ORION trials 400G optical network with Alcatel-Lucent

The 400G field trials are coming thick and fast. The latest was carried out by Ontario Research and Innovation Optical Network (ORION), which reports the successful completion of field test of 400G optical transmission over its live research and education (R&E) network.

The test on the ORION fiber-optic network was conducted with optical transport systems vendor Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) between ORION's point of presence (PoP) on Front Street in downtown Toronto and another PoP located inside York University's campus in North York.

The results of the test demonstrate the ORION network is 400G capable, which could open new opportunities for Ontario researchers, educators, and innovators as they collaborate on local, national, and international projects, the organization claims.

ORION interconnects all of Ontario's universities, most colleges, several teaching hospitals, public research facilities, and a growing number of Ontario's school boards and to global networks, supporting nearly 2 million users in total.

ORION says it was the first in Canada to deploy a 100G network and remains one of the largest and fastest networks in the world. ORION's fiber-optic network has 27 points of presence across Ontario with connections to other R&E and carrier networks.

Ontario neuroscientists use big data in the Ontario Brain Institute's Brain-CODE project, which involves transferring terabytes of genetic imaging and clinical data over the ORION network as they collaborate with one another.

The field test used Alcatel-Lucent's 1830 Photonic Service Switch PSS powered by the 400G Photonic Service Engine (PSE). The technology used in the 400G PSE was developed by Bell Labs, the research arm of Alcatel-Lucent.

Similar field tests of this size of extreme data have been conducted elsewhere, but this represents the first field test conducted on a dedicated research and education network in North America, the organization claims.

Said Dr. Darin Graham, CEO and president of ORION, "Ontario's research, education, and innovation communities depend on ORION's digital infrastructure to develop solutions for the world's toughest problems. Our user's needs continue to expand exponentially, making this field test critical in preparing for future demand. ORION and Ontario will be ready."

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