Optical control planes: status and perspectives

Summary form only given. Growing competition between network operators, new characteristics of traffic as well as network survivability challenges trigger the need for a more flexible and dynamic optical infrastructure. The ASON/GMPLS concept is becoming a practical and economic reality, driven by advancements in technology. The control plane is the centerpiece of the ASON/GMPLS concept, providing the functionality to effectively and efficiently control the optical network. This entails the realization of fundamental capabilities within the network itself for state information management, decision making, and action invocation. The talk presents the service and business applications of ASON/GMPLS optical control plane, the management aspects of optical control plane, current standards, concepts related to such an infrastructure and ways to implement it in real networks, along with challenges facing designers and system engineers.