A Survey on All-Optical IP Convergence Optical Transport Networks

With emerging trends for ubiquitous data services, the IP-optical convergence networks are gradually becoming a preferred technology. In optical transport networks (OTNs), a major obstacle in realizing all-optical switched IP network is due to the large processing delays of optical switching nodes that still need OEO conversion at the optical header (label) processing. The proposed labeling scheme requires neither table lookup nor label replacing in the stateless all-optical switching node, labeled packets/bursts will be forwarded through self-routing, and the only operation in optical switching nodes is to strip off its label part which represents the output port. Thus, the whole processing has been completed in the optical domain. The purposes of this paper are to shed light on a very active field of research on next generation all-IP photonics telecommunication and Internet, as well as to contribute on everyone's modern style of living.