Packet Transport Technologies for Optical Networks

Abstract

The purpose of a transport network is to provide a reliable aggregation and transport infrastructure for any client traffic type, in any scale, at the lowest cost per bit. With the growth of packet services, operators are transforming their network infrastructures while looking at reducing capital expenditures and maximizing operational savings. In that scope, new technologies are emerging such as transport multi-protocol label switching and provider backbone transport. This article outlines the state of the art for packet-based transport technologies, comparing them and highlighting the key factors.