Reconfiguration for service and self-healing in ATM networks based on virtual paths

Abstract

This paper presents a reconfiguration scheme resulting in capacity efficiency and fast restoration by utilizing the inherent benefits of Virtual Paths in ATM networks. The unified optimization of bandwidth reconfiguration is addressed so that switched ATM networks can support both service and survivability from a common pool of network spare capacity at a given time. The spare capacity is composed of idle bandwidth and freed up bandwidth from the switch pairs which have a surplus bandwidth. Fast restoration can be achieved by using the pre-optimized network spare bandwidth and preplanned backup Virtual Paths based on the link and node disjoint path routing scheme. The overall operation of the proposed self-healing strategy can be consolidated into distributed fault management functions at ATM layer based on Virtual Paths. The scheme enables a logical Virtual Paths ring protection switching in ATM networks.