Book details of 'Optical Communication Networks'

Title	Optical Communication Networks
Author(s)	Biswanath Mukherjee
ISBN	0070444358
Language	English
Published	January 1997
Publisher	McGraw Hill Text

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Reviewer Rob Slade wrote:
The book is intended as a text for a graduate level course in the networking and protocol aspects of a fibre optic based network above the physical layer. In particular, in deals with wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) architectures. While pedagogical styles, such as end of chapter exercises, are present, the author also sees the work as forming a reference for industry professionals. Part one examines the foundational technologies. Chapter one presents optical networking, and specifically WDM optical networking, as the answer to pretty much all current networking problems, based on its enormous bandwidth capabilities. However, this section also demonstrates the differing requirements of students and professionals. Where students will be able to accept statements made about technical needs for WDM networking, communications workers will be rather horrified at the cavalier dismissal of practical problems. On the other hand, the tutorial value of the exercises will not delight any classes. Many of the questions are childishly simplistic, while others rely on material that is not supplied in the text. The material on physical media, sources (lasers), and components is demanding, and would require significant background in optics. Part two looks at local optical networks in a very mathematics intensive, and quite academic manner. Chapter three reviews options for a single hop network structure and four details the Rainbow example while five discusses multihop architectures as six examines the GEMNET system. All of this text moves very quickly through basic concepts. Channel sharing and multicasting is talked about in chapter seven. In starting to look at wide area networking, in part three, chapter eight considers elements of topological design. Again, many points are passed over quite tersely. A formal method is used to obtain an optimal solution to a topological problem in chapter nine, but it specifically ignores wavelength continuity constraints. Similar shortcuts are taken in routing and minimizing frequencies used in chapter ten. Chapter eleven discusses wavelength conversion, while chapter twelve finishes up with other wavelength routing topics. Part four is a grab bag of topics. Chapter thirteen examines multiwavelength ring networks. "Feedback" loop elimination is discussed in chapter fourteen. Amplifiers may be necessary in certain optical networks, and optimising their placement is discussed in chapter fifteen. Finally, chapter sixteen looks at the other two contenders in optical networking technology, time (TDM) and code (CDM) division multiplexing. I am willing to grant that, in the hands of a knowledgeable instructor, and with proper prerequisite background, this text would be suitable for the course described. Professionals, however, will find the content abrupt and possibly impractical. In a sparsely populated field any work is valuable, but it could certainly be improved. copyright Robert M. Slade, 1999
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Book description:

Optical networks are the next revolution in technology, because they deliver the increased bandwidth demanded by the information explosion. Here is the first book to comprehensively cover this emerging wave, written for network engineers, administrators, and graduate-level students alike. It features case studies and research from pioneers at AT&T, Fujitsu, and NTT, offering hands-on knowledge that practitioners can immediately apply. The author, who is one of the few experts in this specialized field today, provides a thorough treatment of the system aspects of optical networks. His explanation of WDM (wavelength-division multiplexing) is particularly timely, as WDM is becoming the backbone for the next generation of the Internet. He also covers the hot areas of TDM (time-division multiplexing) and multicasting, explaining how these new technologies work together.