The best short- and mid-term solution appears to be merging three switching technologies (wavelength routing, electronic switching and photonic switching) merged into one core node. Specific wavelengths could be used as all-optical circuit switching and only use the ROADM in the core node. Other wavelengths can be assigned to carry packet data and be either optically or electronically switched in the core node. The whole setup can be controlled with the dynamic control plane.

Success of PPS strongly depends on the statistical nature of data traffic in the core. However, as it is bursty by nature, PPS-based technology is highly likely to penetrate the Telco equipment market. PPS will first be implemented in the core of the network pushing the IP/MPLS network away from the core into the metro network.     

Pushing the optical network to include more photons and ­fewer electrons puts an exclamation mark on Green ICT, a very important concept these days among operators worldwide. As ­stated in another Detecon publication, to take full advantage of Green ICT a clear differentiation between hype and reality will be necessary.    

The near future situation of nano-photonic has been ­adequately described by the senior vice president of Intel Corporation‘s Digital Enterprise Group:

„Today, optics is a niche technology. Tomorrow, it’s the mainstream of every chip that we build“.

1 Source: MONA 2008