Evolution of switching requirements in communication networks

Achille Pattavina, Visiting Erskine Fellow

Technical University of Milano

Wed Aug 04 15:10:00 NZST 2004 in Room 031, MSCS

Abstract

The evolution of communication networks from old voice networks to modern broadband data networks has seen the evolution of node switching requirements following technological progresses and technical requirements. Today a new wind has come to refurbish the old switching theory basics according to the new service needs that are emerging in current worldwide networking. It will be shown how the foundations of switching theory are being revisited so as to make it possible the provision of multicast connections in a circuit-switching environment with a given grade of service. Surprisingly enough, in some cases the complexity of switching nodes can diminish to make it possible the provisioning of new communication services.

Biography

Prof. Achille Pattavina received the degree in Electronic Engineering (Dr. Eng. degree) from University "La Sapienza" of Rome (Italy) in 1977. He was with the same University until 1991 when he moved to the Politecnico di Milano, Milan (Italy), where he is now Full Professor. He has been author of more than 100 papers in the area of Communications Networks published in leading international journals and conference proceedings. He has been author of the book Switching Theory, Architectures and Performance in Broadband ATM Networks (John Wiley & Sons). He has been Editor for Switching Architecture Performance of the IEEE Transactions on Communications since 1994 and Editor-in-Chief of the European Transactions on Telecommunications since 2001. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE Communications Society. His current main research interests are in the area of optical networks and switching theory.