Flexgrid technology is now considered to be a promising solution for future high-speed network design. In this context, we need a tutorial that covers the key aspects of elastic optical networks. This tutorial paper starts with a brief introduction of the elastic optical network and its unique characteristics. The paper then moves to the architecture of the elastic optical network and its operation principle. To complete the discussion of network architecture, this paper focuses on the different node architectures, and compares their performance in terms of scalability and flexibility. Thereafter, this paper reviews and classifies routing and spectrum allocation (RSA) approaches including their pros and cons. Furthermore, various aspects, namely, fragmentation, modulation, quality-of-transmission, traffic grooming, survivability, energy saving, and networking cost related to RSA, are presented. Finally, the paper explores the experimental demonstrations that have tested the functionality of the elastic optical network, and follows that with the research challenges and open issues posed by flexible networks.

Routing and Spectrum Allocation in Elastic Optical Networks: A Tutorial

Today’s telecommunication networks have become sources of enormous amounts of widely heterogeneous data. This information can be retrieved from network traffic traces, network alarms, signal quality indicators, users’ behavioral data, etc. Advanced mathematical tools are required to extract meaningful information from these data and take decisions pertaining to the proper functioning of the networks from the network-generated data. Among these mathematical tools, machine learning (ML) is regarded as one of the most promising methodological approaches to perform network-data analysis and enable automated network self-configuration and fault management. The adoption of ML techniques in the field of optical communication networks is motivated by the unprecedented growth of network complexity faced by optical networks in the last few years. Such complexity increase is due to the introduction of a huge number of adjustable and interdependent system parameters (e.g., routing configurations, modulation format, symbol rate, coding schemes, etc.) that are enabled by the usage of coherent transmission/reception technologies, advanced digital signal processing, and compensation of nonlinear effects in optical fiber propagation. In this paper we provide an overview of the application of ML to optical communications and networking. We classify and survey relevant literature dealing with the topic, and we also provide an introductory tutorial on ML for researchers and practitioners interested in this field. Although a good number of research papers have recently appeared, the application of ML to optical networks is still in its infancy: to stimulate further work in this area, we conclude this paper proposing new possible research directions.

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An Overview on Application of Machine Learning Techniques in Optical Networks

The emerging software defined networking (SDN) paradigm separates the data plane from the control plane and centralizes network control in an SDN controller. Applications interact with controllers to implement network services, such as network transport with quality of service. SDN facilitates the virtualization of network functions so that multiple virtual networks can operate over a given installed physical network infrastructure. Due to the specific characteristics of optical (photonic) communication components and the high optical transmission capacities, SDN-based optical networking poses particular challenges, but holds also great potential. In this article, we comprehensively survey studies that examine the SDN paradigm in optical networks; in brief, we survey the area of software defined optical networks (SDONs). We mainly organize the SDON studies into studies focused on the infrastructure layer, the control layer, and the application layer. Moreover, we cover SDON studies focused on network virtualization, as well as SDON studies focused on the orchestration of multilayer and multidomain networking. Based on the survey, we identify open challenges for SDONs and outline future directions.

Software Defined Optical Networks (SDONs): A Comprehensive Survey

Index modulation has become a promising technique in the context of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), whereby the specific activation of the frequency domain subcarriers is used for implicitly conveying extra information, hence improving the achievable throughput at a given bit error ratio (BER) performance. In this paper, a dual-mode OFDM technique (DM-OFDM) is proposed, which is combined with index modulation and enhances the attainable throughput of conventional index-modulation-based OFDM. In particular, the subcarriers are divided into several subblocks, and in each subblock, all the subcarriers are partitioned into two groups, modulated by a pair of distinguishable modem-mode constellations, respectively. Hence, the information bits are conveyed not only by the classic constellation symbols, but also implicitly by the specific activated subcarrier indices, representing the subcarriers’ constellation mode. At the receiver, a maximum likelihood (ML) detector and a reduced-complexity near optimal log-likelihood ratio-based detector are invoked for demodulation. The minimum distance between the different legitimate realizations of the OFDM subblocks is calculated for characterizing the performance of DM-OFDM. Then, the associated theoretical analysis based on the pairwise error probability is carried out for estimating the BER of DM-OFDM. Furthermore, the simulation results confirm that at a given throughput, DM-OFDM achieves a considerably better BER performance than other OFDM systems using index modulation, while imposing the same or lower computational complexity. The results also demonstrate that the performance of the proposed low-complexity detector is indistinguishable from that of the ML detector, provided that the system’s signal to noise ratio is sufficiently high.

Dual-Mode Index Modulation Aided OFDM

In fifth generation wireless networks, the escalating teletraffic and energy consumption has necessitated the development of green communication techniques in order to further enhance both the system’s spectral efficiency and energy efficiency In the past few years, the novel index modulation (IM) has emerged as a promising technology that is widely employed in wireless communications In this paper, we present a survey on IM in order to provide the readers with a better understanding of its principles, advantages, and potential applications We start with a comprehensive literature review, where the concept of IM is introduced, and various existing IM schemes are classified according to their signal domains, including the frequency domain, spatial domain, time domain and channel domain Then the principles of different IM-aided systems are detailed, where the transceiver design is illustrated, followed by descriptions of typical systems and corresponding performance evaluation A range of challenges and open issues on IM are discussed before we conclude this survey

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Novel Index Modulation Techniques: A Survey

Orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) is a modulation technology that has been widely adopted in many new and emerging broadband wireless and wireline communication systems. Due to its capability to transmit a high-speed data stream using multiple spectral-overlapped lower-speed subcarriers, OFDM technology offers superior advantages of high spectrum efficiency, robustness against inter-carrier and inter-symbol interference, adaptability to server channel conditions, etc. In recent years, there have been intensive studies on optical OFDM (O-OFDM) transmission technologies, and it is considered a promising technology for future ultra-high-speed optical transmission. Based on O-OFDM technology, a novel elastic optical network architecture with immense flexibility and scalability in spectrum allocation and data rate accommodation could be built to support diverse services and the rapid growth of Internet traffic in the future. In this paper, we present a comprehensive survey on OFDM-based elastic optical network technologies, including basic principles of OFDM, O-OFDM technologies, the architectures of OFDM-based elastic core optical networks, and related key enabling technologies. The main advantages and issues of OFDM-based elastic core optical networks that are under research are also discussed.

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A Survey on OFDM-Based Elastic Core Optical Networking

Orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) is a multi-carrier modulation technology that transmits a high-speed data stream using multiple spectrally overlapped lower-speed subcarriers. Optical OFDM (O-OFDM) technology is a promising candidate for future high-speed optical transmission. Based on O-OFDM, a novel elastic optical network architecture with immense flexibility and scalability in spectrum allocation and data rate accommodation can be built to support diverse services and the rapid growth of Internet traffic. This architecture can provide various services directly at the optical layer in a spectrum-efficient way through bandwidth-elastic optical paths. However, carrying various data rate services using a single type of bandwidth-variable transponder might not be cost-efficient. Electrical traffic grooming is a traditional approach for sub-wavelength service accommodation in wavelength division multiplexing networks. However, it places additional electrical switching and optical-electrical-optical conversion requirements on the network, which may lead to higher cost and energy consumption. In contrast, grooming traffic optically is an attractive option for elastic optical networks. In this paper, we propose a novel optical grooming approach to aggregate and distribute traffic directly at the optical layer in OFDM-based elastic optical networks. We study routing and spectrum allocation algorithms of optical grooming to show the benefits of this approach. Our results demonstrate that significant transmitter and spectrum savings can be achieved by the optical grooming versus the non-grooming scenario, and a trade-off between optimizing the number of transmitters and optimizing spectrum usage should be considered during network planning.

Optical traffic grooming in OFDM-based elastic optical networks [Invited]

We propose a novel optical grooming approach to aggregate and distribute traffic directly at the optical level in OFDM-based elastic optical networks. Significant transmitter and spectrum saving is achieved compared to non-grooming scenario.

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Guoying Zhang

Papers

A Survey on OFDM-Based Elastic Core Optical Networking

Optical traffic grooming in OFDM-based elastic optical networks [Invited]

Optical grooming in OFDM-based elastic optical networks