Design and performance evaluation of token-based MAC Protocols in WDM burst switched ring networks

Token-based MAC(Medium Access Control) Protocols are proposed for WDM Burst-Switched Ring Network which consists of nodes using TT-TR(Tunable Transmitter-Tunable Receiver). The node architectures with TT-TR may make an efficient use of network resources, even though traffic pattern such as IP traffic with high self-similarity are dynamically changed, and can also support good expandability. However, MAC protocols suitable for TT-TR node architecture must be designed with consideration for various factors in order to use the limited resources of network efficiently. A variety of Token-based MAC protocols are suggested to increase the performance while reducing the processing overhead at each node. The performance of the MAC protocols are evaluated and compared in terms of average packet delay, channel utilization and burst loss rate through OPNET simulation. Finally, we provide insight into the design of MAC protocols by investigating the effect of various parameters.