Experimental demonstration of packet-rate 10-Gb/s OOK OSNR monitoring for QoS-aware cross-layer packet protection

Abstract

A cross-layer network platform may enable introspective access to the physical layer, allowing optical performance monitoring measurements to feedback to higher layers for packet rerouting and protection. We experimentally demonstrate quality-of-service-aware packet protection that leverages cross-layer signaling based on the monitoring of packets' optical-signal-to-noise ratio. In order to detect degraded data streams, the monitoring system is based on a delay-line Mach-Zehnder interferometer and a field-programmable gate array. The system is realized in an experimental cross-layer enabled optical packet switched fabric, measuring the optical-signal-to-noise ratio for 10-Gb/s OOK streams. The packet protection scheme uses the dynamic performance measurements to actuate a rerouting of high-quality-of-service packets. 8 × 10-Gb/s wavelength-striped optical messages are rerouted through the fabric error-free (bit-error rates less than 10(-12)).

FPGA controlled microring based tunable add-drop filter

“…The electronic processing by the FPGA and DAC adds an additional latency of 5 µs, which can be further optimized by increasing the clock speed of the FPGA and using a high-speed single channel DAC. The fast response of the device enables applications not possible using todays commercial ADFs, such as packet level channel select and signal monitoring [8]. …”

“…We propose and demonstrate in this paper integration of a silicon photonic microring ADF with a control plane by adding an FPGA control interface. The FPGA serves as an interface, a research platform for exploring advanced drive configurations [7], and offers potential for inclusion of advanced functionalities with other integrated photonic components [8]. We find that the microring can be controlled simply and with low driving voltages, thus demonstrating the feasibility of the microring ADF as parts of future power efficient PICs.…”

Cross-layer enabled translucent optical network with real-time impairment awareness

“…OPM is performed over one of the channels carrying actual packet-rate data. Since future integrated OSNR monitors are expected to allow for ultra-fast measurements (e.g., hundreds of ns [11]), we envision OPM systems able to monitor ultrafast, packet-rate channels. In fact, a proof-of-concept packetrate OSNR monitor supporting 18 ms packet lengths has already been experimentally demonstrated [11].…”

“…Since future integrated OSNR monitors are expected to allow for ultra-fast measurements (e.g., hundreds of ns [11]), we envision OPM systems able to monitor ultrafast, packet-rate channels. In fact, a proof-of-concept packetrate OSNR monitor supporting 18 ms packet lengths has already been experimentally demonstrated [11]. Note that although in this work only OSNR is considered, such systems are able to monitor a comprehensive range of PLIs such as OSNR, PMD and CD.…”

“…In this work, we show that the introduction of real-time impairment aware routing in a translucent, sub-wavelength switching network through the novel Cross-Layer Optical Network Element (CLONE) concept [11], leads not only to significant energy savings by optimizing the usage of regeneration resources, but also to network performance improvement as CLONE-enabled networks can effectively react to timevarying PLIs.…”