Simulator for Performance Evaluation of ASON/GMPLS Network

The hierarchical control plane network architecture of Automatically Switched Optical Network with utilization of Generalized Multi-Protocol Label Switching protocols is compliant to next generation networks requirements and can supply connections with required quality of service, even with incomplete domain information. Considering connection control, connection management and network management, the controllers of this architecture could perform the same operations on the transport plane resources and could support control functions for Software Defined Networking controllers, which are considered as the future networking solutions. Therefore, it is very important to determine factors that have an influence on service control and resource management. One of the tools for achieving this goal is computer simulation. The paper proposes a simulator for the hierarchical control plane networks in an open source OMNeT++ environment, in order to evaluate network architecture performance for different network structures and traffic parameters. To demonstrate simulator capabilities, examples of typical simulations performance results for Polish and European network structures are presented and discussed. Performance metrics which have been used to evaluate the performance of this architecture are: mean values of Call Set-up Time, Connection Set-up Time, Call Release Time, Connection Release Time, loss probability for inter-domain connection requests and loss probability for low and high priority requests. General remarks concerned with presented simulator are also provided.