NOTE:  THE EXPANDED COURSE DESCRIPTION BELOW WILL BE EFFECTIVE FALL 2000.

ECS  259            OPTICAL NETWORKS    (4)     I

Lecture:  3 hours

Independent Study:  1 hour

Prerequisite:  Course 152A

Grading:   Letter; one exam (40%), homework + project (60%)

Catalog Description:

Optical networks.  Enabling technologies.  Multiplexing techniques.  WDM.  Broadcast networks.  Wavelength-routed networks.  Network architectures.  Protocols.  Network algorithms.  Device-network interface.  Optimization problems.

Goals:

Research and development on optical communication networks have matured significantly to the extent that some of these principles are being moved from the research laboratories to the formal (graduate) classroom setting.  However, our curriculum has no course to fill this emerging void.  A number of institutions have started offering such a course.  Additionally, tremendous growth of interest on this topic has been noticed at recent conferences, in recent journal publications, and in industry activity.  These observations have led me to the decision to design and offer this course.  The most unique feature of this course will be its timeliness to fill a void in an important and emerging networking topic.  This course will better prepare our graduate students not only to undertake research in this area but also to handle industry jobs on this topic.

Expanded Course Description:

Part I:   Introduction

1. Optical Communication Networks:  Principles and Challenges
2. Enabling Technologies

Part II:  Broadcast (Local) Networks

1. Single-Hop Networks
2. Single-Hop Case-Study:  IBM RAINBOW Protocol
3. Multihop Networks
4. Multihop Case Study:  GEMNET
5. Channel-Sharing and Multicasting

Part III:  Switched (Wavelength-Routed) Networks

1. Elements of Virtual Topology Design
2. Virtual Topology:  LP, Cost, Reconfiguration
3. Routing and Wavelength Assignment (RWA)
4. Wavelength Conversion
5. Wavelength-Routed Networks:  Case Studies and Prototypes

Part IV:  Potpourri

1. Multi-Wavelength Ring Networks
2. All-Optical Cycle Elimination
3. Optimizing Amplifier Placements in an Optical LAN/MAN
4. Optical TDM Networks

Textbook:

B. Mukherjee, Optical Communication Networks, McGraw-Hill, 1997

References:

Selected papers from the recent literature

Research Project/Design Statement:

Students design a new network architecture, protocol or algorithm.  Alternately, they design a simulation platform to analyze an existing network architecture, protocol or algorithm to demonstrate creativity while furthering the knowledge in the field.

ABET Category Content:

Engineering Science: 3 units
Engineering Design: 1 unit

Instructor: B. Mukherjee

Prepared by: B. Mukherjee (August 1999)

THIS COURSE DOES NOT DUPLICATE ANY EXISTING COURSE.

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