A Perspective on Network Restoration

An important issue in the design and deployment of communication networks is the issue of network restoration to address for various types of failures. In this exposition, we consider a variety of networks and networking technology and argue that networks can be broadly classified as either traffic networks or transport networks. We then present optimization models for network protection for link failures and discuss how they fit into this classification. We then discuss the process of network restoration and interaction between the traffic and the transport network. Finally, we also discuss situations and failures for which restoration is difficult to model—an area that requires further exploration.