Performance evaluation of a hybrid OBS/OCS network with QoS differentiation based on packet loss/delay requirements

This paper introduces and evaluates a hybrid OBS/OCS switch for Quality of Service (QoS) differentiation in next-generation all-optical transport networks. Depending on their QoS requirements, incoming IP packets are collected in delay-sensitive or loss-sensitive assembly queues. Once assembled, those departing delay or loss-sensitive bursts are sent to the destination over a parallel all-optical hybrid network, where a set of switch ports and wavelengths are dedicated to delay-sensitive OBS-like transmission based on Just Enough Time (JET), whereas the remainder are dedicated to loss-sensitive OCS-like transmission. The obtained results validate the differentiated transport services in the deployed reference network scenario. Moreover, they show that circuit set-up retries are mandatory in OCS to carry loss-sensitive traffic efficiently.