A new efficient solution for QoS support in all optical metropolitan area networks

In this contribution, we consider a novel approach for efficiently supporting IP packets directly into a slotted optical wavelength-division-multiplexing (WDM) layer with several quality of service (QoS) requirements. The approach is based on performing IP packet aggregation at fixed time intervals before the optical conversion phase. We introduce an analytical model which allows us to evaluate the effectiveness of the aggregation technique. Also, the effect of self-similar traffic is discussed by using extensive simulations. We prove that metropolitan area networks are candidate applications of our proposed technique, where TDMA behavior, which ensures excellent fairness between network nodes, can be reached, and high level of bandwidth efficiency is achieved. The latter is a crucial parameter which in the current standard approach (where no aggregation is allowed), however, remains very low due to the asynchronous nature of IP traffic.