Digital twins of physical optical networking infrastructure

In core networks there is a huge quantity of metrology available ranging from SNR and BER measured by the transceivers through to the input and output powers of optical amplifiers and switches.

The aim of this PhD project would be to use the metrology information, combined with the underpinning physics to create a digital twin of the physical optical network infrastructure.

Not only would the digital twin be updated in real-time, but it would also incorporate the uncertainty into the model allowing for real-time margin allocation to improve the operation of the optical network.

Ultimately it would allow the optical network to operate at the limits of performance, based on measurements of the actual infrastructure, so as to allow the throughput as a function of availability to be optimised, to give the best user experience of a given installed infrastructure.