How the Asymmetric Nature of IP Traffic Influences the Cost of the Underlying Optical Layer

In this article the influence of the asymmetric nature of (IP) traffic on the cost of the underlying optical transport network is investigated over a time frame of six years using a realistic traffic forecast for a European fiber-optic network. The currently deployed transport networks contain bidirectional optical line systems and are thus inherently symmetric, although the traffic that has to be conveyed over those networks is asymmetric. This article shows that a cost reduction of up to 38% can be obtained if the bidirectional line systems are replaced by unidirectional ones.