Enabling the future optical Internet with OpenFlow: A paradigm shift in providing intelligent optical network services

This paper proposes an optical networking paradigm suitable for future Internet services enabled by OpenFlow. The OpenFlow technology supports the programmability of network functions and protocols by separating the data plane and the control plane, which are currently vertically integrated in routers and switches. OpenFlow facilitates fundamental changes in the behaviour of networks and their associated protocols. This paper introduces an OpenFlow optical network architecture enabled by optical flow, optical flow switching elements and programmable OpenFlow controllers. The proposed solution allows intelligent, user controlled and programmable optical network service provisioning with the capability to operate any user defined network protocol and scenario.