Optical Switching Networks: From Circuits to Packets Guest Editors: Alan Hill and Fabio Neri Satellite-Based Internet Technology and Services Guest Editors: Apostolis K. Salkintzis and P. Takis Mathipoulos

Optical Switching Networks: From Circuits to Packets
Guest Editorial
Alan Hill and Fabio Neri

Multiprotocol Lambda Switching: Combining MPLS Traffic Engineering Control with Optical Crossconnects
The authors describe an approach to the design of control planes for optical crossconnects which leverages existing control plane techniques developed for MPLS traffic engineering. The proposed approach combines recent advances in MPLS traffic engineering control plane constructs with OXC technology to provide a framework for real-time provisioning of optical channels.
Daniel Awduche and Yakov Rekhter

Architectures and Protocols that Enable New Applications on Optical Networks
The authors first discuss how advances in networking architectures and protocols can complement advances in optical communications research to increase the overall value of optical networks by enabling more applications. A review of existing optical networking solutions is then provided along with a classification of different types of optical networks.
Malathi Veeraraghavan, Mark Karol, Ramesh Karri, Reinette Grobler, and Tim Moors

The Application of Optical Packet Switching in Future Communication Networks
Telecommunication networks are experiencing a dramatic increase in demand for capacity, much of it related to the exponential takeup of the Internet and associated services. To support this demand economically, transport networks are evolving to provide a reconfigurable optical layer which, with optical cross-connects, will realize a high-bandwidth flexible core.
Mike J. O' Mahony, Dimitra Simeonidou, David K. Hunter, and Anna Tzanakaki

The Perspective of Optical Packet Switching in IP-Dominant Backbone and Metropolitan Networks
The authors analyze the rationale and technical solutions for the use of optical packet switching techniques for both backbone and metropolitan applications. They also provide information on state-of-the-art technologies available for medium-term product development.
Amaury Jourdan, D. Chiaroni, E. Dotaro, G. Eilenberger, F. Masetti, and M. Renaud

All-Optical Packet Switching for Metropolitan Area Networks: Opportunities and Challenges
All-optical packet switching provides high throughput, rich routing functionalities, and excellent flexibility. These characteristics make it an excellent candidate for next-generation metropolitan area networks, which will be much more dynamic and demanding than today's networks.
Shun Yao, S. J. Ben Yoo, Biswanath Mukherjee, and Sudhir Dixit

Satellite-Based Internet Technology and Services
Guest Editorial
Apostolis K. Salkintzis and P. Takis Mathipoulos

Satellite-Based Internet: A Tutorial
In a satellite-based Internet system, satellites are used to interconnect heterogeneous network segments and to provide ubiquitous direct Internet access to homes and businesses. The authors present satellite-based Internet architectures and discuss multiple access control, routing, satellite transport, and integrating satellite networks into the global Internet.
Yurong Hu and Victor O. K. Li

Voice over IP Service and Performance in Satellite Networks
Satellite systems, as an integral part of the global communications infrastructure, already have an increasing portion of their capacities used to carry data packets, and with their global coverage and reach to remote areas are well positioned to enable growth of VoIP services.
Thuan Nguyen, Ferit Yegenoglu, Agatino Sciuto, and Ravi Subbarayan

Effects on TCP of Routing Strategies in Satellite Constellations
The authors introduce the types of satellite constellation networks, and examine how overall performance of TCP communications carried across such a network can be affected by the choice of routing strategies used within the network.
Lloyd Wood, George Pavlou, and Barry Evans

Interactive Web Service via Satellite to the Home
The authors describe an investigation and simulation of a return path VSAT link designed specifically for delivery of Web traffic requests to a base station and thence via a terrestrial link, using the Internet, to a Web server. They focus on the MAC protocol to support such a satellite channel and on modeling the whole service from traffic generation through transport, network, and MAC layers to the physical channel.
Hyoung-Kee Choi, Osama Qadan, Dolors Sala, John O. Limb, and Jeff Meyers

Interactive Channel for Multimedia Satellite Networks
The return channel of the interactive channel for multimedia satellite networks underwent final standardization by ETSI in early 2000. The authors review the system concept of a typical implementation. They also explain the key features of the return channel air interface, from transmission parameter to login procedure.
Jason Neale, Rod Green, and John Landovskis

Topics in Broadband Access
Guest Editorial
Steven Scott Gorshe and Zdzislaw Papir

DOCSIS™ Cable Modem Technology
The authors provide an overview of the cable modem interface standard. This standard is the foundation for high-speed access to content on the Internet being offered by North American cable operators.
David Fellows and Doug Jones

Methods of Upstream Power Backoff on Very High-Speed Digital Subscriber Lines
The author describes the near-far problem in the upstream direction of VDSL, which results when the lengths of VDSL loops in a binder vary significantly. Methods of upstream power backoff to mitigate the near-far problem are also described.
Krista S. Jacobsen