Libero Zucchelli

Transparent optical packet switching: the European ACTS KEOPS project approach

This paper reviews the work carried out under the European ACTS KEOPS (KEys to Optical Packet Switching) project, centering on the definition, development and assessment of optical packet switching and routing networks capable of providing transparency to the payload bit rate. The adopted approach uses optical packets of fixed duration with low bit rate headers to facilitate processing at the network/node interfaces. The paper concentrates on the networking concepts developed in the KEOPS project through a description of the implementation issues pertinent to optical packet switching nodes and network/node interfacing blocks, and consideration of the network functionalities provided within the optical packet layer. The implementation, from necessity, relies on advanced optoelectronic components specifically developed within the project, which are also briefly described.

Transparent optical packet switching: network architecture and demonstrators in the KEOPS project

This paper reviews the work carried out in the ACTS KEOPS (Keys to Optical Packet Switching) project, describing the results obtained to date. The main objective of the project is the definition, development, and assessment of optical packet switching and routing networks, capable of providing transparency to the payload bit rate, using optical packets of fixed duration and low bit rate headers in order to enable easier processing at the network/node interfaces. The feasibility of the KEOPS concept is assessed by modeling, laboratory experiments, and testbed implementation of optical packet switching nodes and network/node interfacing blocks, including a fully equipped demonstrator. The demonstration relies on advanced optoelectronic components, developed within the project, which are described.

Synchronisation Issues in Optical Packet Switched Networks

This paper provides an analysis on the synchronisation aspects in optical packet switched networks. Solutions that have been developed in the framework of the European ACTS KEOPS project are proposed.

An experimental optical packet synchroniser with 100 ns range and 200 ps resolution

An experimental optical synchroniser for packet switched networks is presented; the system can recover time misalignments up to 105.6 ns exploiting switchable delay lines at node-input and wavelength dispersion in a high dispersion fibre at node output, with is 200 ps resolution.