Architecture and functional requirements of control planes for automatic switched optical networks: experience of the IST project LION

This paper focuses on architecture and functional requirements for control planes of automatic switched optical networks (ASON). Specifically, four different approaches for triggering the set-up of optical connections have been reported. Furthermore, the paper describes the test-bed of the IST project LION: the testbed, aimed at demonstrating some ASON functionalities, is composed by optical network elements (OADM and OXC provided by Siemens, Tellium and Telecom Italia Lab) and IP Routers (provided by CISCO).