Routing and wavelength assignment vs. wavelength converter placement in all-optical networks

Blocking has been the key performance index in the design of an all-optical network. Existing research demonstrates that an effective routing and wavelength assignment strategy and a proper wavelength converter placement algorithm are the two primary vehicles for improving the blocking performance. However, these two issues have largely been investigated separately in that the existing RWA algorithms have seldom considered the presence of wavelength conversion, while the wavelength converter placement algorithms have largely assumed that a static routing and random wavelength assignment algorithm is employed. The main objective of this article is to present some strong evidence that these two issues need to be considered jointly, and call for the reexamination of both RWA and wavelength converter placement.     

Wavelength converter placement under different RWA algorithms in wavelength-routed all-optical networks

Sparse wavelength conversion and appropriate routing and wavelength assignment (RWA) algorithms are the two key factors in improving the blocking performance in wavelength-routed all-optical networks. It has been shown that the optimal placement of a limited number of wavelength converters in an arbitrary mesh network is an NP-complete problem. There have been various heuristic algorithms proposed in the literature, in which most of them assume that a static routing and random-wavelength assignment RWA algorithm is employed. However, the existing work shows that fixed-alternate routing and dynamic routing RWA algorithms can achieve much better blocking performance. Our study further demonstrates that the wavelength converter placement and RWA algorithms are closely related in the sense that a well-designed wavelength converter placement mechanism for a particular RWA algorithm might not work well with a different RWA algorithm. Therefore, the wavelength converter placement and the RWA have to be considered jointly. The objective of this paper is to investigate the wavelength converter placement problem under the fixed-alternate routing (FAR) algorithm and least-loaded routing (LLR) algorithm. Under the FAR algorithm, we propose a heuristic algorithm called minimum blocking probability first for wavelength converter placement. Under the LLR algorithm, we propose another heuristic algorithm called weighted maximum segment length. The objective of the converter placement algorithms is to minimize the overall blocking probability. Extensive simulation studies have been carried out over three typical mesh networks, including the 14-node NSFNET, 19-node EON, and 38-node CTNET. We observe that the proposed algorithms not only outperform existing wavelength converter placement algorithms by a large margin, but they also can achieve almost the same performance compared with full wavelength conversion under the same RWA algorithm.     

Routing and wavelength assignment of scheduled lightpath demands

We present algorithms that compute the routing and wavelength assignment (RWA) for scheduled lightpath demands in a wavelength-switching mesh network without wavelength conversion functionality. Scheduled lightpath demands are connection demands for which the setup and teardown times are known in advance. We formulate separately the routing problem and the wavelength assignment problem as spatio-temporal combinatorial optimization problems. For the former, we propose a branch and bound algorithm for exact resolution and an alternative tabu search algorithm for approximate resolution. A generalized graph coloring approach is used to solve the wavelength assignment problem. We compared the proposed algorithms to an RWA algorithm that sequentially computes the route and wavelength assignment for the scheduled lightpath demands.     

Routing and wavelength assignment strategies in optical networks

We consider the routing and wavelength assignment (RWA) problem on wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) networks without wavelength conversion. When the physical network and required connections are given, RWA is the problem to select a suitable path and wavelength among the many possible choices for each connection such that no two paths using the same wavelength pass through the same link. In WDM optical networks, there is need to maximize the number of connections established and to minimize the blocking probability using limited resources. This paper presents efficient RWA strategies, which minimizes the blocking probability. Simulation results show that the performance of the proposed strategies is much better than the existing strategy.     

Routing and wavelength assignment in all-optical networks

Considers routing connections in a reconfigurable optical network using WDM. Each connection between a pair of nodes in the network is assigned a path through the network and a wavelength on that path, such that connections whose paths share a common link in the network are assigned different wavelengths. The authors derive an upper bound on the carried traffic of connections (or equivalently, a lower bound on the blocking probability) for any routing and wavelength assignment (RWA) algorithm in such a network. The bound scales with the number of wavelengths and is achieved asymptotically (when a large number of wavelengths is available) by a fixed RWA algorithm. The bound can be used as a metric against which the performance of different RWA algorithms can be compared for networks of moderate size. The authors illustrate this by comparing the performance of a simple shortest-path RWA (SP-RWA) algorithm via simulation relative to the bound. They also derive a similar bound for optical networks using dynamic wavelength converters, which are equivalent to circuit-switched telephone networks, and compare the two cases. Finally, they quantify the amount of wavelength reuse achievable in large networks using the SP-RWA via simulation as a function of the number of wavelengths, number of edges, and number of nodes for randomly constructed networks as well as de Bruijn networks. They also quantify the difference in wavelength reuse between two different optical node architectures     

Adaptive routing and wavelength assignment algorithm for WDM networks with uniform and non-uniform traffic model

This letter studies routing and wavelength assignment (RWA) problem in wavelength-routed wavelength-division multiplexing networks with both uniform and nonuniform traffic model. Our research shows that the potential traffic load information is a crucial factor for routing algorithm design. Based on our analysis, an adaptive RWA algorithm is proposed. The simulation shows that the proposed algorithm performs much better than other adaptive RWA algorithms.     

MC-BRM: A distributed RWA algorithm with minimum wavelength conversion

There are two strategies for solving Routing and Wavelength Assignment (RWA) in wavelength-routed networks: centralized and distributed. Centralized approaches are appropriate for small networks with light traffic, whereas distributed approaches are suitable for large networks with heavy traffic. Solving RWA problem in distributed algorithms can be generally divided into two phases: routing phase and wavelength assignment phase. Allocating a wavelength over a physical path for a connection request can be performed by one of two major strategies: Backward Reservation Method (BRM) and Forward Reservation Method (FRM). In this work, we assume that every node in the network can be equipped with a number of wavelength converters. Wavelength converters are usually chosen in a free policy. However, we propose a distributed algorithm, called Minimum-Conversion Backward Reservation Method (MC-BRM), that attempts to establish light-paths with minimum number of wavelength conversions. The MC-BRM algorithm can efficiently reduce the number of required wavelength conversions in the network. Besides improving blocking probability, MC-BRM can lead to better fairness in establishing light-paths with different number of hops. Finally, we make the worst case analysis for estimating wavelength conversion usages in individual nodes.     

Fixed-alternate routing and wavelength conversion inwavelength-routed optical networks

Consider an optical network which employs wavelength-routing crossconnects that enable the establishment of wavelength-division-multiplexed (WDM) connections between node pairs. In such a network, when there is no wavelength conversion, a connection is constrained to be on the same wavelength channel along its route. Alternate routing can improve the blocking performance of such a network by providing multiple possible paths between node pairs. Wavelength conversion can also improve the blocking performance of such a network by allowing a connection to use different wavelengths along its route. This work proposes an approximate analytical model that incorporates alternate routing and sparse wavelength conversion. We perform simulation studies of the relationships between alternate routing and wavelength conversion on three representative network topologies. We demonstrate that alternate routing generally provides significant benefits, and that it is important to design alternate routes between node pairs in an optimized fashion to exploit the connectivity of the network topology. The empirical results also indicate that fixed-alternate routing with a small number of alternate routes asymptotically approaches adaptive routing in blocking performance     

基于蚁群系统的分布式RWA算法研究

针对波分复用(WDM)光网络中动态选路和波长分配(RWA)问题，提出了一种基于蚁群算法的分布式动态RWA方法。将蚁群算法与分层图模型结合，实现了RWA的并行计算。仿真结果表明，与现有最短路径法相比，该算法能有效地降低光路阻塞率，促进波长资源的合理分配，同时分布式的计算方式也降低了现代频繁变化的大型光网络的通信开销。     

Ant Colony Optimization for Dynamic RWA in WDM Networks with Partial Wavelength Conversion

Dynamic routing and wavelength assignment (RWA), which supports request arrivals and lightpath terminations at random times, is needed for rapidly changing traffic demands in wavelength division multiplexed, (WDM) networks. In this paper, a new distributed heuristic algorithm based on ant colony optimization for dynamic RWA is put forward. We consider the combination of route selection and wavelength assignment as a whole using a multilayer-graph model. Therefore, an extended multilayer-graph model for WDM networks with limited wavelength conversion is presented. Compared with other RWA methods, the Ant Colony heuristic algorithm can achieve better global network optimization and can reduce communication overhead cost of the networks. Simulation showed that a lower blocking probability and a more rational wavelength resource assignment can be achieved.     

Dynamic Routing and Wavelength Assignment in Survivable WDM Networks

Dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) networks are very attractive candidates for next generation optical Internet and intelligent long-haul core networks. In this paper we consider DWDM networks with wavelength routing switches enabling the dynamic establishment of lightpaths between each pair of nodes. The dynamic routing and wavelength assignment (RWA) problem is studied in multifiber networks, assuming both protection strategies: dedicated and shared. We solve the two subproblems of RWA simultaneously, in a combined way using joint methods for the wavelength selection (WS) and wavelength routing (WR) tasks. For the WS problem in contrast to existing strategies we propose a new, network state based selection method, which tries to route the demand on each wavelength, and selects the best one according to different network metrics (such as available channels, wavelengths per fiber and network load). For the WR problem we propose several weight functions for using in routing algorithms (Dijkstra or Suurballe), adapting dynamically to the load of the links and to the length of the path. The combination of different wavelength selection and routing (WS&WR) methods enables wide configuration opportunities of our proposed algorithm allowing good adaptation to any network state. We also propose the extension of the RWA algorithm for dedicated and shared protection and a new method for applying shared protection in dynamic WDM environment. The detailed analysis of the strategies demonstrate that our RWA algorithm provides significantly better performance than previous methods in terms of blocking probability whether with or without protection methods.     

XGM波长变换器网络的路由波长分配算法研究

交叉增益调制(XGM,Cross-Gain Modulation),用于波长变换技术,可较简单地制成全光波长变换器。该文先用一个简单的近似模型分析了XGM波长变换器对路径阻塞率的影响,进而根据其本身固有的特点,设计了3种适合于XGM波长变换器网络的路由波长分配算法。通过在美国科学基金会骨干网络(NSFNET,National Science Foundation backbone network),和网孔型(Mesh-torus)网络中的仿真,从网络的阻塞率和公平性两个方面研究XGM波长变换器对网络性能的影响,同时比较了3种算法的性能。仿真结果表明,XGM波长变换器较无波长变换,可以在网络的阻塞率和公平性两个方面都得到较大的改善;3种算法中,FF/lowest算法在改善网络的阻塞率和公平性两个方面都是最优的。     

An Ant-Based Approach for Dynamic RWA in Optical WDM Networks

In this paper, we propose a new ant-based algorithm for the dynamic routing and wavelength assignment (RWA) problem in optical WDM networks under the wavelength continuity constraint. Unlike conventional approaches, which usually require centralized global network information, our new RWA algorithm constructs the routing solution in a distributed manner by means of cooperative ants. To facilitate the ants’ foraging task, we adopt in our algorithm a probabilistic routing table structure for route selection. The new algorithm is highly adaptive in that it always keeps a suitable number of ants in the network to cooperatively explore the network states and continuously update the routing tables, so that the route for a connection request can be determined promptly by the current states of routing tables with only a small setup delay. Some new schemes for path scoring and path searching are also proposed to enhance the performance of our ant-based algorithm. Extensive simulation results upon three typical network topologies indicate that the proposed algorithm has a very good adaptability to traffic variations and it outperforms both the fixed routing algorithm and the promising fixed–alternate routing algorithm in terms of blocking probability. The ability to guarantee both a low blocking probability and a small setup delay makes the new ant-based routing algorithm very attractive for both the optical circuit switching networks and future optical burst switching networks     

Adaptive wavelength routing in all-optical networks

We consider routing and wavelength assignment in wavelength-routed all-optical networks (WAN) with circuit switching. The conventional approaches to address this issue consider the two aspects of the problem disjointly by first finding a route from a predetermined set of candidate paths and then searching for an appropriate wavelength assignment. We adopt a more general approach in which we consider all paths between a source-destination (s-d) pair and incorporate network state information into the routing decision. This approach performs routing and wavelength assignment jointly and adaptively, and outperforms fixed routing techniques. We present adaptive routing and wavelength assignment algorithms and evaluate their blocking performance. We obtain an analytical technique to compute approximate blocking probabilities for networks employing fixed and alternate routing. The analysis can also accommodate networks with multiple fibers per link. The blocking performance of the proposed adaptive routing algorithms are compared along with their computational complexity     

An algorithm for optimal assignment of a wavelength in a tree topology and its application in WDM networks

In this paper, we present a polynomial time algorithm that gives an optimal solution to the routing and wavelength assignment (RWA) problem in a tree topology. One of the major design issues in wavelength-division multiplexed networks is the assignment of the limited number of wavelengths among network stations so that greater capacity can be achieved. The problem of RWA is known to be NP-hard problem. Many researchers have tackled the problem of RWA with a number of efficient heuristic algorithms. This paper presents an algorithm that optimally assigns a single wavelength to maximize one-hop traffic in a tree topology. The algorithm uses dynamic programming and is shown to be optimal with a time complexity of O(N/sup 4/). We also propose a heuristic scheme to use our optimal algorithm for wavelength assignment in a general graph. The heuristic works on the tree subgraphs of a given graph and the remaining spare wavelengths can be assigned with an existing RWA policy.     

Dynamic routing and wavelength assignment for limited-range wavelength conversion

We propose a dynamic routing and wavelength assignment algorithm in an all-optical network with limited-range wavelength conversions. For each randomly arrived request, the correlation of different wavelengths on different links in all possible routes is described by the wavelength weight in our algorithm. We try to assign wavelengths on each candidate route using a shortest-path algorithm based on the wavelength weight and choose the best as its route and wavelength assignment scheme. Numerical results obtained for NSFNET and a 12-node ring show that our algorithm can greatly reduce the blocking probability and the number of required conversions under uniform traffic or traffic dominated by larger hop routes.     

Effects of wavelength routing and selection algorithms onwavelength conversion gain in WDM optical networks

Wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) technology is emerging as the transmission and switching mechanism for future optical mesh networks. In these networks it is desired that a wavelength can be routed without electrical conversions. Two technologies are possible for this purpose: wavelength selective cross-connects (WSXC) and wavelength interchanging cross-connects (WIXC), which involve wavelength conversion. It is believed that wavelength converters may improve the blocking performance, but there is a mix of results in the literature on the amount of this performance enhancement. We use two metrics to quantify the wavelength conversion gain: the reduction in blocking probability and the increase in maximum utilization, compared to a network without converters. We study the effects of wavelength routing and selection algorithms on these measures for mesh networks. We use the overflow model to analyze the blocking probability for wavelength-selective (WS) mesh networks using the first-fit wavelength assignment algorithm. We propose a dynamic routing and wavelength selection algorithm, the least-loaded routing (LLR) algorithm, which jointly selects the least-loaded route-wavelength pair. In networks both with and without wavelength converters the LLR algorithm achieves much better blocking performance compared to the fixed shortest path routing algorithm. The LLR produces larger wavelength conversion gains; however, these large gains are not realized in sufficiently wide utilization regions and are diminished with the increased number of fibers     

Dynamic circuit provisioning in all-optical WDM networks using lightpath switching

In this paper we investigate the problem of provisioning holding-time-aware (HTA) dynamic circuits in all-optical wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) networks. We employ a technique called lightpath switching (LPS) wherein the data transmission may begin on one lightpath and switch to a different lightpath at a later time. Lightpath switches are transparent to the user and are managed by the network. Allowing LPS creates a number of segments that can use independent lightpaths. We first compare the performance of traditional routing and wavelength (RWA) assignment to routing and wavelength assignment with LPS. We show that LPS can significantly reduce blocking compared to traditional RWA. We then address the problem of routing dynamic anycast HTA dynamic circuits. We propose two heuristics to solve the anycast RWA problem: anycast with continuous segment (ACS) and anycast with lightpath switching (ALPS). In ALPS we exercise LPS, and provision a connection request by searching for the best candidate destination node is such a way that the network resources are utilized efficiently. In ACS we do not allow a connection request to switch lightpaths. The lightpaths to each candidate destination node of a request are computed using traditional RWA algorithms. We first compare the performance of ACS to ALPS and observe that ALPS achieves better blocking than ACS. Furthermore, we also compare the performance of these two anycast RWA algorithms to the traditional unicast RWA algorithm. We show that the anycast RWA algorithms presented here significantly outperform the traditional unicast RWA algorithms.     

Routing and Wavelength Assignment in Optical Networks Using Logical Link Representation and Efficient Bitwise Computation

In this paper, we propose and evaluate a new approach for implementing efficient routing and wavelength assignment (RWA) in wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) optical networks. In our method, the state of a fiber is given by the set of free wavelengths in this fiber and is efficiently represented as a compact bitmap. The state of a multiple-fiber link is also represented by a compact bitmap computed as the logical union of the individual bitmaps of the fibers in this link. Likewise, the state of a lightpath is represented by a similar bitmap computed as the logical intersection of the individual bitmaps of the links in this path. The count of the number of 1-valued bits in the bitmap of the route from source to destination is used as the primary reward function in route selection. A modified Dijkstra algorithm is developed for dynamic routing based on the bitmap representation. The algorithm uses bitwise logical operations and is quite efficient. A first-fit channel assignment algorithm is developed using a simple computation on the bitmap of the selected route. The resulting bitwise routing algorithm combines the benefits of least loaded routing algorithms and shortest path routing algorithms. Our extensive simulation tests have shown that the bitwise RWA approach has small storage overhead, is computationally fast, and reduces the network-wide blocking probability. The blocking performance of our RWA method compares very favorably with three routing methods: fixed alternate routing, shortest path using flooding, and Dijkstra’s algorithm using mathematical operations. Our simulation experiments have also evaluated the performance gain obtained when the network access stations are equipped with finite buffers to temporarily hold blocked connection requests.     

一种稀疏分光配置约束下的WDM网络多播RWA算法

在波长路由WDM网络中,波长路由和波长分配是RWA算法提高光网络阻塞性能的两个重要阶段和关键技术。文章针对现有的稀疏分光配置约束下的光网络多播RWA算法复杂度高、代价高的问题,提出了一种新的稀疏分光器配置的RWA多播算法。该算法摒弃传统RWA算法在波长路由阶段就考虑稀疏分光约束能力的惯性思维,论文首次提出在波长分配阶段,才通过多播长转换器实现满足稀疏分光约束条件的分光能力传递。仿真结果表明,所提算法在平均代价和所需波长数目方面都获得了较优的性能。