Multiperiod Planning for Optical Networks - Approaches Based on Cost Optimization and Limited Budget

Multiperiod network planning is, especially for cost intensive and long term operated core networks, a necessity to provide cost efficient long term solutions. In this paper, the authors give an overview on commonly used multi-period planning approaches and compare their cost allocations and dependencies on cost decreasing factors. Furthermore, they propose a new multi-period approach, which aims at a complete new orientation: Instead of minimizing network costs, a restricted budget is used not only to satisfy occurring demand but also to purchase equipment for future demand requests. With this approach they obtain long term solutions for optical networks with a restricted budget.