Generalized multi-protocol label switching (GMPLS): in quest of data and transport integration

This workshop is the fifth in a series that have been associated with the IEEE ICC and Globecom conferences. Following an introduction and overview, the program comprises six quality papers. The first paper compares in-band and out-of-band GMPLS signaling. Based on a study of call setup delay, the paper suggests that in-band signaling is better for hardware-accelerated signaling engines whereas out-of-band signaling is preferable with software-based signaling. The second paper examines the impact of GMPLS-based multi-layer provisioning on protection planning and IP topology design and highlights the advantages of GMPLS-based multi-layer provisioning. The third paper presents a generalized traffic engineering protocol for communication between a constrained shortest path first (CSPF) engine and a GMPLS controller. The protocol facilitates migration path to GMPLS by providing interworking platform with IP/MPLS. The paper reports the results of an experimental demonstration of the protocol. The fourth paper reports an experimental demonstration of GMPLS controlled optical testbed network for wide-area distributed storage services. The network connects a number of universities and national research institutes in Singapore under the Optical Network Focused Interest Group (ONFIG) project. The results of this demonstration are discussed and the case for relating GMPLS control to applications and services is addressed. The following paper incorporates physical impairments consideration into GMPLS signaling. It proposes an approach to dynamically estimate the end-to-end signal quality and use this estimation to decide whether to accept or decline lightpath connections. In addition to numerical analysis, the approach is validated by experimental demonstration. The last paper discusses the interesting concept of vertical integration and multi-region networks (MRN). Vertical integration is a relatively new perspective in GMPLS research that goes beyond the traditional approach- of focusing on one switching capability.