Network control and management challenges in opaque networks utilizing transparent optical switches

There is a potential for significant cost, footprint, and power savings by eliminating unnecessary opto-electronic conversions on a signal path in a core optical mesh network. The article addresses and clarifies some fundamental issues surrounding all-optical networking and all-optical switching, and analyzes the trade-offs between transparent and opaque networking. It investigates a number of networking and interface compatibility issues that arise for an opaque network with transparent switches, and presents a number of ways to address these issues.