An optical SDN Controller for Transport Network virtualization and autonomic operation

This paper proposes an architecture for Software Defined Optical Transport Networks. The SDN Controller includes a network abstraction layer allowing the implementation of cognitive controls and policies for autonomic operation, based on global network view. Additionally, the controller implements a virtualized GMPLS control plane, offloading and simplifying the network elements, while unlocking the implementation of new services such as optical VPNs, optical network slicing, and keeping standard OIF interfaces, such as UNI and NNI. The concepts have been implemented and validated in a real testbed network formed by five DWDM nodes equipped with flexgrid WSS ROADMs.