Optical network management standards are just emerging, management is required within and across layers. Have a prototype management system that covers network elements, network controllers and the network layer. Want to position network as transport platform for NGI research. A major gating factor for introducing new technology is managing it, another factor is how to roll it in to an existing operational networking. There is some redundancy in particular at the ATM layer, and of course IP recovers from problems.
Collaboration is mainly with agencies and universities.
Includes QoS. The core infrastructure technologies are connection-less IP with connection oriented ATM up to 622 Mbps. There are challenges to how to integrate the technologies. Overlay of IP over connection ATM with transition between fixed size ATM cell and larger IP packets. Adapting solution from Ipsilon - high speed router with ATM as switching fabric. Traffic characterization allows the generation of realistic traffic models.