Optical flow switching: An end-to-end “UltraFlow” architecture

We describe the design of an optical network architecture that will satisfy dramatic increases in data rate demands of emerging applications. Optical flow switching (OFS), will enable significant rate growth of > 10³, with power-efficiency and cost-effective scalability of next-generation networks. We will describe architecture concepts germinated 24 years ago, technology and testbed demonstrations performed in the last 19 years, and the architecture construct from the Physical Layer to the Transport Layer of an implementable optical flow switching network that is scalable and manageable. Recent architecture for an NSF-funded Internet Research Program “UltraFlow”, for which OFS can be used, will be described.