Mike J. O'Mahony

Bio: Mike J. O'Mahony is an academic researcher from University of Essex. The author has contributed to research in topics: Packet switching & Optical burst switching. The author has an hindex of 21, co-authored 83 publications receiving 2400 citations.

Demonstration of an Application-aware Hybrid Optical Burst/Circuit Switched Ingress Edge Router for Future Optical Networks

Abstract: This paper demonstrates an application-aware optical burst/circuit switched ingress router able to map IP traffic into optical bursts or optical circuits. The solution utilises a fast widely tuneable laser and a high speed hardware platform.

Demonstration of an agile hybrid IP-optical packet construction mechanism in wavelength routed optical packet switched networks

Abstract: This paper presents a novel architecture for an ingress edge OPS router and demonstrates a mechanism that maps Internet traffic onto optical packets. The architecture utilises a high-speed reconfigurable hardware platform and a fast tunable laser and also supports the user network interface (UNI) functionality by fully interacting with the physical and higher network layers. The main design issues, including wavelength agility, traffic aggregation based on the class of service and variable length optical packet construction and transmission are also discussed.

Novel wavelength/waveband cross connect architecture based on optical wavelength converters and a passive wavelength router

Abstract: A novel optical cross-connect architecture supporting both wavelength and waveband switching granularities, with reduced component requirements, is proposed. Experimental results indicate that a power penalty lower than 1 dB is introduced by this system.

Impact of gain saturation on size limitations of semiconductor laser amplifier (SLA) based switching structures

Abstract: Size limitations of optical switching structures employing semiconductor laser amplifiers arising from signal extinction ratio, amplifier gain, and optical filter bandwidth are investigated theoretically and experimentally. Simulations reveal that the maximum number of SLA that can be cascaded in an optical switching structure increases with increasing input signal extinction ratio, optical gain of each SLA and decreases with increasing SLA noise figure, optical filter bandwidth and input signal bit rate. >

Optical burst switching (OBS) - a new paradigm for an optical Internet

Abstract: To support bursty traffic on the Internet (and especially WWW) efficiently, optical burst switching (OBS) is proposed as a way to streamline both protocols and hardware in building the future gener...

On Global Electricity Usage of Communication Technology: Trends to 2030

Abstract: This work presents an estimation of the global electricity usage that can be ascribed to Communication Technology (CT) between 2010 and 2030. The scope is three scenarios for use and production of consumer devices, communication networks and data centers. Three different scenarios, best, expected, and worst, are set up, which include annual numbers of sold devices, data traffic and electricity intensities/efficiencies. The most significant trend, regardless of scenario, is that the proportion of use-stage electricity by consumer devices will decrease and will be transferred to the networks and data centers. Still, it seems like wireless access networks will not be the main driver for electricity use. The analysis shows that for the worst-case scenario, CT could use as much as 51% of global electricity in 2030. This will happen if not enough improvement in electricity efficiency of wireless access networks and fixed access networks/data centers is possible. However, until 2030, globally-generated renewable electricity is likely to exceed the electricity demand of all networks and data centers. Nevertheless, the present investigation suggests, for the worst-case scenario, that CT electricity usage could contribute up to 23% of the globally released greenhouse gas emissions in 2030.

Advances in photonic packet switching: an overview

Abstract: The current fast-growing Internet traffic is demanding more and more network capacity every day. The concept of wavelength-division multiplexing has provided us an opportunity to multiply network capacity. Current optical switching technologies allow us to rapidly deliver the enormous bandwidth of WDM networks. Photonic packet switching offers high-speed, data rate/format transparency, and configurability, which are some of the important characteristics needed in future networks supporting different forms of data. In this article we present some of the critical issues involved in designing and implementing all-optical packet-switched networks.