The invention relates to an optical data network (10-1) for connecting a plurality of data network nodes (N1-1, N2-1, N3-1, N4-1). The optical data network (10-1) comprises: i) the plurality of data network nodes (N1-1, N2-1, N3-1, N4-1), the data (99) comprising data packets (99p), wherein each data network node (N1-1, N2-1, N3-1, N4-1) is provided with a
network interface (Nl); and ii) a
data connection network (100-1) comprising at least one data switch (SW) and a plurality of optical connections (50) for allowing establishment of data links (DL1, DL2) between pairs of said plurality of data network nodes (N1-1, N2-1, N3-1, N4-1). At least one of the at least one data switch (SW) is a
smart data switch (SSW) comprising at least one
packet switch (PS, EPS) and at least one circuit switch (CS, OCS), At least two network interfaces are
smart network interfaces (SN, SNC) comprising a data classifier (25) configured for classifying the data packets (99p) into at least two traffic classes including first traffic class (D1) and a second traffic class (D2) in accordance with a
classification scheme. The
smart data switch (SSW) and the network interfaces (SN, SNC) are configured to
route the data packets (99p) of the first traffic class (D1) to the
packet switch (PS, EPS) and to
route the data packets (99p) of the second traffic class (D2) to the circuit switch (CS, OCS).