Research in optical networking technologies is performed at Centre Tecnològic de Telecomunicacions de Catalunya (CTTC) within its Optical Networking Area (ONA), whose goal is the evolution of telecommunication systems towards intelligent, dynamically reconfigurable all-optical transport networks. Currently, research work is based on enhancing the intelligence, efficiency, robustness, capacity and cost-effectiveness of Wavelength-Switched Optical Networks (WSON), and Connection-oriented Ethernet technologies. This research goal is approached in two generic research lines that encompass several specific scientific and technological objectives:

• The Optical network control and management research line addresses the optimal usage of the optical network resources in order to provide effective quality-enabled optical services, aiming at investigating functional network architectures and novel distributed and centralized mechanisms (protocols and algorithms) for automated provisioning and recovery with traffic engineering in a multi-layer and multi-domain scenario.

• The Optical transmission and switching systems research line concentrates on specific physical layer and transmission aspects of the optical communications, aiming at investigating and designing novel optical transmission technologies and advanced performance monitoring techniques for high-speed all-optical (transparent) transport networks.

Demonstration is performed within the context of the ADRENALINE testbed® (All-optical Dynamic REliable Network hAndLINg IP/Ethernet Gigabit traffic with QoS), a GMPLS-enabled Intelligent Optical Network developed by the Optical Networking research area of the CTTC.

For up-to-date information, visit the Wiki of the Optical Networking Area.