IP− −: A Reduced Internet Protocol for Optical Packet Networking

Abstract

IP− − is proposed as an Internet Protocol suitable for optical packet networking. As optical routers require much faster control than electric ones and lack of optical buffers other than those by fiber delay lines requires fixed time control, Internet Protocols must be at least as simple as IPv4 and much simpler than IPv6. IP− − also addresses issues of IP address space exhaustion and IP routing table explosion.