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Optical Network Security

Optical Network Security

All-optical networks (AONs) are a relatively new technology for high data-rate communications. They contain only optical components and are intrinsically different from optical networks currently being used. More specifically, AONs provide transparent features that allow routing and data switching without necessitating the interpretation or regression of signals within the network. Consequently, AON components and architectures bring forth a set of new challenges in network security.

Although the job of network management for AONs is essentially no different from that of managing traditional optical networks, numerous management issues arise, in particular because of network transparency and the characteristics of AON components. These specific features thus require more sophisticated techniques and methods for managing and monitoring the network, controlled with an appropriate Network Management System (NMS) that can meet and satisfy the challenges posed by AONs.

Work in this area has culminated in the development of a new attack localisation method, and a small network under attack is illustrated below. The sample network consists of 7 optical cross connect (OXC) nodes interconnected with each other by optical fibre links. Each node consists of 2 incoming/outgoing fibre pairs, 2 wavelength demultiplexer/multiplexer pairs, and 2 optical space switches. Seven lightpaths propagate through the network, simultaneously. The detected disruption at node N7 stems from two different sources A1 and A2, carried along with lightpaths p2 and p7, respectively. Lightpath p5, on which serious performance degradation is detected, is innocent and should not be disconnected. The localisation method will correctly identify the problems in a way not possible to date. Current work is extending what has been a software method to date into a hardware implementation.

R. Rejeb, M. S. Leeson, C. Mas Machuca and I. Tomkos, “Control and Management Issues in All-Optical Networks”, Journal of Networks, vol.5, no. 2, pp.132-139, 2010.

R. Rejeb, M. S. Leeson and R. J. Green, “Fault and Attack Management in All-Optical Networks”, IEEE Communications Magazine, vol. 44, no. 11, pp. 79-86, 2006.

R. Rejeb, M. S. Leeson and R. J. Green, “Multiple Attack Localization and Identification in All-Optical Networks”, Optical Switching and Networking, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 41-49, 2006.

 

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