Extending Generalized Multiprotocol Label Switching (GMPLS) for Polymorphous, Agile, and Transparent Optical Networks (PATON)

This article presents a vision for the emerging integrated optical networks to meet various traffic requirements and design criteria. To address the shortcomings in today's GMPLS over wavelength-routed optical networks, a new network architecture called Polymorphous, Agile, and Transparent Optical Networks (PATON) is proposed. PATON uses Polymorphous Optical Burst Switching (POBS) to seamlessly integrate different signaling, switching, and reservation schemes. The main features of PATON, along with its benefits as well as design and implementation challenges, are also described. Finally, both qualitative and quantitative performance comparisons of POBS with the two representative IP/GMPLS/OCS approaches are provided.