Exact performance analytical model for spectrum allocation in flexible grid optical networks

Dynamic flexible grid optical networks have gained much attention because of the advantages of high spectrum efficiency and flexibility, while the performance analysis will be more complex compared with fixed grid optical networks. An analytical Markov model is first presented in the paper, which can exactly describe the stochastic characteristics of the spectrum allocation in flexible grid optical networks considering both random-fit and first-fit resource assignment policies. We focus on the effect of spectrum contiguous constraint which has not been systematically studied in respect of mathematical modeling, and three major properties of the model are presented and analyzed. The model can expose key performance features and act as the foundation of modeling the Routing and Spectrum Assignment (RSA) problem with diverse topologies. Two heuristic algorithms are also proposed to make it more tractable. Finally, several key parameters, such as blocking probability, resource utilization rate and fragmentation rate are presented and computed, and the corresponding Monte Carlo simulation results match closely with analytical results, which prove the correctness of this mathematical model. 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.