STARNET - A MULTI-GIGABIT-PER-SECOND OPTICAL LAN UTILIZING A PASSIVE WDM STAR

We propose a new broad-band local area network, STARNET, based on a ph ysical passive star topology. Over a single physical network, STARNET offers all users both a moderate-speed packet network and a high-speed WDM circuit interconnect. Based on these two data transport facilitie s, several topological and protocol solutions are available to the use rs. As a result, STARNET supports traffic of widely different speed an d continuity characteristics. Each node of the network requires only t wo lasers and its structure facilitates the achievement of frequency s tabilization for the whole network. An effort toward an experimental d emonstration of a 3 Gb/s per node, FDDI-compatible (at the packet netw ork level) STARNET is currently in progress at the Optical Communicati on Research Laboratory of Stanford University.