This is the first book to focus on IP over WDM optical networks. It not only summarizes the fundamental mechanisms and the recent development and deployment of WDM optical networks but it also details both the network and the software architectures needed to implement WDM enabled optical networks designed to transport IP traffic. The next generation network employing IP over optical networks is quickly emerging not only in the backbone but also in metro and access networks. Fiber optics revolutionizes the telecom and networking industry by offering enormous network capacity to sustain the next generation Internet growth. IP provides the only convergence layer in a global and ubiquitous Internet. So integrating IP and WDM to transport IP traffic over WDM enabled optical networks efficiently and effectively is an urgent yet important task. Covers hot areas like traffic engineering, MPLS, peer-to-peer computing, IPv6. Comprehensive overview of history, background and research. Presents all requirements for a WDM optical network (enabling technologies, optical components, software architecture, management, etc.). Performance studies and descriptions of experimental WDM optical networks guarantee the practical approach of the book. Technical engineers and network practitioners, designers and analysts, network managers and technical management personnel as well as first year graduate students or senior undergraduate students majoring in networking and/or network control and management will all find this indispensable.