Collaborative demonstration of optical-layer service-differentiation and load-balancing in intelligent optical network

Optical-layer service-differentiation (Diff-Serv) and load-balancing abilities are achieved by collaborative implementation of OpenFlow (OF) switches and intelligent optical adapt unit (IOAU) prototypes. Experimental demonstration shows that by adapting OF-switches as edge routers, optical-layer Diff-Serv can be realised by mapping services of different priorities into different lightpaths. Thus, optical fibre is service-aware rather than merely a blind pipe. In addition, the load-balancing function of the IOAU can be used to gain reasonable wide area network (WAN) link utilisation. By combining these two abilities, many interesting experimental scenarios and meaningful upper layer applications can be devised.