Optical research testbed initiatives for network and service innovation

There is an increasing demand from both academic and industrial communities to bridge the gap between visionary research and large-scale experimentation for new networking and service architectures and paradigms [1, 2]. This approach needs the set-up of experimental facilities, going beyond individual project test-beds, which could help in identifying possible migration paths for technological developments, in discovering new and emerging behaviours and use patterns; as well as in assessing the socioeconomic implications of new technological solutions at an early stage. In addition, such experimental test-beds allow integrations of all relevant actors in a flexible service and technology innovation environment. This brings the user in the loop at an early stage of the R&D cycle and addresses the problem of bridging the gap between technologies and applications.