Dynamic SDN Control of Pluggable Transceivers in disaggregated packet-optical networks for 6G Xhaul

The evolution of disaggregated packet-optical Xhaul network infrastructure, powered by coherent pluggable transceivers integrated into IP routers, is essential for supporting flexible RAN functional splits in 6G. This requires transport services that dynamically adapt to capacity and latency demands. A Hierarchical SDN control system is key to maximizing the efficiency of packet and optical resources, enabling seamless reconfiguration of the Xhaul network to meet the precise transport requirements of the selected RAN functional split. This paper presents an architectural analysis of control plane strategies for managing these pluggables, comparing models based on IP and optical controllers, and evaluating their operational trade-offs. The study aims to provide a structured framework to guide the design and implementation of the new features for the ETSI TeraFlowSDN controller.