Computing approximate blocking probabilities for transparent waveband switching based WDM networks using hierarchical cross-connects

An analytical model is presented to study the dynamics of wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) networks with waveband switching (WBS). The reduced load approximation method is considered to compute approximated network blocking probabilities in WBS-based WDM networks. The analytical model considers the link blocking probability due to insufficient link capacity and an impact of the waveband granularity (G). The analytical model also considers the node blocking probability due to unavailability of a switch port at the wavelength cross connect (WXC) layer of an Hierarchical cross connect (HXC) switch node. The set of nonlinear equations is obtained with the link independence assumption and solved using repeated substitutions. The accuracy of the analytical model is examined by comparing with simulation results considering the random-fit algorithm for waveband and wavelength assignments in different network scenarios. Lightpaths are routed between source and destination (s-d) HXC switch nodes using shortest path first (SPF) routing. An impact of the switch parameter to limit the input and the output WXC switch ports of an HXC switching node is also being investigated using the analytical model as well as through simulation results.