An experimental multi-Gb/s WDM broadband network

STARNET is an optical broadband network architecture based on a physical passive star topology. Over a single physical network, STARNET offers all users both a moderate-speed packet switched subnetwork and a high-speed wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) circuit switched subnetwork. Based on these two data transport facilities, several topological and protocol solutions are available to the users. As a result, STARNET supports traffic of widely different speed and continuity characteristics. An ongoing experimental effort aimed at the realization of a STARNET prototype at the Optical Communication Research Laboratory of Stanford University is described. The prototype nodes are fiber distributed data interface (FDDI) and synchronous optical network (SONET) OC-48 data rate compatible