​Network Architecture and Optical Projects

The challenges faced by NRENs and researchers from the Data Deluge are huge and potentially incredibly disruptive. The volume of data being generated in the latest research projects is many orders of magnitude greater than even five years ago. Existing network paradigms may not be able to cope with the anticipated changes to data transfer. Looking forward towards future generations of networking technologies, several of these projects study future networking systems in order to help NRENs understand the issues and plan solutions.

There are five Network Architecture and Optical projects, each with a briefing below: 

COFFEE: Coherent Optical system Field-trial For spectral Efficiency Enhancement​

​ICOF: International Clock Comparisons via Optical Fiber

​IRINA: Investigating Recursive InterNetwork Architecture as the next generation GÉANT and NREN network architecture

​MOMoT: Multi-Domain Optical Modelling Tool

​REACTION: Research and Experimental Assessment of Control plane archiTectures for In-Operation flexgrid Network re-optimization

 

COFFEE: Coherent Optical system Field-trial For spectral Efficiency Enhancement

(Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Telecomunicazioni)

Objective:
The COFFEE project aims at demonstrating, through field trial experiments, the coherent optical data transmission of a single superchannel at the high capacity of 1Tbps using a reduced bandwidth (<200 GHz) over long-haul testbed routes.

Approach:
Innovative techniques, already developed in laboratory, will be introduced in a field trial environment. Time-Frequency Packing (TFP) will be used to increase the spectral efficiency. With respect to other commonly used techniques like orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) and M-ary quadrature amplitude modulation format (M-QAM), TFP can guarantee for lower transceiver complexity and bandwidth requirements, higher tolerance with respect to fibre propagation nonlinearities, reduced power consumption, and larger flexibility.

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​  Watch the COFFEE video on GÉANTtv 

 

ICOF: International Clock Comparisons via Optical Fiber

(Physikalisch-Technische Bundesnastalt; Observatoire de Paris; National Physical Laboratory Management)

Objective:
To perform a state-of-the-art atomic clock comparison using the GÉANT long haul dark fibre link between NPL (London) and OBSPARIS (Paris).

Approach:
Europe has the highest density worldwide of laboratories in which state-of-the-art atomic clock development is underway. However, Europe’s unique position can only be fully exploited if the clocks can be compared internationally at the highest possible level of accuracy. Optical fibre links allow for time and frequency comparisons to be performed at a much higher level of accuracy and stability than that currently achievable by more conventional satellite links. The demonstration of a successful clock comparison between remote laboratories will have substantial impact on progress in the time and frequency metrology field as well as contribute to paving the way to further fundamental physics experiment, geodesy and other areas of science.

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​  Watch the ICOF video on GÉANTtv​

 

IRINA: Investigating Recursive InterNetwork Architecture as the next generation GÉANT and NREN network architecture

(Iminds; Waterford Institute of Technology; Nextworks; i2cat)

Objective:
To study the use of the Recursive InterNetwork Architecture (RINA) as the foundation of the next generation NREN and GÉANT network architectures.

Approach:
The prevalent TCP/IP network architecture has been applied in a variety of situations it was never designed for. A new architecture that better supports distributed computing and effectively exploits the raw transmission capacity of the physical media is required. IRINA shall compare RINA against current networking state of the art and relevant clean-slate architecture under research; perform a use-case study of how RINA could be better used in the NREN scenarios; and showcase a laboratory trial of the study.

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​  Watch the IRINA video on GÉANTtv

 

​MOMoT: Multi-Domain Optical Modelling Tool

(DTU; Gesellscaft fur Wissenschaftliche Datenverarbeitung Gottingen)

Objective:
To investigate the potential of providing an Alien Wavelength (AW) service in the GÉANT network which will contribute to the fulfilment of the requirements for the Digital Agenda for Europe.

Approach:
MOMoT proposes to investigate the actual interests and needs for an AW service platform. Tailored to these needs, a multi-domain modelling tool will be developed which will facilitate the deployment of Alien Wavelengths in the NRENs and the GÉANT network throughout Europe. Providing such a service will support GÉANT’s main purpose of providing a seamless communication infrastructure throughout the European research community and to assure that research institutions can access and benefit as much as possible from the available resources.

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​  Watch the MOMoT video on GÉANTtv​

 

REACTION: Research and Experimental Assessment of Control plane archiTectures for In-Operation flexgrid Network re-optimization

(CNIT; Universita Politechnica de Catalunya; Telefonica)

Objective:
To propose, design, and validate a flexible optical network scenario enabling software-controlled super-channel transmission.

Approach:
A novel bandwidth variable transponder (BVT) supporting 1 Tb/s multi-carrier transmission will be developed upon the BVT implementation recently presented within the EU IDEALIST project. The considered BVT will be enhanced to support, besides dynamic adaptation among different bit rates, modulation formats, spectrum allocation, and coding/FEC types, the sliceable functionality. These solutions will be assessed in terms of networking performance through specific simulative studies in the case of provisioning, elastic operations, de-fragmentation and restoration scenarios. Moreover, specifically designed control plane functionalities and advanced routing and spectrum assignment (RSA) algorithms will be proposed and experimentally validated. In particular, the control plane will rely on the GMPLS protocol suite extended for flexible optical networks and on an innovative two-level active stateful PCE implementing the new BGP-LS advertising solution. A comparative study with SDN-based solutions will also be carried out.

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​  Watch the REACTION video on GÉANTtv​