A New Network Architecture for Future Optical Networks: Coarse Optical Circuit Switching by Default, Rerouting Over Circuits for Adaptation

As Internet traffic continues to grow unabated at an exponential rate, it is unclear whether or not the existing packet routing network architecture based on electronic routers will continue to scale at the necessary pace. On the other hand, optical fiber and switching elements have demonstrated an abundance of capacity that appears to be unmatched by electronic routers. In particular, the simplicity of circuit switching makes it well-suited for optical implementations. Therefore, given the rapidly increasing traffic and optical transport capabilities, and the growing disparity between optical capabilities and Moore's Law, the authors would like to bridge this gap for future optical networks.