Regenerators placement mechanism for wavelength switched optical networks

Abstract

The method of placing regenerators along a trail connecting a source network node with a destination network node of an automatically switched optical network first identifies N tentative regeneration sites and n+1 optical paths along the trail. Wavelengths are assigned to each optical path; and the performance of the trail is assessed based on regenerator placement data and wavelength assignment data. The data identifying this regenerator path, namely regenerator placement data, the wavelength assignment data and the performance parameter of the trail are stored in a list, if the performance parameter is over a threshold. Selection of the tentative sites is revised whenever the initial placement fails due to a reach problem, a wavelength-blocking problem or a path quality problem. If the time for revising the initial placement, or the cost of a regenerator path is unacceptable, the regenerator path is abandoned and a further placement is initiated. Next, a further regenerator placement is attempted for the same trail using n+1 regenerators, and the further regenerator path is stored in the list, etc. Still further, regenerator placement is attempted for another trail, and so on, until a specified number of regenerator paths are stored in the list.