Burst mode optical data switching in WDM networks

There is tremendous activity in burst mode routing and control traffic for next generation Internet. For many applications it is desirable that data be transported from one point in a network to one or more other points in the least possible time. For some applications the time sensitivity is so important that minimum delay is the overriding factor for all protocol and equipment design decisions. A number of schemes have been employed to meet this requirement, including both signaling based and equipment intensive solutions. This paper compares several means available for providing burst mode switching capabilities in a WDM optical network, and reports some test results on a novel hybrid optical network switch.