About ALLEGRO ‘Agile ultra low energy secure networks’
ALLEGRO aims at designing and validating a novel end-to-end sliceable, reliable, and secure architecture for next-generation optical networks, achieving high transmission/switching capacity
- with 10 Tb/s for optoelectronic devices and 1 Pbt/s for optical fiber systems
- low power consumption/cost
- with > 25% savings
- and secure infrastructures and data transfers.
The architecture relies on key enabling innovations:
- smart, coherent transceivers exploiting multi-band & multi-fiber technologies for P2P and P2MP applications, based on e.g., high-speed plasmonic modulators/photodetectors and programmable silicon photonic integrated waveguide meshes;
- loss-less, energy-efficient transparent photonic integrated optical switches, eliminating OEO conversions, e.g., with on-chip amplification in the O-band for datacom applications;
- a consistent approach to security, in terms of functional/ protocol architectures and communications, further improving QKD systems, enabling optical channel co-existence and researching on quantum-resistant (post-quantum) cryptography, developing systems based on physically unclonable functions; and
- a scalable AI/ML assisted control and orchestration system, responsible for autonomous networking, dynamic and constrained service provisioning, function placement and resource allocation, leveraging devices increasing programmability and overall network softwarization.
To achieve the target objectives and KPIs, ALLEGRO has defined a clear methodology ending in ambitious demonstrators. The consortium includes a good balance of industry and research/academia with know-how in complementary fields.
The results of ALLEGRO will be disseminated in leading conferences, events, and high-impact journals. They will have a concrete and measurable economic and social impact, contributing towards achieving key European objectives, reinforcing European leadership and digital sovereignty in the ongoing digital and green transition.
Project News
New IEEE JSAC Publication on Multi-Band Elastic Optical Networks
A new research article titled “Synergizing Hyper-Accelerated Power Optimization and Wavelength-Dependent QoT-Aware Cross-Layer Design in Next-Generation Multi-Band EONs” has been published in the IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications (JSAC), May 2025 issue....
SDN-enabled CV-QKD and Classical Channels Coexistence: Key Insights for DWDM Networks
We are pleased to announce the publication of our article: SDN-enabled CV-QKD and Classical Channels Coexistence: Key Insights for Dense Wavelength Division MultiplexingMasab Iqbal et al.Journal of Optical Communications and Networking (JOCN), Volume 17, Pages...
Continuous Variable QKD in Flexible Optical Networks for Future Quantum Secure Connectivity
We are pleased to share our recently published journal article: Continuous Variable QKD in Flexible Optical Networks for Future Quantum Secure ConnectivityMichela Svaluto Moreolo, Masab Iqbal, Arturo Villegas, Ramon Casellas, Laia Nadal Reixats & Raul MuñozJournal...
An Overview of SDN Control of Multi-Band over SDM Optical Networks with Physical Layer Impairments
We are proud to announce the publication of our article: An Overview of SDN Control of Multi-Band over SDM Optical Networks with Physical Layer ImpairmentsR. Casellas, R. Martínez, R. Vilalta & R. MuñozJournal of Optical Communications and Networking (JOCN), Vol....
Experimental Investigation on the Fundamental Physical-Layer Capabilities for Converged Metro-Access Architectures using Coherent Transceivers
We are pleased to announce the publication of our work: Experimental Investigation on the Fundamental Physical-Layer Capabilities for Converged Metro-Access Architectures using Coherent Transceivers now available online. Overview:With the rapid evolution of optical...
New Publication in Journal of Optical Communications and NetworkingAnalysis and experimental demonstration of possible architectures for future coherent metro+PON converged networks
We are pleased to announce the publication of our invited research article in the Journal of Optical Communications and Networking: Giuseppe Rizzelli, Mariacristina Casasco, Valter Ferrero, Annachiara Pagano, and Roberto Gaudino,“Analysis and experimental...
New Publication in Optics ExpressLow complexity neural network equalizer for nonlinear mitigation in digital subcarrier multiplexing systems
We are proud to announce the publication of our research article in Optics Express: Sasipim Srivallapanondh, Pedro Freire, Giuseppe Parisi, Mariano Devigili, Nelson Costa, Bernhard Spinnler, Antonio Napoli, Jaroslaw E. Prilepsky, and Sergei K. Turitsyn,“Low complexity...
New Publication in Journal of Optical Communications and Networking
We are delighted to announce the publication of our invited article:“Optical switching for data centers and advanced computing systems [Invited]”Authored by Giannis Patronas; Nikos Terzenidis; Prethvi Kashinkunti; Eitan Zahavi; Dimitris Syrivelis; Louis Capps;...
New Publication at SPIE Photonics West 2025
We are pleased to highlight the release of our latest work: “Optical switching for AI computing systems”Authors: Paraskevas Bakopoulos; G. Patronas; N. Terzenidis; P. Kashinkunti; E. Zahavi; D. Syrivelis; L. Capps; Z-A Wertheimer; N. Argyris; A. Fevgas; C. Thompson;...
New Journal Publication Future Generation Computer Systems: Designing optimal Quantum Key Distribution Networks based on Time-Division Multiplexing of QKD transceivers: qTDM-QKDN
Authors: Juan Carlos Hernández-Hernández, David Larrabeiti, María Calderón, Ignacio Soto, Bruno Cimoli, Hui Liu, Idelfonso Tafur MonroyJournal: Future Generation Computer Systems, Vol. 164, 2025, Article 107557, ISSN 0167-739X. DOI: 10.1016/j.future.2024.107557 🔍...