I was thinking the exact same thing. Google controls their own network, so they can implement a centrally-managed, circuit-based networking scheme.
Telephone networks tend to use these (on a scheme called SS7[1]) because in most countries, the telephone networks were built by monopolies. It was possible to develop the entire network as a single system and thus to obtain very high efficiencies for certain use cases.
Google goes a step further. What they seem to have done is married circuit-based networking with batch planning. The network itself is circuit based -- rather than each packet "finding" its own way, it can be routed end-to-end by a central plan. But the decision of what to move when can also be planned. Note the reference to "simulating a load". That's similar to what mainframe batch planning achieves.
Telephone networks tend to use these (on a scheme called SS7[1]) because in most countries, the telephone networks were built by monopolies. It was possible to develop the entire network as a single system and thus to obtain very high efficiencies for certain use cases.
Google goes a step further. What they seem to have done is married circuit-based networking with batch planning. The network itself is circuit based -- rather than each packet "finding" its own way, it can be routed end-to-end by a central plan. But the decision of what to move when can also be planned. Note the reference to "simulating a load". That's similar to what mainframe batch planning achieves.
As usual, everything old is new again.
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signalling_System_No._7