6.442  Optical Networks

This course will introduce the fundamental and practical aspects of optical network technology, architecture, design and analysis tools and techniques. The treatment of optical networks will be from the architecture and system design points of view. Optical hardware technologies will be introduced and functionally abstracterized as fundamental network building blocks on which optical transmission systems and network architectures are based. In addition to the Physical Layer, the higher network layers (Media Access Control, Network and Transport Layers) will be considered together as integral parts of network design. Performance metrics, analysis and optimization techniques will be developed to help guide the creation of high performance complex optical networks.

Prerequisites: probability theory course such as 6.041, 6.042 or equivalent