Alessio Giorgetti

OpenFlow-based segment protection in Ethernet networks

Metro and carrier-grade Ethernet networks, as well as industrial area networks and specific local area networks (LANs), have to guarantee fast resiliency upon network failure. However, the current OpenFlow architecture, originally designed for LANs, does not include effective mechanisms for fast resiliency. In this paper, the OpenFlow architecture is enhanced to support segment protection in Ethernet-based networks. Novel mechanisms have been specifically introduced to maintain working and backup flows at different priorities and to guarantee effective network resource utilization when the failed link is recovered. Emulation and experimental demonstration implementation results show that the proposed architecture avoids both the utilization of a full-state controller and the intervention of the controller upon failure, thus guaranteeing a recovery time only due to the failure detection time, i.e., a few tens of milliseconds within the considered scenario.

A Survey on the Path Computation Element (PCE) Architecture

Quality of Service-enabled applications and services rely on Traffic Engineering-based (TE) Label Switched Paths (LSP) established in core networks and controlled by the GMPLS control plane. Path computation process is crucial to achieve the desired TE objective. Its actual effectiveness depends on a number of factors. Mechanisms utilized to update topology and TE information, as well as the latency between path computation and resource reservation, which is typically distributed, may affect path computation efficiency. Moreover, TE visibility is limited in many network scenarios, such as multi-layer, multi-domain and multi-carrier networks, and it may negatively impact resource utilization. The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) has promoted the Path Computation Element (PCE) architecture, proposing a dedicated network entity devoted to path computation process. The PCE represents a flexible instrument to overcome visibility and distributed provisioning inefficiencies. Communications between path computation clients (PCC) and PCEs, realized through the PCE Protocol (PCEP), also enable inter-PCE communications offering an attractive way to perform TE-based path computation among cooperating PCEs in multi-layer/domain scenarios, while preserving scalability and confidentiality. This survey presents the state-of-the-art on the PCE architecture for GMPLS-controlled networks carried out by research and standardization community. In this work, packet (i.e., MPLS-TE and MPLS-TP) and wavelength/spectrum (i.e., WSON and SSON) switching capabilities are the considered technological platforms, in which the PCE is shown to achieve a number of evident benefits.

Enhancing GMPLS Signaling Protocol for Encompassing Quality of Transmission (QoT) in All-Optical Networks

In this paper, quality of transmission (QoT)-aware lightpath provisioning schemes for transparent optical networks are proposed and assessed. The main idea is to overcome lightpath blocking due to excessive physical impairments (i.e., unacceptable QoT) by means of successive lightpath set up attempts performed by generalized multiprotocol label switching (GMPLS) signaling protocol along alternate routes. The schemes are enabled by the introduction into current GMPLS signaling protocol [i.e., resource reservation protocol with traffic engineering (RSVP-TE)] of extensions which encompass the QoT parameters that characterize the optical layer. Differently from previous approaches, the proposed GMPLS-based schemes are still distributed but they do not imply the introduction of additional extensions into the routing protocol (e.g., OSPF-TE). The QoT-aware provisioning schemes are first validated by simulations performed on a WDM mesh network. Results show that only few successive set up attempts are required to complete the lightpath establishment. In addition, an experimental demonstration where the proposed RSVP-TE extensions are implemented in the control plane of a transparent metro network is reported showing that impairment-aware lightpath provisioning is achieved on a time scale of few milliseconds.

Label Preference Schemes for Lightpath Provisioning and Restoration in Distributed GMPLS Networks

In wavelength-routed networks based on a GMPLS control plane, the resource reservation protocol with traffic engineering extensions (RSVP-TE) allows to establish end-to-end lightpaths. The resource reservation can be blocked due to lack of available resources (forward blocking) or due to resource contentions (backward blocking). In wavelength-routed networks, the backward blocking is the predominant blocking contribution, when traffic load is low or highly-dynamic and when lightpath restoration takes place. To reduce the backward blocking, the paper proposes two label preference (LP) schemes compliant with RSVP-TE message exchanges. LP schemes provide the destination node with a label identifying the preferred wavelength to reserve. The preferred label is computed in a distributed way during the forward signaling phase, with the objective of assigning disjoint wavelengths to reservation attempts that may contend the resources. Simulation results demonstrate that, compared to other schemes, LP schemes are effective in reducing the backward blocking during both lightpath provisioning and restoration, without negatively impacting the forward blocking.

Path state-based update of PCE traffic engineering database in wavelength switched optical networks

This letter proposes to use the path state approach for updating the Traffic Engineering Database (TED) of the Path Computation Element (PCE) in GMPLS controlled Wavelength Switched Optical Networks (WSONs). The proposed solution reduces both the lightpath blocking probability and the control plane load with respect to conventional updating schemes based on the link state approach.

OpenFlow and PCE architectures in Wavelength Switched Optical Networks

The GMPLS protocol suite, originally designed to fully operate in a distributed fashion, is currently the reference control plane for WSONs. Recently, the requirement of effective traffic engineering solutions has lead to the standardization of the PCE architecture, thus joining the distributed GMPLS control plane with a centralized network element devoted to path computation. However, the common need of network carriers to keep the network under a centralized control in strict relationship with the NMS has prevented the wide deployment of GMPLS in currently working optical networks. OpenFlow proposal has been recently designed for controlling Ethernet-based access/metro networks. However, thanks to its potential ability of configuring the flow table of generic switching nodes, the OpenFlow extension for enabling the control of WSONs is currently a hot research topic. In this work, OpenFlow is seen as a promising alternative for controlling WSONs. In particular, two OpenFlow-based solutions are considered and compared against GMPLS. The first solution comprises direct configuration of the optical nodes and extends OpenFlow protocol to improve the lightpath reservation. The second solution integrates OpenFlow with GMPLS protocols exploiting communication between the OpenFlow controller and the GMPLS controller of optical nodes. Simulations results show the ability of the OpenFlow-based solutions to enable traffic engineering while providing fast lightpath setup and assuring control plane scalability.

Centralized vs. distributed approaches for encompassing physical impairments in transparent optical networks

Transparent optical mesh networks are an appealing solution to provide cost-effective high bandwidth connections eliminating the need of expensive intermediate electronic regenerators. However, the implementation of transparent optical networks requires to take into account physical impairment information for effective lightpath set-up. In this paper, we present two distributed solutions to encompass physical impairments based on enhancements of the GMPLS protocol suite. Specifically, both GMPLS routing protocol and signaling protocol extensions are presented and discussed. An alternative centralized approach based on an impairment-aware Path Computation Element (PCE) is also proposed. The distributed routing approach exhibits convergence limitations, while the distributed signaling approach is scalable and effective. The latter is then compared against the centralized PCE approach through simulations considering both a metro network and a more complex WDM network scenario. In addition, experimental implementations of the two approaches are presented. Results show the trade-off of the two approaches, demonstrating the general good performance in terms of lightpath set up time for both approaches.

GMPLS-controlled dynamic translucent optical networks

The evolution of optical technologies has paved the way to the migration from opaque optical networks (i.e., networks in which the optical signal is electronically regenerated at each node) to transparent (i.e., all-optical) networks. Translucent optical networks (i.e., optical networks with sparse opto-electronic regeneration) enable the exploitation of the benefits of both opaque and transparent networks while providing a suitable solution for dynamic connections. Translucent optical networks with dynamic connections can be controlled by the GMPLS protocol suite. This article discusses the enhancements that the GMPLS suite requires for the control of dynamic translucent optical networks with quality of transmission guarantees. Such enhancements concern QoT-awareness and regenerator-awareness and can be achieved by collecting and disseminating the information on QoT and regenerator availability, respectively, and by efficiently leveraging such information for traffic engineering purposes. More specifically, the article proposes two distributed approaches, based on the routing protocol and the signaling protocol, for disseminating regenerator information in the GMPLS control plane. Moreover, three strategies are introduced to efficiently and dynamically designate the regeneration node(s) along the connection route. Routing and signaling approaches are compared in terms of blocking probability, setup time, and control plane load during provisioning and restoration.

Experimental Demonstration of Impairment-Aware PCE for Multi-Bit-Rate WSONs

In emerging multi-bit-rate wavelength switched optical networks (WSONs), the coexistence of lightpaths operating at different bit-rates and modulation formats (e.g., based on amplitude and phase modulation) induces relevant traffic dependent detrimental effects that need to be considered during impairment-aware routing and wavelength assignment (IA-RWA). The considerable complexity of IA-RWA computation has driven the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) to propose specific path computation element (PCE) architectures in support of IA-RWA for WSONs. In this paper, following the IETF indications, we expand two PCE architectures and experimentally evaluate five different PCE architectural solutions, performing either combined or separated impairment estimation and RWA, with on-line and off-line computation of impairment validated paths, and with the possible utilization of a novel PCE Protocol (PCEP) extension. Results in terms of traffic engineering performance, path computation delivery time and amount of exchanged PCEP messages are reported and discussed to highlight the benefits and application scenarios of the considered PCE architectures.

Dynamic restoration with GMPLS and SDN control plane in elastic optical networks [Invited]

Optical transport networks typically deploy dynamic restoration mechanisms in order to automatically recover optical connections disrupted by network failures. Elastic optical networks (EONs), currently emerging as the next-generation technology to be adopted in optical transport, introduce new challenges for traditional generic multiprotocol label-switching (GMPLS)-based restoration that may seriously impact the achievable recovery time. At the same time, the software-defined networking (SDN) framework is emerging as an alternative control plane. It is therefore important to investigate possible benefits provided by SDN in the implementation of restoration mechanisms for EONs. This paper proposes a dynamic restoration scheme for EONs based on the SDN framework. The proposed scheme contemporarily exploits centralized path computation and node configuration to avoid contentions during the recovery procedure with the final aim of minimizing the recovery time. The performance of the proposed scheme is evaluated by means of simulations in terms of recovery time and restoration blocking probability and compared against three reference schemes based on GMPLS and SDN.