Multi-ASON and GMPLS network domain interworking challenges

This article describes the intercarrier external network-to-network interface development challenges at the Kei-han-na Info-Communications Open Laboratory. The E-NNI prototype that was developed provides interworking functionality between the automatically switched optical network control plane function of the ITU-T and the generalized multiprotocol label-switching control plane function of the IETF. In this article, an analysis of the differences between ASON network technologies and GMPLS network technologies, a detailed signaling protocol and routing protocol interworking mechanism, and the interworking experimental results of nationwide ASON and GMPLS network domains are described.