SimulNet: a Wavelength-Routed Optical Network Simulation Framework

Simulation seems to be the best available alternative to the deployment of expensive and complex test bed infrastructures for the activities of testing, validating and evaluating optical network control protocols and algorithms. In this paper we present SimulNet, a specialized optical network simulation environment providing the foundation for the study and analysis of the key control plane characteristics of wavelength-routed networks. Such an environment would provide researchers with an open framework for easily exploring the evolving characteristics of WDM-routed technologies which includes developing new protocol suites or performing rapid evaluation and easier comparison of results across research efforts.