Optical network, optical cross-connect apparatus, photonic-IP network, and node

An optical cross-connect apparatus comprising:

• control means for setting an optical path specified by a link which transmits a plurality of signal light components having different wavelengths and the wavelength of the transmission signal light;
• and
• switching means for performing switching of the optical path set by said control means,
• wherein said control means comprises
• link observation means for observing a wavelength of signal light that is being transmitted through a link connected to said cross-connect apparatus as a utilization of said link,
• information exchange means for notifying each of said remaining nodes of the link utilization observed by said link observation means and acquiring a link utilization observed by each of said remaining nodes so as to share the link utilization between nodes in an optical network to which said cross-connect apparatus is connected,
• optical path selection means for selecting an optical path to be used for optical transport by calculation using the link utilization observed by said link observation means and the link utilization observed by each of said remaining nodes, and
• optical path setting means for setting the optical path selected by said optical path setting means to an optical path to be used for optical transport.

A photonic-IP network having an interface which has a switching capability for performing switching, for each packet, of a path to be used for data communication through an IP network, and an interface which has a switching capability for performing switching, for each wavelength of transmission signal light, of a path to be used for data communication through an optical network, comprising:

• a node which switching-connects the IP network and the optical network,
• wherein said node comprises
• monitor means for monitoring the switching capability of each interface in said node on the basis of a utilization of a resource in said node,
• storage means for updating/storing the switching capability obtained by said monitor means, and
• switching capability advertising means for advertising the switching capability to remaining nodes.

A node comprising:

• an interface having a switching capability for performing switching, for each wavelength of transmission signal light, of a path to be used for data communication through an optical network;
• monitor means for monitoring the switching capability of each interface in said node on the basis of a utilization of a resource in said node;
• storage means for updating/storing the switching capability obtained by said monitor means;
• and
• switching capability advertising means for advertising the switching capability to remaining nodes.