Abstract

SDH (Synchronous Digital Hierarchy) is the standard technology for the information transmission in broadband optical networks. Unlike the Internet, SDH networks are strictly planned; rings, meshes, stars, or tree-branches topologies are designed to connect their basic elements. In spite of that, we have found that the SDH network operated by Telefonica in Spain shares remarkable topological properties with other real complex networks empirically analyzed, such as the worldwide web network. In particular, we have found power-law scaling in the degree distribution (P(k) similar to k(-gamma)) and properties of small world networks. Considering real planning directives that take into account geographical and technological variables, we propose an ad hoc computational model that reproduces the aforementioned topological traits observed in the Spanish SDH network.