Autonomous Control Operations for Energy-Efficient Packet Optical Networks

Recent efforts have focused on integrating packet and optical technologies to meet growing broadband demands while enhancing cost and energy efficiency. Within this framework, strategies are oriented towards adopting coherent DWDM small form factor transceivers (pluggables) with the aim of simplifying IPoWDM networks. This study specifically examines two IPoWDM network scenarios. The first scenario involves the use of traditional external transponders situated between routers and the optical line system. In the second scenario, transponders are eliminated, and routers’ ports are equipped with transceiver pluggables directly connected to ROADMs. The power consumption of the involved network elements for each scenario are detailed. Additionally, we explore the autonomous operations managed by a SDN controller when dynamically provisioning connectivity services targeting the reduction of the network power consumption. To this end, an SDN controller architecture is presented offloading the computationally intensive routing function to an externalized server. The workflow, functions, and APIs used by the SDN controller are detailed. Particularly, it is presented potential extensions to the ONF TAPI Context for describing transceiver power-consumptions attributes required when dynamically executing energy-aware path computations.