Loss rate-based burst assembly to resolve contention in optical burst switching networks

Two loss rate-based optical burst assembly techniques addressing contention resolution are studied. These techniques stem from the burst assembly schemes using adaptive thresholds, which have been introduced earlier by the authors. The loss rates on the links/paths leading to the destination nodes are used to estimate congestion levels. Three alternative time and size threshold value pairs are employed based on the congestion level observed. Here, the aim is to generate short bursts under heavy traffic and long bursts under light traffic conditions in order to enhance performance. The results that are obtained in terms of byte loss rate and delay are compared with those of the hybrid burst assembly. It is observed that the adaptive techniques significantly enhance the byte loss rate as traffic gets heavier while keeping end-to-end delay in a feasible range.