Abstract

We analyze various models for fixed-size packet or cell switching in wavelength-routed optical networks.¹ The cell sizes could be 53 bytes, as is the case in asynchronous-transfer-mode (ATM) networks. We present trade-offs between throughput performance and hardware complexity among the various models. We develop a basic two-sided switch or sorter model of the network in which N users attached to access stations generate cells destined for other users (Fig. 1). The access stations connect directly to the optical network by using one fiber in each direction for network access. We develop variations of this basic model to examine the use of wavelength translation in sorting arbitrary permutations of cells from inputs to outputs. We first consider only one-to-one mappings of cells (permutations).

© 1995 Optical Society of America