Development of IP/WDM optical networks

Optical wavelength-routed IP/MPLS networks could be a valid solution in the short time. Optical burst switching may represent an interesting method in the mid/long term. Optical packet switching can be seen as the last step of such an evolutionary path. To achieve satisfactory performance, significant efforts are required in developing key optical devices and components such as semiconductor optical amplifiers, optical gates and space switches, wavelength converters, fast tunable lasers and filters, and wavelength routers. Also some breakthroughs are needed in order to realize mature optical devices which allow dynamic buffering of optical packets.