A tree-based slot allocation algorithm for loss-free slotted OBS networks

Abstract

Optical burst switching (OBS) is regarded as one of the most promising switching technologies for next generation optical networks. However, the data burst contention problem is still unresolved thoroughly even though slotted OBS (SOBS) is studied as a new paradigm reducing the blocking rate. In this article, we propose a tree-based slot allocation (TSA) algorithm for loss-free SOBS networks, where the TSA algorithm originally avoids contention of the time-slots by reserving the time-slots with different time-slot positions for the source nodes, respectively. In order to manage the time-slots efficiently, we also propose an OBS superframe, which is a cyclic period and consists of multiple time-slots transmitted by the source nodes toward the same incoming port of a destination node. In addition, we attempt to optimize multiplexing of the OBS superframes to reduce wavelength consumption. On the other hand, when incoming traffic is beyond expectation, a source node may need more time-slots to prevent packet loss because of buffer overflow. For reallocation of the time-slots, we propose a flow control scheme managing some number of shared time-slots, where a control node adaptively allocates (or redeems) the time-slots to (or from) source nodes by utilizing the shared time-slots based on fluctuating traffic condition. Simulation results show that the blocking rate of the proposed TSA–OBS scheme is zero with acceptable queueing delay at moderate traffic offered loads. In addition, multiplexing optimization simulated in the 14-node NSFNET achieves a 63% reduction of wavelength consumption. Moreover, the proposed flow control scheme assisting the TSA algorithm maintains a target upper-bound of queueing delay at the source node, so that packet loss caused by buffer overflow is prevented.