A multi-period design model for survivable network architecture selection for SONET interoffice networks

The authors propose a multi-period design model to select a best mix of SONET survivable network architectures. These include: (1) point-to-point/hubbing architectures with diverse protection and (2) ring architectures. The algorithm can be used to study growth strategies, for networks incorporating the ring architecture, that minimize the network evolution cost. Numerical examples show that the algorithm can generate a good solution quickly, using a VAX 6000-420 computer for most practical applications. A case study suggests that a particular well accepted engineering rule can work well. This engineering rule is: use direct point-to-point systems in conjunction with self-heating rings and hubbing/diverse protection architectures only when a few demand pairs have appreciably higher demand requirements than other demand pairs. When demand is fairly even, then use self-healing rings or hubbing/diverse protection without direct point-to-point systems