A control plane framework for future cognitive heterogeneous optical networks

Future optical networks are expected to provide an efficient infrastructure able to deliver a growing number of services, which have to meet various requirements in terms of quality of service. To achieve this objective the physical network is going through an evolution aimed at increasing its flexibility in terms of spectrum utilization and its level of heterogeneity in terms of supported services and technologies. In this context, cognitive optical networks represent a viable solution to fill the gap between the intelligence required by the future networks and the current optical technology. This paper proposes a control plane framework developed to coordinate the interactions among the elements of the future cognitive optical networks. The building blocks of the framework and the involved protocols are presented. Moreover, this paper provides an insight of the control plane issues related to the introduction of the flexible optical technology.