Towards digital optical networks

Technical breakthroughs in optical communications research are expected to further accelerate the realization of transparent optical networks to offer increased transmission bandwidth, integrated transmission and switching capabilities and optical signal processing functionality. This progress provides scalable, transparent and flexible end-to-end solutions in the metropolitan and access networks. These advanced optical network infrastructures will enable accessibility of new services and applications to the end user offering full access to the global information network with improved system performance and reduced cost. The primary objective of the EU COST 291 action "Towards Digital Optical Networks" is to focus on novel network concepts and architectures exploiting the features and properties of photonic technologies, to enable future telecommunications networks. It is aiming to propose a new generation of optical systems and networks that will accommodate the unpredictable and growing size of traffic demands over global distances requiring an agile communication grid supporting quality of services. This advanced photonic infrastructure will employ dense wavelength division multiplexing technologies for signal transmission and routing, optical signal processing and dynamic impairment management to eliminate the limitations of the analogue nature of traditional optical networks, and optical packet and/or burst switching to provide fine bandwidth granularity, network efficiency and flexibility. The presentation will outline resent research advancements towards the realization of digital optical networks and will present some key activities undertaken within the framework of COST 291 project.