Mantis: Cloud-based optical network planning and operation tool

We present a network planning and operation tool, called Mantis, for designing the next generation optical networks, supporting both flex-grid and mixed line rate networks. Through Mantis, the user is able to define the network topology the traffic matrix, the CAPEX/OPEX parameters, setup basic configuration parameters, and use a library of algorithms to plan, operate, or evaluate an optical network of interest. Mantis is designed to be deployed either as a desktop application or as a cloud service. For its execution Mantis can utilize the services of the Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) , however its modular architecture allows other cloud services to be adopted in the future with minimum effort. Using the cloud services Mantis can scale based on the user demands, executing fast and efficiently the scenarios requested. The included planning and operation algorithms range from routing, to equipment placement and to wavelength and spectrum allocation and others.

Elastic optical network (EON) is a promising candidate for the next generation optical transport network because of its high spectrum efficiency and flexible spectrum allocation. However, to migrate from today’s dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) network to EON, optical nodes such as reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexers (ROADMs) should be replaced with the ones with expensive flexi-grid wavelength selective switches (WSSs). Thus, whether and how today’s optical network will be evolved to EON is still under debate. Meanwhile, with the technical maturity of optical super-channels that transmit bit rates at the level of 1 Tb/s, super-channels are expected to dominate the future optical transport network because of their attractiveness of high spectrum efficiency and superior cost effectiveness. In this paper, we propose a new quasi-coarse wavelength division multiplexing (Quasi-CWDM) optical network architecture that is compatible to today’s WDM network in spectrum operation, while still maintaining the flexibility of adaptation between the bit rate and the transparent reach of an optical super-channel, but not requiring expensive flexi-grid WSSs. Specifically, the Quasi-CWDM optical network employs large fixed frequency grids, whose spacing falls between the traditional CWDM and DWDM, e.g., 200 GHz or 400 GHz. To maintain the flexibility between the bit rate and the transparent reach of an optical super-channel, different modulation formats are chosen according to channel physical distances. To minimize network hardware cost and maximize carried user traffic demand, we develop a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model and a heuristic algorithm that can efficiently groom upper-layer IP traffic onto the optical layer by optical super-channels. We compare the design based on the Quasi-CWDM network to those based on the DWDM network and the advanced EON. It is found that the proposed Quasi-CWDM network has a much lower hardware cost than the other two types of networks, while achieving spectrum efficiency close to EON.

The predicted penetration rates of low carbon technologies (LCTs) for heating and transport will place additional stresses on planning and design activity within Distribution Network Operators (DNOs). DNOs are obliged to provide cost-effective solutions for network reinforcement and designers are faced with the complexities of new technology and a rapidly changing use of the electricity network, particularly at low voltage. Performing network assessments and identifying the most feasible solution places a significant resource burden on network operators. This paper provides an overview of a Network Planning and Design Decision Support (NPADDS) tool which is being developed as part of the UK’s Customer-Led Network Revolution (CLNR) smart grid project. The tool is demonstrated by performing an assessment of a network area based on a range of LCT penetration scenarios for which it proposes solutions based on a database of historical or anticipated costs and benefits.

We propose new design models for mixed-line-rate (MLR) optical networks with no regeneration (transparent) and selective regeneration (translucent). Our results show the interplay between transponder cost and regenerator card cost using mixed line rates.

5G communications will require the effective transmission of new radio signals through fiber networks, in order to facilitate the proliferation of antenna sites as well as greater pooling of resources. Next generation optical access networks can provide an efficient platform for mobile x-haul. Techniques discussed in this paper shows how both wired and 5G wireless services may be converged over a single fiber infrastructure, and how optical networking can be harnessed in order to provide flexible millimeter-wave radio-over-fiber.

Mixed-line-rate (MLR) networks have been proposed recently to support emerging traffic demands with diverse capacity requirements. In such networks, wavelength channels of the optical paths can have a variety of capacities (10/40/100  Gbps). It has been shown that this feature enables new paradigms for protection in optical wavelength-division-multiplexing (WDM) networks. In this paper, we propose to design transparent MLR networks with shared subconnection protection (SSP). SSP in an MLR network, compared with other more classical approaches (dedicated or shared protection), can also address the cost-versus-capacity trade-off in providing shared protection in a transparent network. The design problem is solved by a two-step approach that formulates part of the problem as an integer linear program (ILP). Our results show that SSP enables higher sharing of backup capacity in an MLR network in that the design cost is up to 37% less than a single-line-rate network with SSP and around 40% less than MLR with dedicated protection.

Network virtualization over WDM and flexible-grid optical networks

PON versus AON: Which is the best solution to offload core network by peer-to-peer traffic localization

On the effect of channel spacing, launch power, and regenerator placement on the design of mixed-line-rate optical networks

Network Interconnection Studies of Distributed Generation

Optical Switching Networks describes all the major switching paradigms developed for modern optical networks, discussing their operation, advantages, disadvantages and implementation. Following a review of the evolution of optical WDM networks, an overview of the future trends out. The latest developments in optical access, local, metropolitan, and wide area networks are covered, including detailed technical descriptions of generalized multiprotocol label switching, waveband switching, photonic slot routing, optical flow, burst and packet switching. The convergence of optical and wireless access networks is also discussed, as are the IEEE 802.17 Resilient Packet Ring and IEEE 802.3ah Ethernet passive optical network standards and their WDM upgraded derivatives. The feasibility, challenges and potential of next-generation optical networks are described in a survey of state-of-the-art optical networking testbeds. Animations showing how the key optical switching techniques work are available via the web, as are lecture slides (www.cambridge.org/9780521868006).

Recommendation systems are important big data applications that are used in many business sectors of the global economy. While many users utilize Hadoop-like MapReduce systems to implement recommendation systems, we utilize the highperformance shared-memory MapReduce system Phoenix++ to design a faster recommendation engine. In this paper, we design a distributed out-ofcore recommendation algorithm to maximize the usage of main memory, and devise a framework that invokes Phoenix++ as a sub-module to achieve high performance. The design of the framework can be extended to support different types of big data applications. The experiments on Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) demonstrate that our new recommendation system can be faster than its Hadoop counterpart by up to 225% without losing recommendation quality.

This study investigates the feasibility of a mobile robot navigating and discovering its location in unknown environments, followed by the creation of maps of these navigated environments for future use. First, a real mobile robot named TurtleBot3 Burger was used to achieve the simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) technique for a complex environment with 12 obstacles of different sizes based on the Rviz library, which is built on the robot operating system (ROS) booted in Linux. It is possible to control the robot and perform this process remotely by using an Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) instance service. Then, the map to the Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3) cloud was uploaded. This provides a database to display maps and use them at any time for navigation without the need to redraw the map. This map can be accessed by using an authentication process (username and password) supervised by the cloud server administrator. After that, using the serverless image handler (SIH), with the aid of this solution, you can change the size of images, change the color of the background, format them, or add watermarks. Experiment results demonstrated the ability to build a map of an unknown location in a complex environment and use it for navigation tasks on a real mobile robot via remote control. It also showed the success of the process of storing the map for future use and the process of modifying the map using SIH.

Synthetically analyze the power distribution communication network technology in the smart power grid link. It mainly includes the summary of the smart distribution network, electric power communication backbone network and then layer communication requirements, the network mode and the application mode of WLAN technology in the distribution network, EPON network technology, micropower wireless technology, PTN technology and power broadband wireless systems. State the demand of the smart power distribution business and put forward technical guidance for the smart power distribution communication network scheme. In view of the complex distribution network architecture, more nodes and scattered, complex business types data business needs, put forward the integrated solutions of optical fiber communication as the backbone access, wireless bandwidth, passive optical communication as the coverage, the short distance wireless communication as the main terminal access. It provides a reference for the communication plan of distribution side.

This study represents an advanced approach to road weather information system (RWIS) network planning. Here, a methodological framework is developed to determine optimal RWIS locations by integrating two analysis domains: space and time. Using a case study, the application of the proposed method is demonstrated using three critical RWIS variables: air temperature, road surface temperature, and dew point temperature. With these three variables, a series of geostatistical semivariogram analyses are performed to construct a single spatiotemporal model named joint semivariogram, which is able to preserve both spatial and temporal aspects. The constructed joint semivariogram is then used to find the optimal RWIS locations for a randomly generated study area using a popular heuristic algorithm—spatial simulated annealing. The proposed method enhances the previously developed RWIS location allocation model by considering both spatial and temporal components of multiple variables. The finding from this analysis reveals that optimal RWIS location strongly depends on the spatiotemporal autocorrelation structure of the variable of interest. Consequently, location solutions generated using the three variables are found to be different from each other. The variation among the RWIS location solutions is then further quantified by developing a spatial similarity index that is used to measure the degree of spatial similarities between different variables. Overall, the findings documented in this study will provide RWIS planners with a more complete and conclusive location allocation strategy and can act as a decision support tool for long-term RWIS network planning.