CORD: Optical packet-switched network testbed

We are implementing and investigating CORD, a 2.5 Gbit/s/lambda WDM packet-switched network testbed. CORD features: (i) contention resolution optics (CRO), which consist of optical switches and delay lines to perform all-optical packet contention resolution; (ii) multichannel subcarrier multiplexed (MSCM) signaling to transmit an 80 Mbit/s control channel and 2.5 Gbit/s payload data on the same wavelength; (iii) networkwide distributed slot synchronization technique with maximum slot jitter of +/-6.5 ns; (iv) novel ultrafast signaling synchronization using delay-line phase alignment for data recovery within 4 bits; and (v) pilot-tone payload data synchronization for clock recovery within 16 ns. In this article, we describe the CORD network testbed and discuss the performance and scaling potential of the technologies developed for CORD.