Overview of SDN control of multiband over SDM optical networks with physical layer impairments [Invited Tutorial]

This paper, an extended version of a tutorial presentation given at OFC’24, aims to provide an overview of key aspects in the design and development of a control plane for multiband over spatial division multiplexing optical networks following software defined networking principles. The tutorial will address system design considerations such as the systematic use of data modeling model-driven development; will detail selected, industry-adopted northbound and southbound interfaces for full and partially disaggregated networks; and will introduce advanced considerations such as accounting for physical layer impairments, externalizing path computation and path validation functions or the multilevel control when considering the management of network media channels over dynamically switched spatial channels. We show a prototype of an SDN controller with multigranular nodes combining flexigrid DWDM switching over SDM/core switching, including transport API extensions for the new protocol layer qualifier.