Ameba Network Architecture based on Advanced Multi-Layer Network and Its Configuration Algorithm

In future networks, unknown and unintended traffic implosion and hot spot congestion may give serious damage because of heavy traffic implosion and rapid traffic fluctuation. To tackle this issue, the research on virtual network and next-generation network has been advancing. As a result, network control can be much more flexible than before. However, from the perspective of network architecture, the current approaches with fixed IP node/OXC node location still remain larger possibility to enhance the flexibility. Namely, novel solution is eagerly anticipated. For realization of highly advanced next-generation network, this paper suggests novel network architecture that can decrease a network scale, especially, not at the link level but at the entire topology level by adaptively leveraging the underlying OXC networks and by making virtual node function composed of several distantly positioned OXCs, named "Ameba Node". Main benefits of the proposed Ameba Network include as follows. First, network-level load balancing can be attained by adaptively re-configuring the Ameba network topology without any other complicated traffic engineering. Second, simple and naive routing algorithm and network controls would be applied thanks to its network level load-balancing capability. Thirdly, IP routing /optical-layer routing processes, and the resultant network resources can be balanced flexibly. Finally, flexibility on node renewal or network scale-up can be realized by not replacing old routers to most advanced brand-new ones but reconfiguring the shape of Ameba nodes in network adaptively. We also evaluate its effectiveness by computer simulation.