Abstract :
Recognising the advantages of photonics for scalability and bandwidth, we aim to design computer systems using switched optical datapaths. For acceptable system performance, we must address issues of cost, stability and latency. Starting from the system design perspective, we have identified integrated digital control of optical devices and multiwavelength coding as enabling technologies. Avoiding optical buffering, bit level synchronization and regeneration, we present an architecture which has applications to storage, desk area networks and optical chip interconnects. We draw upon well-understood computer networking concepts, and use wavelength striping of the packets to achieving low latency and high capacity.
Keywords :
computer networks; digital control; encoding; optical communication equipment; optical fibre networks; optical interconnections; photonic switching systems; telecommunication control; telecommunication network planning; wavelength division multiplexing; WDM; bit level synchronization; computer networking; computer system design; cost; desk area networks; integrated digital control; latency; multiwavelength coding; optical buffering; optical chip interconnects; optical device control; photonics; regeneration; stability; storage; switched optical datapath design; wavelength striping; Bandwidth; Costs; Delay; Optical buffering; Optical computing; Optical design; Photonics; Scalability; Stability; System performance;
