Employing Ethernet Multiple Spanning Tree Protocol in an OpMiGua network

Abstract

Hybrid optical packet/circuit switched networking architectures are increasingly becoming an interesting research field. They integrate and combine the high resource utilization of statistically multiplexed packet switched networks with the low processing requirements and guaranteed quality of service provided by circuit switched networks. The aim of this thesis is to integrate the OpMiGua hybrid optical network with Ethernet. Specifically, the work is focused on the compatibility of the Ethernet s loop-free topology protocols with the redundant multiple traffic service paths of OpMiGua. We analyse the problems and limitations imposed on the network architecture and propose our topology solution called the SM chain-connectivity. The analysis and the proposed schemes are verified based on results obtained from simulations. Furthermore, we design an integrated logical OpMiGua node that relies on an Ethernet switch instead of the Optical Packet Switch for the Statistically Multiplexed traffic. To date, to our knowledge there are no studies analysing the compatibility of Ethernet and its protection mechanisms in a hybrid optical network. This is the first work addressing the use of Ethernet in OpMiGua.