Wavelength allocation algorithms in optical buffers

This paper addresses the problem of buffering performance optimization for asynchronous, variable length packets in a DWDM optical network. In the case of a multiplexing scheme that shares the wavelength resource among all packets regardless the connection they belong to, the problem of defining a wavelength allocation algorithm arises. Wavelength allocation has to be merged with delay allocation in buffers realized by means of fiber delay lines (FDLs). This paper proposes several allocation algorithms and compares their performance. It shows that the buffering performance strongly depends on the choice of the delay unit of the FDL's and that the algorithm aiming at reducing the artificial increase in the load due to the discrete time scale of the buffer gives best performance.