The deployment of private WDM networks

Technology that debuted in the public switched network has been moving, over recent years, into private networks. While there is no need to justify Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) in the public switched network, which makes good use of higher capacity equipment, the cost effectiveness of private WDM networks is not at all clear. In this paper, we investigate of deploying WDM with Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) networks. The WDM networks provide the physical layer; the ATM networks form a logical layer, using light paths from the WDM network. There are 4 different benefits to be derived from such an arrangement, including the possibility of reduced network cost. An algorithm for the design of logical networks is developed. This algorithm has been incorporated in the Intrepid network design tool.