Name: Kimmo Tukiainen Student #: 0275656

Presentation time: April 4, 2006

8.2 LTD and RWA problems

This chapter deals with the wavelength-routing network design problems. The general
approach of dividing the WDM-routing network design into that of an LTD and RWA
problems. There will be three-node linear network and the ring network, this is a good
heuristic for practical problems because solving the two problems in a combined is quite
hard. There will be a few different lightpath topologies and examined the RWA problem for
each of them.

8.2.1 Lightpath topology design

Here is a simplified lightpath topology design. We assume that no constraints are imposed by
the underlying fiber technology or the optical layer for example limit of length or number of
lightpahts traversing a link. We also assume that all lightpaths are bidirectional. That means
that if we use a lightpath from node i to node j, we can also use a lightpath from node j to
node i. Almost all higher-layer protocols, including IP and SONET assume bidirectional links.

When we design the lightpath topology we also have to solve the problem of routing packets.
This is because topology supports the traffic requirements depends on both topology and the
routing algorithm that is used. This is problem of designing a lightpath topology to minimize
the maximum packet traffic of any lightpath, subject to a number of constraints. In many
cases even formulating the problem becomes hard because of a large number of parameters
to be optimized and a large number of constraints to be dealt with.

Mathematical terms the arrival rate for packets , demand in packets/second between
source nodes and destination node d. We assume that we can arbitrarily split traffic between
the same pair of nodes over different paths through the network. Fraction of the traffic
between s-d pair that is routed over link (i,j) be . Then is the traffic packets
per second between s-d pair that is routed over link. The total traffic is . We
also define parameter called the congestion as .

Congestion is important parameter because if we think packets of arrivals follow a Poisson

process and the packets transmission times are exponentially distributed with mean time
given by 1/!. If traffic offered to a link (lightpath) in the network is independent of to other
links, each link can be modeled as an M/M/1 queue.

Throughput can be defined as the minimum value of the offered load for which the delay on
any link becomes infinite. This happens when . Objective is to
minimize the congestion
Name: Kimmo Tukiainen Student #: 0275656
Presentation time: April 4, 2006

The left-hand side of the flow conservation constraint at node i in the network computes the
net flow out of the node i for one commodity. The net flow is the difference between the
outgoing flow and the incoming flow. Right-hand side is zero if that node is source or
destination. If node i is the source of the flow (i=s) the net flow equals . If node i is
destination i=d the net flow equals - .

ensures that if the link (i,j) doesn’t exist in the topology, no packets can be
routed on that link. If it exist in the topology this constraint simply states that which
is always true.

The degree constraints ensure that the designed topology has no more than " links into and
out of each node.

Ensures that all the variables take positive values and Bij can only take binary values.

The resulting problem is a Mixed Integer Linear Program (MILP) because it involves both real
and binary variables. Although many efficient algorithms are know for solving even very large
linear program, no efficient algorithm are know for the solution of arbitrary MILPs. Also due
to the huge amount of time that MILP might require to be solved, heuristic techniques are
developed to obtain suboptimal solutions of the problem in less time. These approximations
are often based on specific features of the problems at hand.

Here is some example (rounding algorithm) how we can try a heuristic approach to
determine the values of bij to the closest integer.

1. Arrange the values of the bij obtained in an optimal solution of the LTD-LP (Lightpath
topology design linear program) in decreasing order.
Name: Kimmo Tukiainen Student #: 0275656
Presentation time: April 4, 2006

2. Starting at the top of the list, set each bij = 1 if the degree constraints would not be
violated. Otherwise, set the bij = 0.

3. Stop when all the degree constraints are satisfied or the bij are exhausted.

We have a good approximation value of the MILP if LP lower and upper bound are obtained
by using the rounding algorithm and solving the routing-LP are close to each other.

In practice the traffic can change over time and thus it may be better to change the lightpath
topology also to reduce the cost of the network. Topology changes can be disruptive and
thus must be undertaken only occasionally adding and dropping only a few lightpaths at a
time.

8.2.2 Routing and Wavelength Assignment

RWA problem is defined given a network topology and a set of end-to-end lightpath request,
determine a route and wavelength(s) request, using the minimum possible number of
wavelengths. Sometimes there is already given routing that case we only concerned the
wavelength assignment (WA) problem. WA must obey the following constraints:

1. Two ligthpaths must be assigned the same wavelength on a given link.

2. If no wavelength conversion is available, then a ligthpath must be assigned the same
ligthpath on all links in its route.

We assume that the networks as well as the lightpaths are undirected, that mean a network
that has a pair on unidirectional fiber links in opposite directions between nodes and
assumes that all lightpaths are bidirectional, with the same route and wavelength chosen for
both directions of the lightpath.

Figure 1. Different combinations of types of lightpaths and network edges

Network operators would prefer to assign the same route and wavelength to both directions
for operational simplicity.
Name: Kimmo Tukiainen Student #: 0275656
Presentation time: April 4, 2006

Fifgure 2. Different network models.

Figure 2, picture A shows network with undirected edges that must support three lightpaths.
Only two lighpaths use each edge we need three wavelengths to support this traffic pattern.

Picture B performs directed edges and directed lightpaths. The number of lightpaths on each
edge is again no more than two, but only two wavelengths are required in this instance.

Pictures C and D shows two different cases of undirected edges and directed lightpaths. In
picture C represent the undirected edge and two unidirectional edges. This corresponds to
having a fiber in each direction in the real network and having W wavelengths on each fiber.
In this case only two wavelengths are required to support this traffic pattern.

Picture D represent the undirected edge by a bidirectional edge where single fiber over which
transmission takes place in both directions. There are a fixed total number of wavelengths
some transmitted in one direction and the remaining ones in the opposite direction.

8.2.3 Wavelength Conversion

Wavelength conversion with optical crossconnects is called full wavelength conversion and if
a node is capable of that it can change the wavelength of an incoming lightpath to any of the
outgoing wavelengths.

Figure 3. A node with fixed-wavelength conversion capability.

Two other kinds of wavelength conversion are fixed conversion and limited conversion. In
fixed-wavelength conversion a lightpath entering a node at a particular wavelength #i always
exits the node at a given wavelength #j. The mapping between the input and output
wavelength is fixed at the time the network is designed and cannot be varied, see figure 3.
Name: Kimmo Tukiainen Student #: 0275656
Presentation time: April 4, 2006

Figure 4. A node with limited wavelength conversion capability.

In limited wavelength conversion a signal is allowed to be converted from one wavelength to

a limited subset of other wavelengths. In figure x we can see implementation where each
input wavelength can be converted to one of two other wavelengths. This case the node
provides limited conversion of degree 2. Signals entering at wavelength #1 or #2 can be
converted to #3 or #4 and vice versa.

In many situations networks may use multiple fiber pairs between nodes to provide higher
capacities. Having multiple fiber pairs is equivalent to having a single fiber pair but with some
limited wavelength conversion capabilities at the nodes

Figure 5. The equivalence between multiple fiber networks and single fiber network

Figure 5 A is a network with two fiber pairs between nodes and no wavelength conversion at
the node. Each fiber pair carries W wavelength. At each node signals from one fiber pair can
be switched to the other fiber pair. In B one fiber pair between nodes with that pair can carry
2W wavelengths. The nodes limited conversion of degree 2. These two networks are
equivalent in terms of their traffic-carrying capacity. Any set of lightpaths supported by the
other network as well.

In full, limited and fixed conversion cases, the WA problem must be suitably modified. In
case full conversion the constraint on a ligthpath being assigned the same wavelength on
every link traverses can be dispensed with entirely. In case limited wavelength conversion
the wavelength assigned to a ligthpath can be changed but only to a limited set of other
wavelength. Fixed wavelength conversion the wavelength assigned to a ligthpath must be
changed at each node.
Name: Kimmo Tukiainen Student #: 0275656
Presentation time: April 4, 2006

Two topics those are most important within the abstract:

Problems in Lightpath topology and Routing and Wavelength Assignment designing in WDM-
networks.