Performance of the PAC optical packet network

• Published in: Journal of lightwave technology 1993-08, Vol.11 (8), p.1394-1399
• Main Authors: Karol, M.J., Glance, B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Communication system control; Exact sciences and technology; Frequency division multiplexing; Integrated circuit interconnections; Metropolitan area networks; Optical fiber networks; Optical interconnections; Pattern analysis; Performance analysis; Protection; Systems, networks and services of telecommunications; Telecommunications; Telecommunications and information theory; Throughput; Transmission and modulation (techniques and equipments)
• ISSN: 0733-8724; 1558-2213
• DOI: 10.1109/50.254100

For multiuser packet communications with unpredictable user demands (e.g., in a local or metropolitan area network), coordination and control of access to the frequency-division multiplexing (FDM) channels are difficult. B. Glance (J. Lightwave Technol., vol.10, pp.1323-1328, Sep 1992) proposed using a simple protection-against-collision (PAC) circuit to solve this media access problem and achieve full optical connectivity. The PAC system has the potential to interconnect hundreds of ports, each transmitting at several gigabits per second. Performance aspects of the PAC optical packet network are discussed here. The delay-throughout performance of this network is analyzed for uniform traffic patterns. The results show that in geographically distributed applications the maximum achievable throughput (normalized to the transmission rate) is typically between 0.4 and 0.5 per channel. In a centralized switch the (normalized) maximum achievable throughput can approach 0.8 per channel.< >