An Optical IP Switch

This paper discusses the design of an "Optical IP Switch". The Optical IP Switch combines Multiprotocol Label Switching [1][2][3] with optical switch technology in an innovative design that allows the Optical IP Switch to switch traffic in an IP network without processing the individual IP packets in "electronics". By eliminating the electronics from the data path through the switch, the Optical IP Switch can handle very high traffic volumes. This is likely to become important in the future since Internet traffic is expected to continue to grow at a high rate for the foreseeable future.