Technology-Aware Multi-Domain Routing in Optical Networks

Worldwide collaborations involving huge data transfer over optical networks are forming at increasing pace. Such worldwide connections may traverse through multiple domains that are managed by different network administrators. Due to the absence of optical network equipment standardization between network administrators, technology incompatibilities may prevent direct communication between domains. However, domains with technology adaptation capability can lift the technology continuity restriction in establishing paths between incompatible domains. Within this context, we address two problems, namely: (1) how to model the technology incompatibilities of multidomain networks, and (2) how to route traffic optimally in the multi-domain network model. We include the information of the supported technologies and adaptation capabilities of each domain and inter-domain link in our model. We subsequently propose technology-aware routing algorithms for finding shortest feasible paths in a multi-domain network.