Novel Application of Quantum Computing for Routing and Spectrum Assignment in Flexi-Grid Optical Networks
Flexi-grid technology has revolutionized optical networking by enabling Elastic Optical Networks (EONs) that offer greater flexibility and dynamism compared to traditional fixed-grid systems. As data traffic continues to grow exponentially, the need for efficient and scalable solutions to the routin...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-10-01
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| Series: | Photonics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/11/11/1023 |
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| author | Oumayma Bouchmal Bruno Cimoli Ripalta Stabile Juan Jose Vegas Olmos Carlos Hernandez Ricardo Martinez Ramon Casellas Idelfonso Tafur Monroy |
| author_facet | Oumayma Bouchmal Bruno Cimoli Ripalta Stabile Juan Jose Vegas Olmos Carlos Hernandez Ricardo Martinez Ramon Casellas Idelfonso Tafur Monroy |
| author_sort | Oumayma Bouchmal |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Flexi-grid technology has revolutionized optical networking by enabling Elastic Optical Networks (EONs) that offer greater flexibility and dynamism compared to traditional fixed-grid systems. As data traffic continues to grow exponentially, the need for efficient and scalable solutions to the routing and spectrum assignment (RSA) problem in EONs becomes increasingly critical. The RSA problem, being NP-Hard, requires solutions that can simultaneously address both spatial routing and spectrum allocation. This paper proposes a novel quantum-based approach to solving the RSA problem. By formulating the problem as a Quadratic Unconstrained Binary Optimization (QUBO) model, we employ the Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) to effectively solve it. Our approach is specifically designed to minimize end-to-end delay while satisfying the continuity and contiguity constraints of frequency slots. Simulations conducted using the Qiskit framework and IBM-QASM simulator validate the effectiveness of our method. We applied the QAOA-based RSA approach to small network topology, where the number of nodes and frequency slots was constrained by the limited qubit count on current quantum simulator. In this small network, the algorithm successfully converged to an optimal solution in less than 30 iterations, with a total runtime of approximately 10.7 s with an accuracy of <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mn>78.8</mn><mo>%</mo></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>. Additionally, we conducted a comparative analysis between QAOA, integer linear programming, and deep reinforcement learning methods to evaluate the performance of the quantum-based approach relative to classical techniques. This work lays the foundation for future exploration of quantum computing in solving large-scale RSA problems in EONs, with the prospect of achieving quantum advantage as quantum technology continues to advance. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e7bd2f9b7b6f48fda5f41a50dffaa9b1 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2304-6732 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Photonics |
| spelling | doaj-art-e7bd2f9b7b6f48fda5f41a50dffaa9b12025-08-20T02:04:55ZengMDPI AGPhotonics2304-67322024-10-011111102310.3390/photonics11111023Novel Application of Quantum Computing for Routing and Spectrum Assignment in Flexi-Grid Optical NetworksOumayma Bouchmal0Bruno Cimoli1Ripalta Stabile2Juan Jose Vegas Olmos3Carlos Hernandez4Ricardo Martinez5Ramon Casellas6Idelfonso Tafur Monroy7Department of Electrical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), 5612 AZ Eindhoven, The NetherlandsDepartment of Electrical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), 5612 AZ Eindhoven, The NetherlandsDepartment of Electrical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), 5612 AZ Eindhoven, The NetherlandsNVIDIA Corporation, Yokneam Illit 2066730, IsraelCentre Tecnològic de Telecomunicacions de Catalunya (CTTC-CERCA), 08860 Castelldefels, SpainCentre Tecnològic de Telecomunicacions de Catalunya (CTTC-CERCA), 08860 Castelldefels, SpainCentre Tecnològic de Telecomunicacions de Catalunya (CTTC-CERCA), 08860 Castelldefels, SpainDepartment of Electrical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), 5612 AZ Eindhoven, The NetherlandsFlexi-grid technology has revolutionized optical networking by enabling Elastic Optical Networks (EONs) that offer greater flexibility and dynamism compared to traditional fixed-grid systems. As data traffic continues to grow exponentially, the need for efficient and scalable solutions to the routing and spectrum assignment (RSA) problem in EONs becomes increasingly critical. The RSA problem, being NP-Hard, requires solutions that can simultaneously address both spatial routing and spectrum allocation. This paper proposes a novel quantum-based approach to solving the RSA problem. By formulating the problem as a Quadratic Unconstrained Binary Optimization (QUBO) model, we employ the Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) to effectively solve it. Our approach is specifically designed to minimize end-to-end delay while satisfying the continuity and contiguity constraints of frequency slots. Simulations conducted using the Qiskit framework and IBM-QASM simulator validate the effectiveness of our method. We applied the QAOA-based RSA approach to small network topology, where the number of nodes and frequency slots was constrained by the limited qubit count on current quantum simulator. In this small network, the algorithm successfully converged to an optimal solution in less than 30 iterations, with a total runtime of approximately 10.7 s with an accuracy of <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mn>78.8</mn><mo>%</mo></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>. Additionally, we conducted a comparative analysis between QAOA, integer linear programming, and deep reinforcement learning methods to evaluate the performance of the quantum-based approach relative to classical techniques. This work lays the foundation for future exploration of quantum computing in solving large-scale RSA problems in EONs, with the prospect of achieving quantum advantage as quantum technology continues to advance.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/11/11/1023flexi-gridelastic optical networksrouting and spectrum assignmentquantumcomputingquantum approximate optimization algorithmquadratic unconstrained binary optimization |
| spellingShingle | Oumayma Bouchmal Bruno Cimoli Ripalta Stabile Juan Jose Vegas Olmos Carlos Hernandez Ricardo Martinez Ramon Casellas Idelfonso Tafur Monroy Novel Application of Quantum Computing for Routing and Spectrum Assignment in Flexi-Grid Optical Networks Photonics flexi-grid elastic optical networks routing and spectrum assignment quantumcomputing quantum approximate optimization algorithm quadratic unconstrained binary optimization |
| title | Novel Application of Quantum Computing for Routing and Spectrum Assignment in Flexi-Grid Optical Networks |
| title_full | Novel Application of Quantum Computing for Routing and Spectrum Assignment in Flexi-Grid Optical Networks |
| title_fullStr | Novel Application of Quantum Computing for Routing and Spectrum Assignment in Flexi-Grid Optical Networks |
| title_full_unstemmed | Novel Application of Quantum Computing for Routing and Spectrum Assignment in Flexi-Grid Optical Networks |
| title_short | Novel Application of Quantum Computing for Routing and Spectrum Assignment in Flexi-Grid Optical Networks |
| title_sort | novel application of quantum computing for routing and spectrum assignment in flexi grid optical networks |
| topic | flexi-grid elastic optical networks routing and spectrum assignment quantumcomputing quantum approximate optimization algorithm quadratic unconstrained binary optimization |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/11/11/1023 |
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