National scale optical networking: the MONET long-distance testbed

Wavalength-division multiplexed (WDM) transmission has become the clear choice for systems with capacities of tens of Gb/s per fiber. Given that WDM is used, it becomes attractive to consider the advantages that may arise from routing wavelengths between nodes without the use of electronic switches. Thus an optical network should require internodal capacities on the order of tens of Gb/s, or more if there are multiple fibers between nodes. The interexchange network of the United States is one of the few examples of such a network, and is likely to be one of the best opportunities for application of optical networking technology.