Design and performance analysis of a survivable metropolitan area fiber optic communication network

Abstract

The emergence of fiber optic communication technology as a viable alternative to the prevailing copper based network architectures has made it possible to capitalize on the inherent advantages of fiber which include high bandwidth, long regenerator distances and low cost. The focus of this project is to design a survivable and cost effective fiber optic communication network as a proposal for possible deployment in the city of Yaounde, Cameroon. The network comprises 100 nodes of which five are hubs, two gateways, and fourteen special central offices (COs) . It also has 141 linkS, each of them a candidate for possible fiber deployment. Computer analysis tools are used to generate an optimal topology that meets the specified route diversity constraints as well as the end-to-end DS3 demand requirements. Finally, several candidate architectures are investigated and a proposed model is selected based on how well it meets the design specifications as well as cost and survivability constraints. However, it should be noted that the final cost figures, derived from present US cost figures, will have to be adjusted to accommodate local reality and that the design methodology assumes a desert model (i.e. no pre-existing fiber conduits).