On VT Design

OPTICAL NETWORKS
Virtual Topology Design

A. Genata
T, Dept. Computer Engineering
2005
Virtual Topology
A lightpath provides single-hop communication between any
two nodes, which could be far apart in the physical topology.
However, having limited number of wavelengths, it may not be
possible to set up lightpaths between all user pairs.
Multi-hopping between lightpaths may be necessary.
The virtual topology consists of a set of lightpaths.
packets of information are carried by the virtual topology as far
as possible in the optical domain using optical circuit switching
packet forwarding from lightpath to lightpath is performed via
electronic packet switching, whenever required.
Lightpaths in the virtual topology is set up using RWA

techniques.
The virtual topology is also referred to as Lambda Grid, or just
Grid.
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Ayegl Genata, T, Dept. Computer Engineering
Problem
An optimization problem to optimally select a virtual

topology subject to
transceiver (transmitter and receiver)

wavelength constraints
with one of two possible objective functions:

1. for a given traffic matrix, minimize the network-wide average
packet delay.
2. maximize the scale factor by which the traffic matrix can be
scaled up (to provide the maximum capacity upgrade for future
traffic demands).
Since the objective functions are nonlinear and since

simpler versions of the problem have been shown to be
NP-hard, we shall explore heuristic approaches.
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NSFNET Backbone
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General Problem Statement

Problem: Embedding a desired virtual topology on a given
physical topology (fiber network).
We are given:
A physical topology Gp = (V ,Ep) consisting of a weighted
undirected graph, where
V is the set of network nodes,
Ep is the set of links connecting the nodes.
Undirected means that each link in the physical topology

is bidirectional.
A node i is equipped with a Dp(i) Dp(i) WRS,
where Dp(i) is the number of physical fiber links
emanating out of (as well as terminating at) node i.
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Number of wavelengths carried by each fiber, M.
An N N traffic matrix, where
N is the number of network nodes,
The (i, j)-th element is the average rate of packet
traffic flow from node i to node j.
The traffic flows may be asymmetric.
The number of wavelength-tunable lasers

(transmitters) and wavelength-tunable filters
(receivers) at each node.
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The goal is to determine:
A virtual topology Gv = (V ,Ev) as another graph

where:
the out-degree of a node is the number of transmitters at that
node
the in-degree of a node is the number of receivers at that node.
The nodes of the virtual topology correspond to the nodes in the
physical topology.
Each link in the virtual topology corresponds to a lightpath
between the corresponding nodes in the physical topology.
Each lightpath may be routed over one of several possible paths
on the physical topology.
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A wavelength assignment for lightpaths.
If two lightpaths share a common physical link, they
must necessarily employ different wavelengths.
The sizes and configurations of the WRSs at the

intermediate nodes.
Once the virtual topology is determined and the
wavelength assignments have been performed, the
switch sizes and configurations follow directly.
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Packet Communication
Communication between any two nodes takes

place by following a path (a sequence of
lightpaths) from the source node to the
destination node on the virtual topology.
Each intermediate node in the path must
perform:
1. an opto-electronic conversion,
2. electronic routing (or packet switching in the
electronic domain), and
3. electro-optic forwarding onto the next lightpath.
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Illustrative Example
How WDM can be used to upgrade an existing
fiber-based network.
Using the NSFNET as an example, a hypercube
can be embedded as a virtual topology over this
physical topology.
We assume an undirected virtual topology.
bidirectional lightpaths
In general, the virtual topology may be a

directed graph.
The physical topology is enhanced by adding
two fictitious nodes, AB and XY.
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Illustrative Example
The switching architecture of nodes consists of:
An optical component.
a wavelength-routing switch (WRS)
can switch some lightpaths,
can locally terminate some other lightpaths by directing
them to nodes electronic component.
An electronic component.
an electronic packet router
(may be an IP router: IP-over-WDM)
serves as a store-and forward electronic overlay on top
of the optical virtual topology.
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Example
The virtual topology chosen is a 16-node
hypercube.
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Example: A Possible Embedding
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Example
This solution requires 7 wavelengths.
Each link in the virtual topology is a lightpath with electronic
terminations at its two ends only.
Example:
The CA1-NE lightpath could be set up as an optical channel on one
of several possible wavelengths on one of several possible physical
paths:
CA1-UT-CO-NE, or CA1-WA-IL-NE, or others.
According to the solution, the first path is chosen on wavelength 2

for CA1-NE lightpath.
This means that the WRSs at the UT and CO nodes must be
properly configured to establish this CA1-NE lightpath.
The switch at UT must have wavelength 2 on its fiber to CA1
connected to wavelength 2 on its fiber to CO.
Since connections are bidirectional, the CA1-NE connection implies
two lightpaths, one from CA1 to NE and one from NE to CA1.
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UT Node
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UT Node
The switch UT has to support four incoming fibers plus
four outgoing fibers,
one each to nodes AB, CA1, CO, and MI, as dictated by the
physical topology.
In general, each switch interfaces with four lasers

(inputs) and four filters (outputs),
each laser-filter pair is dedicated to accommodate each of the
four virtual links on the virtual topology.
The labels 1l 2b 3d 5l on the output fiber to CO:

The UT-CO fiber uses four wavelengths 1, 2, 3, and 5.
Wavelengths 2 and 3 are clear channels through the UT switch
and directed to the physical neighbors CA1 and MI, respectively.
Wavelengths 1 and 5 connect to two local lasers.
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UT Node
The box labeled Router is an electronic switch which
takes information from:
terminated lightpaths (1c 4b 5c)
a local source
and routes them via electronic packet switching to:

the local destination
the local lasers (lightpath originators)
The router can be any electronic switch.

e.g., an IP router.
The non-router portions of the node architecture are the

optical parts that may be incorporated to upgrade the
electronic switch to incorporate a WRS.
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Formulation of the Optimization

Problem
Notation:
s and d used as subscript or superscript to
denote source and destination of a packet,
respectively.
i and j denote originating and terminating nodes,
respectively, in a lightpath.
m and n denote endpoints of a physical link.
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Formulation: Given
Given:
Number of nodes in the network: N.
Maximum number of wavelengths per fiber: M
Physical topology Pmn
Pmn = Pnm = 1 if there is a direct physical fiber link
between nodes m and n
Pmn = Pnm = 0 otherwise
The problem can be generalized to accommodate
multi-fiber networks, where Pmn can take integer
values.
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Formulation: Given
Distance matrix whose elements are fiber
distance dmn from node m to node n.
For simplicity in expressing packet delays, dmn is

expressed as a propagation delay (in time units).
dmn = dnm
dmn = 0 if Pmn = 0.
Number of transmitters at node i = Ti (Ti 1).

Number of receivers at node i = Ri (Ri 1).
Capacity of each channel: C
normally expressed in bits per second, but converted
to units of packets per second by knowing the mean
packet length.
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Formulation: Given
Traffic matrix sd
the average rate of traffic flow from node s to node d

ss = 0
Additional assumptions:
Packet inter-arrival durations at node s and packet
lengths are exponentially distributed.
So standard M/M/1 queuing results can be applied to
each network link (or hop) by employing the
independence assumption on inter-arrivals and packet
lengths due to traffic multiplexing at intermediate hops.
By knowing the mean packet length (in bits per packet),
the sd can be expressed in units of packets per
second.
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Formulation: Variables
Variables:
Virtual topology Vij:
1 if there is a lightpath from i to j in the virtual topology
0 otherwise.
The formulation is general since lightpaths are

not necessarily assumed to be bidirectional.
Vij = 1 Vji = 1.
Further generalization of the problem can be

performed by allowing multiple lightpaths
between node pairs, i.e., Vij > 1.
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Formulation: Variables
Traffic routing variable sdij
denotes the traffic flowing from s to d and employing
Vij as an intermediate virtual link.
traffic from s to d may be bifurcated with different
fractions taking different sets of lightpaths.
Physical-topology route variable pijmn is:

1 if the fiber link Pmn is used in the lightpath Vij ;
0 otherwise.
Wavelength color variable cijk is:

1 if a lightpath from i to j is assigned the color k
0 otherwise.
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Formulation: Constraints
Constraints:
On virtual-topology connection matrix Vij :
These equations ensure that:

The number of lightpaths emanating out of and
terminating at a node
are at most equal to that nodes out-degree and

in-degree, respectively.
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On physical route variables pijmn:
First two equations constrain the problem so that pijmn

exist only if there is a fiber (m,n) and a lightpath (i,j).
The remaining equations are the multi-commodity
equations that account for the routing of a lightpath from
its origin to its termination.
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On virtual-topology traffic variables sdij :
Equations for the routing of packet traffic on the virtual topology.

They take into account that the combined traffic flowing through a
channel cannot exceed the channel capacity.
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On coloring of lightpaths cijk :
First equation requires that a lightpath be of one

color only.
Second equation ensures that the colors used in
different lightpaths are mutually exclusive over a
physical link.
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Formulation: Objective 1
Delay Minimization:
The innermost brackets:

the first component corresponds to the propagation delays on
the links mn which form the lightpath ij
the second component corresponds to delay due to queuing and
packet transmission on lightpath ij.
If we assume shortest-path routing of the lightpaths over

the physical topology, then the pijmn values become
deterministic.
If, in addition, we neglect queuing delays, the
optimization problem reduces to minimizing the first
component.
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Formulation: Objective 2
Maximizing Load (Minimizing Maximum Flow):
Also nonlinear
Minimizes the maximum amount of traffic that
flows through any lightpath.
Corresponds to obtaining a virtual topology
which can maximize the offered load to the
network if the traffic matrix is allowed to be
scaled up.
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Algorithms for VT Design

The problem of optimal virtual-topology design
can be partitioned into the following four subproblems, which are not necessarily
independent:
Determine a good virtual topology.
which transmitter should be directly connected to which
receiver?
Route the lightpaths over the physical topology.

Assign wavelengths optimally to the various
lightpaths.
Route packet traffic on the virtual topology.
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Solutions
Several heuristic approaches have been employed to
solve these problems.
Labourdette and Acampora, Logically rearrangeable multihop
lightwave networks, IEEE Transactions on Comm., Aug. 1991.
I. Chlamtac, A. Ganz, and G. Karmi, Lightnets: Topologies for
high speed optical networks, IEEE/OSA Journal of Lightwave
Technology, May/June 1993.
B. Mukherjee, S. Ramamurthy, D. Banerjee, and A. Mukherjee,
Some principles for designing a wide-area optical network,
Proceedings, IEEE INFOCOM 94, June 1994.
R. Ramaswami and K. Sivarajan, Design of logical topologies
for wavelength-routed all-optical networks, Proceedings, IEEE
INFOCOM 95, April 1995.
Z. Zhang and A. Acampora, A heuristic wavelength assignment
algorithm for multihop WDM networks with wavelength routing
and wavelength reuse, IEEE/ACM Transactions on Networking,
vol. 3, pp. 281288, June 1995.
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Solutions
Embedding of a packet-switched virtual topology
on a physical fiber plant in a switched network
was first introduced in the second reference, and
this network architecture was referred to as a
lightnet.
The work in ref. 4 proposes a virtual-topology
design where the average hop distance is
minimized, which automatically increases the
network traffic supported. This work uses the
physical topology as a subset of the virtual
topology.
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Solution Approach
To obtain a thorough understanding of the problem, we
concentrate on Sub-problems 1 and 4 above.
the number of available wavelengths is not a constraint.
In the expanded problem, both the number of wavelengths and
their exact assignments are critical.
An iterative approach consisting of simulated annealing

to search for a good virtual topology (Sub-problem 1)
The flow-deviation algorithm for optimal (possibly
bifurcated) routing of packet traffic on the virtual
topology (Sub-problem 4).
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Solution Approach
We will consider lightpaths to be bidirectional in
our solution here
most (Internet) network protocols rely on bidirectional
paths and links.
We consider Optimization Criterion (2)

(maximizing offered load) for our illustrative
solution.
mainly because we are interested in upgrading an
existing fiber-based network to a WDM solution.
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Simulated Annealing
Simulated annealing (along with genetic algorithms) has been found
to provide good solutions for complex optimization problems.
In the simulated annealing process, the algorithm starts with an
initial random configuration for the virtual topology.
Node-exchange operations are used to arrive at neighboring
configurations.
In a node-exchange operation, adjacent nodes in the virtual topology
are examined for swapping.
Example:
if node i is connected to nodes j, a, and b,
while node j is connected to nodes p, q, and i in the virtual topology,
after the node-exchange operation between nodes i and j,
node i will be connected to nodes p, q, and j,
while node j will be connected to nodes a, b, and i.
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Simulated Annealing
Neighboring configurations which give better results
(lower average packet delay) than the current solution
are accepted automatically.
Solutions which are worse than the current one are
accepted with a certain probability.
This probability is determined by a system control parameter.
The probability with which these failed configurations are

chosen decreases as the algorithm progresses in time
so as to simulate the cooling process of annealing.
The probability of acceptance is based on a negative
exponential factor
inversely proportional to the difference between the current
solution and the best solution obtained so far.
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Simulated Annealing
The initial stages of the annealing process examine
random configurations in the search space
to obtain different initial starting configurations without getting
stuck at a local minimum as in a greedy approach.
However, as time progresses, the probability of

accepting bad solutions goes down,
the algorithm settles down into a minimum, after several
iterations.
The state become frozen when there is no

improvement in the objective function of the solution
after a large number of iterations.
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Flow Deviation
By properly adjusting link flows, the flow-deviation
algorithm provides an optimal algorithm for minimizing
the network-wide average packet delay.
Traffic from a given source to a destination may be
bifurcated.
different fractions of it may be routed along different paths to
minimize the packet delay.
Idea: If the flows are not balanced, then excessively

loading of a particular channel may lead to large delays
on that channel
and thus have a negative influence on the network-wide average
packet delay.
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Flow Deviation
The algorithm is based on the notion of shortest-path
flows.
First calculates the linear rate of increase in the delay with an
infinitesimal increase in the flow on any particular channel.
These lengths or cost rates are used to pose a shortest-path
flow problem (can be solved using one of several well-known
algorithms such as Dijkstras algorithm, Bellman-Ford algorithm,
etc.)
The resulting paths represent the cheapest paths on which
some of the flow may be deviated.
An iterative algorithm determines how much of the

original flow needs to be deviated.
The algorithm continues until a certain performance
tolerance level is reached.
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Experimental Results
The traffic matrix employed is an actual measurement of
the traffic on the NSFNET backbone for a 15-minute
period.
11:45 pm to midnight on January 12, 1992, EST.
The raw traffic matrix shows traffic flow in bytes per 15minute intervals between network nodes.
Nodal distances used are the actual geographical
distances.
Initially, each node can set up at most four bidirectional
lightpath channels.
Later more experiments were conducted to study the
effect of having higher nodal degree.
The number of wavelengths per fiber was assumed to be
large enough.
all possible virtual topologies could be embedded.
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Traffic Matrix
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For each experiment,
the maximum scale-up achieved

the corresponding individual delay components,
the maximum and minimum link loading
the average hop distance
is tabulated.
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The aggregate capacity for the carried traffic is fixed by
the number of links in the network.
reducing the average hop distance can lead to higher values of
load that the network can carry.
The queuing delay was calculated using a standard

M/M/1 queuing system.
mean packet length calculated from the measured traffic:
133.54 bytes per packet.
link speed is 45 Mbps.
Infinite buffers at all nodes.

The cooling parameter for the simulated annealing is
updated after every 100 acceptances using a geometric
parameter of value 0.9.
A state is considered frozen when there is no
improvement over 100 consecutive trials.
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Physical Topology as Virtual Topology

(No WDM)
Goal: to obtain a fair estimate of what optical hardware

can provide in terms of extra capabilities.
Start off with just the existing hardware, comprising:
fiber and point-to-point connections
a single bidirectional lightpath channel per fiber link
no WDM
The maximum scale-up achieved: 49

The load of the link with the maximum traffic: 98%
The load of the link with the minimum traffic: 32%.
These values serve as a basis for comparison as to what
can be gained in terms of throughput by adding extra
WDM optical hardware:
tunable transceivers
wavelength routing switches.
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Multiple Point-to-Point Links (No WRS)

Goal: to determine how much throughput we could
obtain from the network:
without adding any photonic switching capability at a node
by adding extra transceivers (up to four) at each node
The initial network had 21 bidirectional links in the

physical topology.
Using extra transceivers at the nodes, extra links are set
up on the paths NE-CO, NE-IL, WA-CA2, CA1-UT, MINJ, and NY-MD.
These lightpaths are chosen manually.
Different combinations were considered.
The channels providing the maximum scale-up was chosen.
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Arbitrary Virtual Topology (Full WDM)

Full WDM with WRSs at all nodes.
It is possible to set up lightpaths
between any two nodes.
All lightpaths are routed over the

shortest path on the physical
topology.
Starting off with a random initial
topology, simulated annealing is used
to get the best virtual topology.
shown in the table.
Provides a maximum scale-up of 106.

The increased scale-up demonstrates
the benefits of the WDM-based
virtual-topology approach.
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Effect of Nodal Degree and Wavelength

Requirements
If we consider full WDM, and increase the nodal degree
to five and six, we find that the maximum scale-up
increases nearly proportionally with increasing nodal
degree.
In the experiments, the observed maximum scale-ups:
for P = 5: 135
For P = 6: 163
As the nodal degree is increased, the average hop

distance of the virtual topology is reduced.
This provides the extra improvement in the scale-up.
Minimizing hop distance can be an important

optimization problem.
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Open Problems
A significant amount of room exists for
developing improved approaches and
algorithms.
An interesting avenue of research is to study
how routing and wavelength assignment of
lightpaths can be combined with the choice of
virtual topology and its corresponding packet
routing in order to arrive at an optimum solution.
Dynamic establishment and reconfiguration of
lightpaths is an important issue which needs to
be thoroughly studied.
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48

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OPTICAL NETWORKS

Virtual Topology Design

Lightpaths in the virtual topology is set up using RWA

An optimization problem to optimally select a virtual

transceiver (transmitter and receiver)

with one of two possible objective functions:

Since the objective functions are nonlinear and since

General Problem Statement

Undirected means that each link in the physical topology

General Problem Statement

The number of wavelength-tunable lasers

General Problem Statement

A virtual topology Gv = (V ,Ev) as another graph

General Problem Statement

The sizes and configurations of the WRSs at the

Communication between any two nodes takes

In general, the virtual topology may be a

Example: A Possible Embedding

According to the solution, the first path is chosen on wavelength 2

In general, each switch interfaces with four lasers

The labels 1l 2b 3d 5l on the output fiber to CO:

and routes them via electronic packet switching to:

The router can be any electronic switch.

The non-router portions of the node architecture are the

Formulation of the Optimization

For simplicity in expressing packet delays, dmn is

Number of transmitters at node i = Ti (Ti 1).

the average rate of traffic flow from node s to node d

The formulation is general since lightpaths are

Further generalization of the problem can be

Physical-topology route variable pijmn is:

Wavelength color variable cijk is:

These equations ensure that:

are at most equal to that nodes out-degree and

First two equations constrain the problem so that pijmn

Equations for the routing of packet traffic on the virtual topology.

First equation requires that a lightpath be of one

The innermost brackets:

If we assume shortest-path routing of the lightpaths over

Algorithms for VT Design

Route the lightpaths over the physical topology.

An iterative approach consisting of simulated annealing

We consider Optimization Criterion (2)

The probability with which these failed configurations are

However, as time progresses, the probability of

The state become frozen when there is no

Idea: If the flows are not balanced, then excessively

An iterative algorithm determines how much of the

the maximum scale-up achieved

The queuing delay was calculated using a standard

Infinite buffers at all nodes.

Physical Topology as Virtual Topology

Goal: to obtain a fair estimate of what optical hardware

The maximum scale-up achieved: 49

Multiple Point-to-Point Links (No WRS)

The initial network had 21 bidirectional links in the

Arbitrary Virtual Topology (Full WDM)