Efficient use of Sparse Wavelength Converters in Wavelength-Routed Networks with Shared-Path Protection

This paper considers the problem of establishing dynamic lightpaths in WDM optical mesh networks employing shared-path protection with sparse wavelength conversion. Two mechanisms for routing and wavelength assignment are proposed for achieving an efficient use of the sparce converters. The NSFNET topology is used in a computer simulation experiment to assess the effectiveness of these mechanisms. Depending on the network load, a blocking probability improvement of 10-65% can be achieved.