AGISCO

Most of the currently deployed optical control plane solutions are based on a highly distributed architecture. However, Centralized solutions have gained increasing research interest in the last years thanks to the concepts of Path Computation Element (PCE) and Software Defined Networking (SDN). Differently from purely distributed control plane solutions, architectures based on some centralized functionalities are not limited by the amount of information locally available and could potentially free up the control plane by the complexity of the coordination process among all nodes. Thus, they can enable network optimization, for example, in terms of spectrum utilization, latency, and energy efficiency.

Starting from the knowledge on the limits of distributed control plane approaches and leveraging on the work carried out in FLEXIGO on SSONs (Spectrum Switched Optical Networks), a deep study of innovative hybrid control plane architectures can lead to a comprehensive understanding of the functional aspects necessary to develop and test advanced spectrum management mechanisms.

The scope of AGISCO project is to undertake the evolutionary path to the exploitation of some centralized functionalities in the control plane of SSONs, by proposing architectural solutions and dynamic algorithms aimed at improving the management of flexible networks and the utilization of physical resources.