Abstract
All-optical multihop networks, where the data portion of a packet is maintained in an optically encoded format from the source to the destination, can be achieved by augmenting optical switching nodes with optical buffering. Topologically, the ShuffleNet network is a strong contender for implementing such networks ranging from cluster networks to metropolitan area networks. The performance of a regular multihop network whose nodes are augmented with optical buffering and use deflection routing is evaluated. Using the ShuffleNet network as an example, we show that performance, in terms of throughput, average delay, and loss probability, can be improved as multiple fiber delay loops are added for a large range of network parameters. We then compare the performance of ShuffleNet with the Manhattan Street networks with similar features.