1. Proposal for a New Draft • Grid Optical Burst Switched Networks (GOBS) • A realistic optical transport technology for the near future • Optical burst switching • Separation of the control and data planes • Brings together the complimentary strengths of optics and electronics • Allows for fine-grain multiplexing of data over a single lambda • Offers transport for a wide variety of Grid applications with user/application-initiated light path setup • Direct match of application requirements (large or medium size jobs) • Can enable network to offer fine granularity bandwidth services • Efficient : “optimal” routing decision per job • Possible near bufferless operation • Deflection routing, inexpensive wavelength conversion, increasing number of channels per fiber, small FDLs

2. Proposed Outline for a New ghpn Draft • Next generation optical Grids • i.e. not only for l, escience, data intensive users • The fundamental premise of OBS for Grid applications • A dynamic photonic network for the large and the smaller user • Grid-OBS (GOBS) network elements • Technology requirements • Switch architecture & control • Control plane and signalling considerations • Protocols for end-to-end user/application initiated OBS connections • i.e. Just-In-Time (JIT) control and signalling protocol • Interoperation with existing controls i.e. GMPLS

3. Proposed Outline for a New ghpn Draft • Definition of Grid services for optical burst switching • Interaction with Grid middleware • SLAs in the OBS networks  • QoS provisioning • Application layer consideration • Physical layer considerations • Addressing blocking • Advanced network concepts and solutions • i.e. programmable, active, self organised GOBS • Security

4. Contributors • Groups already expressed interest to contribute • University of Gent: Dr Bart Dhoedt, Prof. Piet Demeester • Osaka University: Prof. Ken-ichi Kitayama • Tokyo University: Prof. Tomonori Aoyama • BUPT (Beijing university of Posts and Telecommunications): Prof. Jian Wu • University of Lancaster: Prof. David Hutchinson, Stephen Eccles • Athens Information Technology Centre: Prof. I Tomkos, Prof. A. Tzanakaki • MCNC institute: Dr Gigi Karmus Edwards • Permission is required by ghpn Open for contributions Express interest to: ghpn-wg@gridforum.org, dsimeo@essex.ac.uk