Genetic Algorithms for Semi-Static Wavelength-Routed Optical Networks

Optical communication networks are an excellent option to establish backbone or transport networks due to the high-bandwidth provided by the optical fibres. In this kind of networks the information is transmitted through optical fibres in the infrared domain. Although fibres provide high bandwidth for the transmission of information (around 50 THz), the current electronic technology cannot work at these bit rates. Therefore, a new technology was developed to exploit the bandwidth of the fibre: Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM). In this technology, the part of the spectrum used to transmit information is divided into different channels, each one centred in a different wavelength (or frequency). Then, it allows the transmission of several channels through the same fibre by using a different wavelength for each of the channels.