Research Areas

Optical Transport Networks

• Optical packet, burst and circuit switched networks
• High speed (i.e. 160 G) optical systems and networks
• Multi-granular optical subsystems and systems
• Network planning and design
• Gridless/Elastic optical networks
• Architecture on Demand

Grid / Cloud Networking

• Optical Grids
• Integrated management of IT and network resources
• Dimensioning Studies (i.e. optimization of the location and capacity of IT and network resources)
• Consumer Grids
• Cloud Computing

Application-Aware Network

• Active optical network architectures and technologies
• Service oriented optical networks

Network and Service Management

• Control and management plane development for service discovery and service provisioning
• Infrastructure virtualization technologies, architectures and tools
• NDL (Network Description Language) and RDL (Resource Description Language) framework
• Service oriented and application aware networking

Network services for Ultra High Performance Media

Software Hardware Defined Adaptable Networking (SHDAN)

• Framework for adaptable and on demand networking via software and hardware definition
• Agile networking elements with self-learning capability coordinated by network management system
• Programmable and flexible network protocols/algorithms/functionalities
• Application/Service/Environment-aware networking

Hardware Accelerated Networking using High Performance FPGA and Embedded System Platforms

• Hardware accelerated control plane
• Design, development and implementation of high-speed algorithms, e.g. impairment-aware routing and wavelength assignment
• GMPLS hardware acceleration


• Hardware accelerated data plane
• 10/100 Gb/s data processor
• Application/Service-aware traffic management and shaping


• Network Emulation On-Chip (NEOC)

Performance Evaluation of Computer Networks - "TouchStone" Framework

• Analytical modelling of computer networks and systems
• Simulation studies (OPNET Modeller)
• Network Management and Monitoring


• Virtual Lab (VLAB) - Emulation facilities
• An Emulab-based emulation test bed, catering researchers with various emulated environments.
• Applications: Research and Educational purposes
• Some of the Potential research area:
• Software-defined networking
• Grid/Cloud computing
• Virtualization
• Cross-layer optimization studies
• Network services for Ultra High Performance Media


• Support tools/activities
• Application specific models/tools in C/C++, MATLAB

Software Defined Networking (SDN)

• Software-Defined Networking (SDN) is a novel approach to networking that gives network operators better control over their networks allowing them to optimize network performance and operation to best their needs as well as their customers requirements. Software Defined Networking also paves the way for network researchers to test their innovative ideas (protocols) at scale, on real networks and with real user traffic.


• The SDN approach was developed through research collaboration among Stanford University, the University of California Berkley, The University of Washington, Princeton University, Washington University in Saint Louis, and MIT.


• A key instantiation of the SDN approach is a technology called OpenFlow. OpenFlow defines a protocol by which an external device, commonly called a controller, can add, remove and modify forwarding table entries in the data-plane of a switch. More information can be found here (www.opennetworkingfoundation.org) and here (www.openflow.org).


• In the HPNG we are investigating the following research strands:
• OpenFlow switch is essentially layer less in concept, so we are investigating the various approaches to extend OpenFlow concept to the circuit switched (optical networks) domain.
• Optical Network virtualization: An OpenFlow-based approach
• Inter-domain functionality of OpenFlow based networks
• Interworking of GMPLS and OpenFlow


• HPN is participating in OFELIA and FIBRE (OpenFlow related) projects.

For more information please contact us (Contact Page)