Integrated Design and Operation of a Transparent Optical Network - A Systematic Approach to Include Physical Layer Awareness and Cost Function

The way and the exact timing of the evolution of the widely used DWDM infrastructure to a transparent optical network will be judged upon the economical circumstances and network performace. In this context, this paper elaborates on a methodology developed within the Project IST NOBEL, for integrating cost functions and other design constraints into the planning of a DWDM network while considering this evolution perspective to a transparent optical network. This systematic approach builds up on the experience of static network design and is substantiated by specific examples in this paper.