Analysis of reconfiguration in IP over WDM access networks

The benefit/cost tradeoff of reconfiguration in IP/WDM networks is evaluated as the resulting reduction in average packet delay. We compare, analytically and through simulations, the performance of several reconfiguration policies to fixed topology systems. We develop a queuing model for a reconfigurable network that allows us to directly quantify the benefits and costs of reconfiguration as the resulting average packet delay. This simple model allows us to compare, both analytically and via simulations, appropriate reconfiguration policies and to determine the network reconfiguration downtime that can be tolerated.