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Handling contention resolution and congestion control in optical burst switching (OBS) for 5G networks

  • Amit Kumar Garg EMAIL logo
Published/Copyright: December 3, 2025
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Abstract

Optical Burst Switching (OBS) is emerging as a promising framework for the next wave of high-speed transport networks, but it does face significant challenges like burst contention and network congestion that can compromise performance. This paper presents the Adaptive Contention Resolution Protocol (ACRP), which merges proactive and reactive strategies to address these issues. The protocol’s performance has been evaluated through comprehensive simulations on the NSFNET topology. The results reveal that proposed ACRP outshines in comparison to traditional techniques like Just-Enough-Time (JET) with Tail-Drop and Basic Deflection Routing, achieving as much as a 40% reduction in Burst Loss Probability (BLP) and a 30% enhancement in average end-to-end delay under heavy load. These findings highlight the importance of adaptive solutions for the resilience of future optical transport networks.


Corresponding author: Amit Kumar Garg, Department of Electronics & Communication Engineering, Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science & Technology, Murthal-131039, Sonepat (HR), India, E-mail:

Acknowledgments

NSFNET for Simulations.

  1. Research ethics: Not applicable.

  2. Informed consent: Not applicable.

  3. Author contributions: The author has accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.

  4. Use of Large Language Models, AI and Machine Learning Tools: None declared.

  5. Conflict of interest: No conflict of interest.

  6. Research funding: None declared.

  7. Data availability: Not applicable.

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Received: 2025-10-31
Accepted: 2025-11-12
Published Online: 2025-12-03

© 2025 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

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