QUALITY OF SERVICE IN AN OPTICAL NETWORK

摘要

A method and apparatus for implementing optical network quality using bit error rate and chromatic dispersion. According to one embodiment of the invention, a method includes the provision of quality of service in a wavelength division multiplexing optical network that supports a plurality of bit rates. As part of this method, the cumulative noise and cumulative chromatic dispersion for each available path as a whole is determined, where an available path is a series of two or more nodes each connected by an optical link on which a set of wavelengths is available for establishing a lightpath. In addition, different grades of path quality are distinguished based on bit error rate (BER), where BER is based on cumulative noise and bit rate. Furthermore, a minimum path quality is required based on chromatic dispersion decibel penalty, where chromatic dispersion decibel penalty is based on cumulative chromatic dispersion and bit rate. Also, a method and apparatus for collecting path based attributes in an optical network. According to one embodiment of the invention, a method is performed by each of a plurality of nodes in a wavelength division mesh optical network. The method includes each node determining their links to adjacent nodes of the wavelength division mesh optical network, the wavelengths on those links, and a value for each of a set of one or more segment based attributes of the segments formed by those links. In addition, the method includes each node participating in a distributed search based scheme to determine the available paths from itself to other nodes in the wavelength division mesh optical network, to determine the wavelengths on those available paths, and to determine a value for each of a set of path based optical attributes for path based quality checks of those available paths. Furthermore, the method includes each node participating in a source based scheme to provision the optical network. Also, a method and apparatus for a path oriented routing database with path based attributes for an optical network. According to one embodiment of the invention, an apparatus includes an access node to be coupled in a wavelength division multiplexing optical network. The access node includes a routing database and a path based quality check module. The routing database is organized by the destination nodes of the available paths from the access node to other access nodes in said wavelength division multiplexing optical network, where each such destination node has associated to it in the routing database those of the available paths that lead to that destination node. In addition, each such available path has associated to it in the routing database a value for each of a set of path based optical attributes for path based quality checks of those available paths. Also, each such available path has associated to it in the routing database a path channel set that includes one or more wavelengths available to establish lightpaths. The path based quality check module is to determine whether a currently selected one of the available paths in said database meets a set of currently identified requirements based on the set of path based optical attributes for the currently selected path in said routing database.