Batch scheduling algorithms for optical burst switching networks

Previously proposed wavelength scheduling algorithms in optical burst switching networks process each reservation request individually and in a greedy manner. In this paper we propose a new family of wavelength scheduling algorithms that process a batch of reservation requests together instead of processing them one by one. When a control burst with a reservation request arrives to a free batch scheduler, the scheduler waits for a small amount of time, called the acceptance delay, before deciding to accept or reject the reservation request. After the acceptance delay has passed, the scheduler processes all the reservation requests that have arrived during the acceptance delay, then it accepts the requests that will maximize the utilization of the wavelength channels. We describe an optimal batch scheduler that serves as an upper bound on the performance of batch scheduling algorithms. Furthermore, we introduce two heuristic batch scheduling algorithms. The performance of the proposed algorithms is evaluated using a discrete-event simulation model. Simulation results suggest that batch schedulers could decrease the blocking probability by 25% compared to the best previously known wavelength scheduling algorithm.