Plenary Talks

Jane M. Simmons - The Future of Optical Networking: Challenges, Pitfalls, and Common Sense

Abstract: The evolution of the optical layer has been driven by advances in technology, architecture, and operational paradigms. While some of these advancements have followed a steady trajectory (e.g., increases in the line-rate), others have represented a momentous change (e.g., WDM optical amplifiers, and optical bypass). Optical-layer innovations continue to be proposed, including concepts such as flexible/elastic networking, energy-efficient networking, adaptive networking, software-defined networking, and space division multiplexing. Although these proposed advancements have garnered much attention, their eventual deployment in carrier or enterprise networks is not assured. Their efficacy may rely on the development of accompanying algorithms and architectures, thus making these fields ripe for optical network design/modeling research. While working on the hot topics of the day is appealing, it is important to do so with realism and some amount of skepticism. The industry will not buy into a new paradigm simply because it is innovative. Analysis and modeling must consider the practical limitations, the tradeoffs, the complexity of implementation, the realistic benefits, the long-term prospects, and the alternatives.

Bio: Jane M. Simmons has been involved in the research and development of optical networks for 20 years. She currently is the founder of Monarch Network Architects, which provides optical network architectural services and design tools. She served as the subject matter expert on optical networking for DARPA for six years, and made significant technical contributions to DARPA’s CORONET program on dynamic, highly-reliable networks. From 1999 to 2002, she was the Executive Engineer of Network Architecture and later the Chief Network Architect of Corvis Corp. While at Corvis, she performed the network design and the link engineering for the first commercially deployed all-optical backbone network. Through pioneering algorithmic and architectural optimizations, she played a significant role in the adoption of all-optical networking in telecommunications networks. Prior to Corvis, Dr. Simmons worked at Bell Labs/AT&T Labs Research, where she conducted research on backbone, regional, and broadband access networks. She received a B.S., Summa Cum Laude, from Princeton University, and S.M. and Ph.D. degrees from MIT, all in Electrical Engineering.

Dr. Simmons is a Fellow of the IEEE and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Tau Beta Pi, and Sigma Xi honor societies. She is a member of the IEEE Photonics Society Fellow Evaluation Committee, and has served on the technical program committee of several conferences, including OFC and ICC. She was the OFC Networks Subcommittee Chair in 2003, and was a member of the OFC Steering Committee for six years. From 2004 to 2009, she was an Associate Editor of the IEEE J-SAC Optical Communications and Networking Series. From 2009 to 2012, she was an Associate Editor for the Journal of Optical Communications and Networking, and is currently on its steering committee. She teaches a course on optical network design at OFC, and is the author of the textbook Optical Network Design and Planning, now in its second edition.

Affiliation: Monarch Network Architects

Juan Pedro Fernandez-Palacios - Moving Optical Dynamicity to the Edge

Abstract: Cloud RAN architectures where mobile Base Band Units (BBUs) are hosted in Central Offices are expected to significantly reduce 4G and 5G Operational Expenditures (OPEX) by optimizing power consumption and simplifying network operation. Optical transport is required between radio stations and centralized BBUS due to the strict requirements in terms of bandwidth and latency of these connections. Static point to point optical solutions might not scale in future 5G deployments where bandwidth requirements per mobile site can dynamically change according to the number users per cell site.

Bio: Juan Pedro Fernández-Palacios Giménez received the MS in Telecommunications Engineering from Polytechnic University of Valencia in 2000. In Sept. of 2000 he joined Telefonica where he is currently leading the Metro and Core Transport Networks team with Telefonica Global Chief Technical Office (GCTO). He is author of more than 50 publications and 6 patents on optical networks and currently is coordinating a European research project on elastic optical networks named IDEALIST.

Affiliation: Transport, IP and Interconnection Networks. Global CTO Office, Telefonica S.A.

Josue Kuri - Drivers and principles in the design of a large-scale multi-layer backbone network for datacenter interconnection

Abstract: To be announced

Bio: Josue Kuri leads backbone network planning at Facebook. His works encompasses operational and long-term planning, architecture, and design of OR-based models and tools to support the planning process. Prior to Facebook, Josue worked as a network architect for France Telecom, Alcatel and Infinera, a leading optical network equipment manufacturer. He has experience in design of large-scale networks, from access to the core. Josue has a deep understanding and a broad perspective on networking technology and economics as a result of his experience with leading service providers and equipment manufacturers. He has a M.Sc. degree in Telecommunications from Ecole Superieure d’Electricite, and a Ph.D. in Telecommunications from Telecom ParisTech (Honors).

Affiliation: Facebook Inc.

Leonid Kazovsky -Quasi-Passive Optical Infrastructure for 5G Optical/Wireless Networks

Abstract: Recently, a new class of optical components has been developed and experimentally demonstrated - QPARs, for Quasi-Passive Reconfigurable components. QPARs are similar to flash memory: They don't consume any power in the steady-state, only during reconfigurations ("write cycles"). Furthermore, we showed that the power need for reconfigurations can be supplied remotely via optical fibers without any electrical cables. This opens the possibility of completely autonomous optical nodes with no need for power cables and/or power back-ups. This paper will outline the structure and the implementation of QPARs, and the potential they have in supporting 5G wireless networks' infrastructure.

Bio: Prof. Leonid Kazovsky joined Stanford University in 1990. He founded Photonics and Networking Research Laboratory (PNRL) at Stanford University and leads NRL since establishing it in 1990. PNRL is conducting research on green (energy efficient) optical/wireless access, inbuilding networks, quasipassive photonic components, and nextgeneration Internet architectures. Prior to joining Stanford, Prof. Kazovsky was with Bellcore doing research on coherent, WDM, highspeed and other advanced optical fiber communication systems. Prof. Kazovsky’s research of coherent optical systems resulted in what is widely considered key foundations of modern coherent systems.

Prof. Kazovsky authored or coauthored three books, three book chapters, sixty invited journal papers and invited conference talks, and hundreds of contributed journal and conference technical papers . His latest book, Broadband Optical Access Networks, was published by John Wiley & Sons in 2011. Prof. Kazovsky is a Fellow of IEEE and a Fellow of OSA.

Affiliation: Stanford University