A novel online wavelength assignment algorithm in wavelength-convertible multi-granular optical networks

As industrial technology gets more mature, a single fiber can offer more and more wavelengths. However, it also results in a large amount of switching ports at optical cross-connects (OXCs). Certainly, it is expected that higher and higher complexity is inevitable to control and manage such large OXCs. In this paper, we study the dynamic wavelength assignment problem in waveband switching (WBS) networks composed of multi-granular OXCs (MG-OXCs). Moreover, in order to relax the wavelength continuity constraint on lightpath establishments, each MG-OXC node is equipped with a certain number of converters. To efficiently minimize the extra port consumption and utilize wavelength converters, we proposed an online wavelength assignment algorithm named Least Weighted Configuration Cost (LWCC). For a new request, LWCC first adopts fixed routing and then exploits the layered-graph approach and a new cost function for edge weight assignment to determine adequate wavelength(s). The performance metrics of interest include both blocking performance and converter utilization. Numerical results show that LWCC is superior in waveband grouping and therefore results in significant performance gain in terms of blocking probability.