, for example, protocols incorporating both fixed-assignment and reservation rules, such as HTDM (Hybrid TDM). This thesis is on a novel hybrid protocol of fixed-assignment and random-access called "WTDMA with lightpath trespassing". This protocol combines the most desirable aspects of fixed-assignment and random-access protocols, while limiting their drawbacks. The performance of different versions of the protocol are analysed both mathematically and by stochastic simulation. The obtained results justify the introduction of the WTDMA with trespassing protocol, and indicate the situations where its use is advantageous

Bandwith allocation and scheduling in photonic networks

This thesis describes a framework for bandwidth allocation and scheduling in the Agile All-Photonic Network (AAPN). This framework is also applicable to any single-hop communication network with significant signalling delay (such as satellite-TDMA systems). Slot-by-slot scheduling approaches do not provide adequate performance for wide-area networks, so we focus on frame-based scheduling. We propose three novel fixed-length frame scheduling algorithms (Minimum Cost Search, Fair Matching and Minimum Rejection) and a feedback control system for stabilization.MCS is a greedy algorithm, which allocates time-slots sequentially using a cost function. This function is defined such that the time-slots with higher blocking probability are assigned first. MCS does not guarantee 100% throughput, thought it has a low blocking percentage. Our optimum scheduling approach is based on modifying the demand matrix such that the network resources are fully utilized, while the requests are optimally served. The Fair Matching Algorithm (FMA) uses the weighted max-min fairness criterion to achieve a fair share of resources amongst the connections in the network. When rejection is inevitable, FMA selects rejections such that the maximum percentage rejection experienced in the network is minimized. In another approach we formulate the rejection task as an optimization problem and propose the Minimum Rejection Algorithm (MRA), which minimizes total rejection. The minimum rejection problem is a special case of maximum flow problem. Due to the complexity of the algorithms that solve the max-flow problem we propose a heuristic algorithm with lower complexity.Scheduling in wide-area networks must be based on predictions of traffic demand and the resultant errors can lead to instability and unfairness. We design a feedback control system based on Smith's principle, which removes the destabilizing delays from the feedback loop by using a "loop cancelation" technique. The feedback control system we propose reduces the effect of prediction errors, increasing the speed of the response to sudden changes in traffic arrival rates and improving the fairness in the network through equalization of queue-lengths

QoS - Aware content oriented flow routing in optical computer network

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.In this thesis, one of the most important issues in the field of networks communication is tackled and addressed. This issue is represented by QoS, where the increasing demand on highquality applications together with the fast increase in the rates of Internet users have led to massive traffic being transmitted on the Internet. This thesis proposes new ideas to manage the flow of this huge traffic in a manner that contributes in improving the communication QoS. This can be achieved by replacing the conventional application-insensitive routing schemes by others which take into account the type of applications when making the routing decision. As a first contribution, the effect on the potential development in the quality of experience on the loading of Basra optical network has been investigated. Furthermore, the traffic due to each application was dealt with in different ways according to their delay and loss sensitivities. Load rate distributions over the various links due to the different applications were deployed to investigate the places of possible congestions in the network and the dominant applications that cause such congestions. In addition, OpenFlow and Optica Burst Switching (OBS) techniques were used to provide a wider range of network controllability and management. A centralised routing protocol that takes into account the available bandwidth, delay, and security as three important QoS parameters, when forwarding traffics of different types, was proposed and implemented using OMNeT++ networks simulator. As a novel idea, security has been incorporated in our QoS requirements by incorporating Oyster Optics Technology (OOT) to secure some of the optical links aiming to supply the network with some secure paths for those applications that have high privacy requirements. A particular type of traffic is to be routed according to the importance of these three QoS parameters for such a traffic type. The link utilisation, end to end delays and securities due to the different applications were recorded to prove the feasibility of our proposed system. In order to decrease the amount of traffic overhead, the same QoS constraints were implemented on a distributed Ant colony based routing. The traditional Ant routing protocol was improved by adopting the idea of Red-Green-Blue (RGB) pheromones routing to incorporate these QoS constraints. Improvements of 11% load balancing, and 9% security for private data was achieved compared to the conventional Ant routing techniques. In addition, this Ant based routing was utilised to propose an improved solution for the routing and wavelength assignment problem in the WDM optical computer networks

A Hybrid Beam Steering Free-Space and Fiber Based Optical Data Center Network

Wireless data center networks (DCNs) are promising solutions to mitigate the cabling complexity in traditional wired DCNs and potentially reduce the end-to-end latency with faster propagation speed in free space. Yet, physical architectures in wireless DCNs must be carefully designed regarding wireless link blockage, obstacle bypassing, path loss, interference and spatial efficiency in a dense deployment. This paper presents the physical layer design of a hybrid FSO/in-fiber DCN while guaranteeing an all-optical, single hop, non-oversubscribed and full-bisection bandwidth network. We propose two layouts and analyze their scalability: (1) A static network utilizing only tunable sources which can scale up to 43 racks, 15,609 nodes and 15,609 channels; and (2) a re-configurable network with both tunable sources and piezoelectric actuator (PZT) based beam-steering which can scale up to 8 racks, 2,904 nodes and 185,856 channels at millisecond PZT switching time. Based on a traffic generation framework and a dynamic wavelength-timeslot scheduling algorithm, the system-level network performance is simulated for a 363-node subnet, reaching >99% throughput and 1.23 μ s average scheduler latency at 90% load