Multiprotocol lambda switching comes together

Realizing the important role that photonic switches can play in data-centric networks, a number of leading router and optical-equipment vendors are collaborating to combine the control plane of Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) with the point-and-click provisioning capabilities of photonic switches. The resulting protocols known as multiprotocol lambda switching (MPlS) will enable equipment in the service layer to dynamically request bandwidth services from the transport layer using existing control-plane techniques. Beyond simple advertising and establishment of optical paths through the network, MPlS includes performance information about the network. The service equipment at the edges of the photonic network will use this information to dynamically manage the available wavelengths in the photonic layer.