The ever-increasing demand for an effective, high-speed, high bandwidth communications network can only be met using optical fiber as the transmission media. The Handbook of Optical Communication Networks presents comprehensive, up-to-date information on integrated, state-of-the-art optical networks. Beginning with an extensive introduction to the field, it provides technical information on various aspects of these networks, from their basic concepts to research-grade material, including future trends. In chapters contributed by some of the leading experts in the field, discussions include transmission and switching, networking architectures, protocols and routing techniques, and traffic management.