On the Cost Minimization in Space Division Multiplexing Based Elastic Optical Networks

The required upgradation of the single-mode fibre (SMF)'s network capacity constrained by the non-linear Shannon's limit, and the capacity provisioning which is needed by the future diverse Internet traffic can be resolved by the space division multiplexing (SDM) based elastic optical networks (EONs) (SDM-b-EONs). Recently, the multiple core fibre (MCF) technology has gained momentum over the current multi-fibre (MF) technology after laboratory experiments conducted on MCF models established much lower inter-core crosstalk values. In view of channel assignment, the spatial-super-channel (Spat-Sup-Chn) method has evolved as a prime candidate owing to its use of the joint switching (JoSw) mechanism which minimizes the cost. In the current work, in a JoSw based MCF enabled SDM-b-EON, for provisioning the demands; we aim at cost minimization while assigning both, the spectral and the spatial resources. Initially, we establish that in specific cases; use of the complete core allotment (CCA) technique, which uses all the MCF cores to provision the demands, leads to spectrum underutilization following which; we introduce a novel core adapting allotment (CAA) technique which adapts the cores amounts. We then investigate the possibility of using the CAA technique to provision the Spat-Sup-Chns simultaneously ensuring the same spectral requirements as needed when the CCA technique is used. For the performance evaluations, we consider the 37 core trench-assisted MCFs and our results show that by using the CAA technique, indeed there is a possibility of the transceivers amount being minimized in effect resulting in the Spat-Sup-Chn method being an economically practical solution. © 2018 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston 2018.