Modeling and Performance Analysis of WDM Switching Networks with a Limited Number of Wavelength Converters

In wavelength division multiplexed networks, due to the wavelength continuity constraint, the blocking probability increases, if the wavelength of the incoming channels cannot be changed to any free available wavelength. By employing wavelength conversion this problem can be solved. However, providing a separate wavelength converter for each wavelength is not economically feasible for a large network infrastructure. It is therefore, recommended to provide limited wavelength conversion capabilities in networks. In this paper we have modeled a network with limited conversion capabilities and observed the blocking characteristics. As photonic networks are difficult to analyze exactly because of large state space, therefore for analytical treatment of the problem, equivalent space division multiplex systems (SDMs) are analyzed approximately using moment analysis method. The results from approximate analysis are compared with already established techniques