Multicasting for all-optical multifiber networks

All-optical wavelength-routed WDM WANs can support the high bandwidth and the long session duration requirements of the application scenarios such as interactive distance learning or on-line diagnosis of patients simultaneously in different hospitals. However, multifiber and limited sparse light splitting and wavelength conversion capabilities of switches result in a difficult optimization problem. We attack this problem using a layered graph model. The problem is defined as a k-edge-disjoint degree-constrained Steiner tree problem for routing and fiber and wavelength assignment of k multicasts. A mixed integer linear programming formulation for the problem is given, and a solution using CPLEX is provided. However, the complexity of the problem grows quickly with respect to the number of edges in the layered graph, which depends on the number of nodes, fibers, wavelengths, and multicast sessions. Hence, we propose two heuristics layered all-optical multicast algorithm [( LAMA) and conservative fiber and wavelength assignment (C-FWA)] to compare with CPLEX, existing work, and unicasting. Extensive computational experiments show that LAMA's performance is very close to CPLEX, and it is significantly better than existing work and C-FWA for nearly all metrics, since LAMA jointly optimizes routing and fiber-wavelength assignment phases compared with the other candidates, which attack the problem by decomposing two phases. Experiments also show that important metrics (e. g., session and group blocking probability, transmitter wavelength, and fiber conversion resources) are adversely affected by the separation of two phases. Finally, the fiber- wavelength assignment strategy of C-FWA (Ex-Fit) uses wavelength and fiber conversion resources more effectively than the First Fit. (c) 2007 Optical Society of America.