DESTELLO - Dynamic flexible orchestration of data centers and programmable elastic optical networks and systems

Future 5G networks have stringent requirements in terms of latency and bandwidth, in order to support the forecasted growth in mobile data traffic and the need for unified computing, storage and networking services.

In this context, the DESTELLO project aims at performing research in new flexible, scalable and cost-efficient architectures, systems and algorithms – both from a theoretical and experimental perspective – in order to conceive a solution for interconnecting distributed data centers via optical networks allowing the aforementioned services. This main macroscopic objective involves several key technologies and research topics: first, new optical transport networks with programmable and elastic optical systems and subsystems including the design, assessment, optimization and implementation of sliceable transceivers based on multicarrier technology, exploiting multidimensionality. Second, the conception of a transport network operating system based on the SDN paradigm, to allow the abstraction and programmability of network control functions and protocols, enabling end-to-end provisioning and virtual network services across heterogeneous multi-domain and multi-layer transport networks supporting multi-tenancy. This requires new traffic engineering and resource allocation algorithms along with abstraction and control mechanisms. Third, the development of a unified operating system for end-to-end network function virtualization (NFV) and service chaining, based on the orchestration of distributed data center resources (compute and storage) and heterogeneous transport network resources, to dynamically manage virtual machines and connectivity. This will require the design and evaluation of new algorithms for the joint allocation of computing, storage and networking resources such as virtual network function placement.

DESTELLO covers the prototype development, integration and experimental performance evaluation, leveraging the available experimental infrastructures and lab facilities, such as the CTTC ADRENALINE testbed. DESTELLO focuses to Reto 7 “Economía y Sociedad Digital” of “Programa Estatal de Investigación Orientada a los Retos de la Sociedad”. The results of DESTELLO will strengthen the Spanish R&D system in ICTs while fostering the deployment of networks and services to guarantee the digital connectivity of end users. It also addresses the challenges in the European Commission work program (WP) 2014-2015 and the draft of WP 2016-2017 for the Information and Communication Technologies of Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies of the Horizon 2020, supporting an access agnostic converged core network, supporting next generation services and integrating next generation devices and allowing the deployment and management of densely interconnected and decentralized data center infrastructures.

DESTELLO work plan and methodology is organized in five workpackages, covering the aforementioned objectives. DESTELLO is a natural continuation of the past research projects carried by the group, which has a strong background in the previous topics and an excellent publication record, combining the expertise of two complementary research areas, optical transmission systems and network control and service management.

DESTELLO aims at having a scientific, social and economic impact by disseminating main results and a commitment to perform technology transfer to interested potential customers.