The single mode optical fiber possesses an enormous bandwidth of more than 30 THz in the low-loss optical region of 1.3 $\mu$m and 1.5 $\mu$m. Through Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM), the optical fiber bandwidth can be divided into a set of high-speed channels, where each channnel is assigned its own unique wavelength. An M x M passive optical star coupler is a simple broadcast medium, in which light energy incident at any input is uniformly coupled (or distributed) to all the outputs. Thus, a passive star along with the WDM channels can be used to configure a Local Area Network (LAN). In this LAN, users require tunable devices to access a complete or a partial set of the WDM channels. Due to these multiple channels, many concurrent packet transmissions corresponding to different user pairs are possible and thus the total system throughput can be much higher than the data rates of each individual channel. To fairly arbitrate the data channels among the users, media access protocols are needed. Depending upon the number of data channels and the number of users, two possible situations arise. In the first case, the number of users is much larger than the number of data channels and in the second, the number of users equals to the the number of channels. In both cases, data channel contention may arise if multiple users access the same given channel and must be resolved. This thesis proposes media access protocols for passive optical star networks. All the proposed protocols are slotted in nature, i.e., the time axis on each channel is divided into slots. The well known Slotted-ALOHA and Reservation ALOHA protocols are extended to the multi channel network environment. The thesis also proposes switching protocols (equal number of channels and users), contention-based reservation protocols for this network architecture. To interconnect these star networks, a multi-control channel protocol is also proposed along with two interconnecting techniques. Since there are multiple data channels, the data packets on different channels may be destined to the same user. However, if the user is equipped with only one receiver, the user can receive only one packet and ignores others. This is called a 'receiver collision' and the thesis also studies the effect of these receiver collisions on the data channels. Two network architectures, one for a packet circulating ring network and the other for a circuit switched application are described. Finally, the thesis studies some implementation considerations for these protocols.

The fast growing traffic demand in telecommunication networks, by use of the Internet and an increasing number of broadband services for multimedia com munications, requires new high performance networking technologies. As such, optical WDM networks are playing a pivotal role. Wavelength Division Mul tiplexing (WDM) with many hundreds of wavelength channels per fiber is ex tensively being exploited in wide area networks. With respect to the ongoing trend towards a completely packet-switched mode of operation for all services, WDM networks must be prepared accordingly. This work concentrates on optical packet-switched networking in local and metro area networks for realizing high-performance applications like virtual re ality, medical imaging, and supercomputing. It is well known that in those networks using a star, bus, or ring shared medium, an access protocol is nec essary to guarantee controlled and fair access for all attached nodes. Similar access protocols are to be developed and analyzed for WDM local and metro area networks. Already, many media access protocols for these networks have been described in the literature. However, some aspects of Quality-of-Service (QoS) for different service classes are still an open issue and subject to inten sive research activities. In the introduction, the author, Dr. Kemal Bengi, gives a short classification of media access protocols and network architectures for WDM local and metro area networks. The need for service classes is also em phasized.

This is a book about the bricks and mortar from which are built those edifices that will permeate the emerging information society of the future-computer networks. For many years such computer networks have played an indirect role in our daily lives as the hidden servants of banks, airlines, and stores. Now they are becoming more visible as they enter our offices and homes and directly become part of our work, entertainment, and daily living. The study of how computer networks function is a combined study of communication theory and computer science, two disciplines appearing to have very little in common. The modern communication scientist wishing to work in this area soon finds that solving the traditional problems of transmission, modulation, noise immunity, and error bounds in getting the signal from one point to another is just the beginning of the challenge. The communication must be in the right form to be routed properly, to be handled without congestion, and to be understood at various points in the network. As for the computer scientist, he finds that his discipline has also changed. The fraction of computers that belong to networks is increasing all the time. And for a typical single computer, the fraction of its execution load, storage occupancy, and system management problems that are in volved with being part of a network is also growing.

Provides a comprehensive and updated account of WDM optical network systems Optical networking has advanced considerably since 2010. A host of new technologies and applications has brought a significant change in optical networks, migrating it towards an all-optical network. This book places great emphasis on the network concepts, technology, and methodologies that will stand the test of time and also help in understanding and developing advanced optical network systems. The first part of Optical WDM Networks: From Static to Elastic Networks provides a qualitative foundation for what follows—presenting an overview of optical networking, the different network architectures, basic concepts, and a high-level view of the different network structures considered in subsequent chapters. It offers a survey of enabling technologies and the hardware devices in the physical layer, followed by a more detailed picture of the network in the remaining chapters. The next sections give an in-depth study of the three basic network structures: the static broadcast networks, wavelength routed networks, and the electronic/optical logically routed networks, covering the characteristics of the optical networks in the access, metropolitan area, and long-haul reach. It discusses the networking picture; network control and management, impairment management and survivability. The last section of the book covers the upcoming technologies of flex-grid and software defined optical networking. Provides concise, updated, and comprehensive coverage of WDM optical networks Features numerous examples and exercise problems for the student to practice Covers, in detail, important topics, such as, access, local area, metropolitan, wide area all-optical and elastic networks Includes protocols, design, and analysis along with the control and management of the networks Offers exclusive chapters on advance topics to cover the present and future technological trends, such as, software defined optical networking and the flexible grid optical networks Optical WDM Networks: From Static to Elastic Networks is an excellent book for under and post graduate students in electrical/communication engineering. It will also be very useful to practicing professionals in communications, networking, and optical systems.