Early Field Trial Demonstration of GMPLS based Next Generation
IP+Optical Network
T. Otani1,2, S.Okamoto2 and Mallik Tatipamula3
1
KDDI R&D Laboratories, Inc.
2-1-15 Ohara, Kamifukuoka-shi, Saitama 356-8502, Japan
Tel: +81-49-278-7357, Fax: +81-49-278-7811, E-mail: otani@kddilabs.jp
2
NICT JGN II Tsukuba Research Center
1-8-1, Otemachi Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 100-0004, Japan
e-mail: okamoto-s@nict.go.jp
3
Cisco Systems, Inc., 170 W. Tasman Drive, San Jose, CA 95135
e-mail: mallikt@cisco.com
There is a growing need for high-speed, high capacity networks amongst the
academic and research community, as grid applications become increasingly important.
These new grid computing applications and services, traffic growth and technological
advancements are different forces that will drive the architecture and evolution of next
generation networks. Purpose of this paper is to present investigative and experimental
results for an Integrated IP and optical network architecture.
Organization of this presentation is as follows. Initial part of this presentation is
to present “Aspects of Next Generation IP+Optical Networks Architecture” and discuss
some of the emerging technologies that play a key role in Next generation networks. We
investigated an integrated IP and optical network architecture by introducing GMPLS
technologies. To effectively provide various services in this IP/optical network, MPLS
interworking with GMPLS is indispensable, because current major Layer 2 and Layer 3
services such as IP-VPN and Ethernet-VPN are mainly based on the MPLS technology.
In addition, not only a conventional IPv4 service but also an IPv6 service should be
accommodated over GMPLS networks, considering future IPv6 applications. In this
presentation, the demonstration results of MPLS and IPv6 transport over GMPLS
controlled optical networks are described for the purpose of envisioning the integrating
IP/optical network architecture.
The demonstrated optical core network consisted of two GMPLS enabled
IP/MPLS routers and photonic cross connects (PXCs). As the demonstrated IP network,
two IPv4 PE routers and one IPv6 router were also used. The two PXCs as well as a
GMPLS router and a PXC were connected by a GbE link and an OC-192 link. The
connection between PE and GMPLS routers was a GbE link. Firstly, bi-directional IPv4
GMPLS LSPs were set up between GMPLS routers. RSVP-TE messages with GMPLS
extensions were propagated over an out of band GMPLS control plane and lambda paths
were successfully created. These LSPs were advertised as a TE link to PE routers and
GMPLS routers became IP/MPLS routing adjacency for one another. Embedding over
the GMPLS LSP, a packet LSP (IPv4) was set up between PE routers using RSVP-TE
messages. The LSP with 1 Gbit/s bandwidth was successfully created over GMPLS LSP
and 1 Gbit/s packet transport was confirmed using router testers.
Secondly, IPv6 transport over the GMPLS network was evaluated. In this case,
one IPv6 router was attached to the GMPLS router. Since current GMPLS network
implementation allowed only IPv4 addresses, the 6PE method was utilized to transport
the IPv6 packet, by allowing GMPLS routers to be operated as an IPv6/MPLS edge.
After a BGP session was initiated over the GMPLS tunnel and IPv6 routing information
was exchanged, IPv6 packets encapsulated by the MPLS label were successfully
transported. By running OSPFv3 between the IPv6 router and one GMPLS router, the
IPv6 reachability through the GMPLS tunnel could be confirmed from an IPv6 interface
on the IPv6 router to an IPv6 interface of another GMPLS router by ICMP version 6.
These technologies are applied to Japan Gigabit Network II (JGN II), which is a
R&D network test bed for universities, research institutions and companies, and has been
operated since April 2004. One of the most advanced features in JGN II is an
introduction of GMPLS and photonic cross connects (PXCs) technologies to a backbone
network for the first time in Japan, to provide an optical path service as well as multiservices such as IPv6 and MPLS embedded over GMPLS.
In conclusion, we demonstrated MPLS and IPv6 transport over GMPLScontrolled optical networks. We successfully created the MPLS LSP embedded over the
GMPLS LSP and confirmed a packet transport using these hierarchical LSPs. Moreover,
we could achieve IPv6 packet transport over a GMPLS LSP thanks to the 6PE method
implemented in GMPLS routers. Indeed, these demonstrated functions are some of the
basic features in IP/optical network architecture, and more interworking operation
between MPLS and GMPLS is expected to enrich IP/optical networks and increase their
appeal in the near future.