A new analysis for wavelength translation in regular WDM networks

We present a new analysis of wavelength translation in regular all-optical WDM networks, that is simple, computationally inexpensive, and accurate for both low and high network loads. In a network with k wavelengths per link, we model the output link by an auxiliary M/M/k/k queueing system. We then obtain a closed-form expression for the probability P/sub succ/ that a session arriving at a node at a random time successfully establishes a connection from its source node to its destination node. Unlike previous analyses, which use the link independence blocking assumption, we account for the dependence between the acquisition of wavelengths on successive links of the session's path. Based on the success probability, we show that the throughput per wavelength increases superlinearly (as expected) as we increase the number of wavelengths per link; however the extent of this superlinear increase in throughput saturates rather quickly. This suggests some interesting possibilities for network provisioning in an all-optical network. We verify the accuracy of our analysis via simulations for the torus and hypercube networks.