Affiliations: Computer Electronics and Graphics Technology, Central Connecticut State University, 1615 Stanley Street, New Britain, CT 06050, USA E-mail: farahmandfar@ccsu.edu | Computer and Information Science, University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, 285 Old Westport Road, North Dartmouth, MA 02747-2300, USA E-mail: vvokkarane@umassd.edu | Department of Computer Science, The University of Texas at Dallas, P.O. Box 830668, EC 31, Richardson, TX 75083-0688, USA E-mail: jjue@utdallas.edu | Department of Informatics, University of Beira Interior, Rua Marquês d'Ávila e Bolama, 6201-001 Covilhã, Portugal E-mails: joel@ubi.pt, mario@di.ubi.pt
Note: [] Corresponding author. Department of Informatics, University of Beira Interior, Rua Marquês d'Ávila e Bolama, 6201-001 Covilhã, Portugal. Tel.: +351 275 319 891; Fax: +351 275 319 888; E-mail: joeljr@ieee.org or joel@ubi.pt.
Abstract: This paper defines a new multi-layered architecture for supporting optical burst switching (OBS) in an optical core network. The architecture takes into account both the control plane as well as the data plane. The paper describes the functionality and the primary protocols that are required at each layer and it explains how the layers interact with each other in the proposed architecture. This paper also identifies some of the challenges and issues surrounding the development of OBS networks, such as data burst scheduling, contention resolution mechanism, supporting QoS, and handling TCP/IP, and provides a brief survey of proposed OBS protocols.
