Stackelberg Game With Multi-Agent Transformer for ISRS-Aware Resource Re-Optimization in Multi-Band Optical Networks

Abstract

The rapid expansion of generative AI is driving computing infrastructures toward interconnected AI data centers. Multi-band optical networks have become the backbone of such connectivity. To accommodate increasingly dynamic traffic demands, these networks require continual resource re-optimization to improve resource utilization and reduce service blocking. However, multi-band transmission amplifies inter-channel stimulated Raman scattering (ISRS), inducing nonlinear coupling among services. This coupling complicates re-optimization, as local adjustments perturb the global power profile, creating interdependent optimization decisions across services. Moreover, the nonlinear interactions vary with the subset of services selected for re-optimization, and inappropriate selection may reduce re-optimization effectiveness or diminish achievable benefits. To address these challenges, we propose a Stackelberg Game with Multi-Agent Transformer (SG-MAT) approach for ISRS-aware resource re-optimization. SG-MAT employs a leader–follower structure, in which the MAT-based follower models nonlinear coupling and generates coordinated channel reallocations, feeding the utilization improvements to the leader. Using this feedback, the leader identifies critical service subsets, approximating a Stackelberg equilibrium to guide global decisions and enabling consistent and efficient re-optimization. Simulation results show that SG-MAT achieves the highest utilization improvement and reduces the blocking ratio by approximately 30% under moderate traffic loads, with computational complexity comparable to benchmarks.