Scheduling Algorithms in LiTPiC - Digital Optical Networks Using Light-Trails and Photonic Integrated Circuits

Abstract

LiTPiCs were proposed as a marriage of two innovative technologies -light-trails and photonic integrated circuits -as a solution to extend metro networks in regional domains and provide dynamism in bandwidth allocation for emerging services. Light-trails which are a generalized lightpath, essentially formed by an optical bus provide sub-wavelength optical grooming and facilitate dynamic bandwidth allocation amongst constituent nodes. Communication within a light-trail is all-optical thereby limiting their reach to a few node-spans. In parallel, photonic integrated circuits were developed that proposed the system on a chip concept enabling 3R regeneration of optical signal using embedded lasers and receivers on a single Indium Phosphide substrate. PIC technology has given rise to the concept of digital optical networks -which have the capability to increase reach and commoditize metro networks. By conjoining the light-trail and PIC technologies we proposed LiTPiC which is essentially preserves light-trail properties while enhancing their reach. In this paper we study algorithms for scheduling traffic in a LiTPiC. We consider both the static case and the dynamic case -when traffic is known and not known apriori. Further we will establish a lower and upper bound that would facilitate an evaluation procedure of our algorithms.