The AWG||PSC Network: A Performance Enhanced Single-Hop WDM Network with Heterogeneous Protection

Single–hop WDM networks based on a central Passive Star Coupler (PSC) or Arrayed–Waveguide Grating (AWG) hub have received a great deal of attention as promising solutions for the quickly increasing traffic in metropolitan and local area networks. These single–hop networks suffer from a single point of failure: If the central hub fails, then all network connectivity is lost. To address this single point of failure in an efficient manner, we propose a novel single–hop WDM network, the AWG‖PSC network. The AWG‖PSC network consists of an AWG in parallel with a PSC. The AWG and PSC provide heterogeneous protection for each other; the AWG‖PSC network remains functional when either the AWG or the PSC fails. If both AWG and PSC are functional, the AWG‖PSC network uniquely combines the respective strengths of the two devices. By means of analysis and verifying simulations we find that the throughput of the AWG‖PSC network is significantly larger than the total throughput obtained by combining the throughput of a stand–alone AWG network with the throughput of a stand– alone PSC network. We also find that the AWG‖PSC network gives over a wide operating range a better throughput– delay performance than a network consisting of either two load sharing PSCs in parallel or two load sharing AWGs in parallel. Keywords— Arrayed–Waveguide Grating, Medium Access Control, Passive Star Coupler, Protection, Single–hop Networks, Wavelength Division Multiplexing, Throughput– Delay Performance.