System and method for transmission and reception of traffic in optical light-trails

Abstract

An optical network is provided that carries optical traffic in multiplexed wavelengths between a number of nodes. The network includes at least one light-trail associated with one of the wavelengths and established between a subset of the nodes in the network. The network also includes an out-of-band control channel that is associated with a different wavelength than the light-trail. The control channel is used to communicate control messages to establish the light-trail and to allocate use of the light-trail by the subset of nodes. Each of the subset of nodes comprises a burstponder operable to receive data traffic from one or more client devices of the associated node to be communicated over the light-trail and to buffer the received data traffic and assemble the data traffic into an optical payload. The burstponder is also operable to transmit the optical payload over the light-trail as optical traffic using a burst mode transmitter during a time period in which the associated node is allocated use of the light-trail.