Interaction between applications and the network

Optical circuit-switched networks deployed in core (backbone) networks are used primarily to offer leased-line (“static”) services to interconnect IP routers. Most end-user applications are implemented to use the TCP/IP protocol stack of the Internet. Recently, a number of eScience applications have emerged that could rightly be characterized as “heavy-hitters” in that they require a disproportionately larger allocation of rate-hop-duration product when compared to most Internet flows. This has led to the deployment of dynamic circuit services within core networks. This paper describes applications and their interaction with IP-routed networks and optical dynamic circuit switched networks.