Agile Cloud

This is a joint project between three large research centres in Ireland (CONNECT), US (CIAN), and Northern Ireland (University of Ulster).

The project aims at developing architectures and technology for next generation intra and inter data centre communications. We Trinity College Dublin cooperate int this project with The University of Arizona, Columbia University, Dublin City University and University of Ulster.

We aim to develop next generation optical data centre networks and their interconnection to converged access/metro networks to enable a seamless integration with the future 5G ecosystem.

Features include fast optical switching (microsecond level) at metro nodes to enable transparent interconnection between data centres (from micro to macro DCs) and from DC to 5G devices, such as mobile base stations and remote radio heads.

The 5G vision includes virtualisation of network functions at different levels, see for example the AT&T and ON.lab CORD project on central office virtualisation. Moving virtualised network function into the data centre will require an agile metro node capable of fast  switching of wavelengths, which remain transparent from the access end point all the way to the data centre, where the virtual function resides (see figure below as an example).