ID Summary: draft-papadimitriou-ipo-multi-granularity-00.txt

[Dimitri Papadimitriou <dimitri.papadimitriou@alcatel.be>]

ID Name:
http://www.ietf.org/internet-drafts/draft-papadimitriou-ipo-multi-granularity-00.txt
ID Title: Optical Multi-Granularity - Architectural Framework

- Summary:

  In this memo we aim at demonstrating the benefits from the
  introduction in optical networks of the optical multi-granularity
  concept. The proposed concept has to be seen as a new set of optical 
  network features that are compliant and/or implying limited extensions 
  to the Generalized MPLS (GMPLS) protocol suite.     
  
- Where does it fit in the Picture of the Sub-IP Area

  This ID fits in the IPO WG (and if accepted to the CCAMP WG for the
  corresponding potential GMPLS extensions)

- Why is it targeted at this WG

  The IPO WG is the best location to introduce the waveband switching
  concept. Since today most of the IDs on optical networking are
  related to wavelength switching, an improvement of the concept 
  will enable to gain the challenge of increasing traffic volumes
  exchanged throughout next generation optical networks.        
     
- Justification
    
  Optical system technologies are able to handle different
  switching granularities from wavelength to fiber and especially
  wavebands. Taking benefits from these technologies, switching larger
  granularities reduce at the same time the complexity of control
  operations, the amount of hardware in the optical layer, and in
  addition relax some physical constraints. Gains expected from the
  approach are partly function of the efficiency of the grooming of
  wavelengths into larger granularities. In particular, intelligent
  intermediate grooming makes the multi-granularity concept even more
  attractive since reducing the required size of optical switching
  matrix typically by a factor of two or more. 
   
  In this memo, we propose to use this concept of multiple optical
  granularities in association with grooming strategies and GMPLS
  integration requirements. Among possible optical switching
  granularities, waveband switching is an attractive trade-off for 
  foreseen traffic volumes in next few years and will be particularly
  considered in this document.