XKL is leveraging this week’s SCTE Cable-Tec show to introduce a new version of its DarkStar DWDM product line that integrates Mux/Demux filters, EDFAs (Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifiers) and OTDR.
Available within a 1U or 2U configuration based on individual requirements, the Darkstar products don’t include any hidden licensing fees.
By offering new configuration options, XKL said it could reduce CAPEX expenditures for ISPs, data centers and organizations of any size. Furthermore, this ability to combine and configure solutions that closely align with customer needs enhances ease across network procurement, deployment, management and future growth.
When customers had to add additional filters, amplifiers, or other components to their optical muxponder or transponder systems, they had to overcome various challenges. Either the provider doesn’t have those capabilities, requires the customer to architect those upgrades themselves, or charges the customer for a la carte integrations. These conventional procurement methods can be prohibitive to small and mid-sized organizations that struggle to keep costs low, require additional expertise, or want to avoid unnecessary features.
One of the key benefits of the integrated product is its flexibility. When a customer needs to expand, additional transponders or muxponders can be plugged into the existing system instead of adding amplifiers or new filter packs. These offerings are stackable and compact, delivering strong optical networking results with less equipment to manage over a smaller footprint, delivering greater control, power usage efficiency, and ease of use on a cost-sensitive business model.
“This improvement removes barriers organizations typically face when expanding their DWDM networks. For example, before this integration, customers were required to run an optical muxponder and a mux/demux amplification system separately. Now, customers need to acquire XKL’s optical muxponder to get the same results, unlocking significant advantages for ease of operation, scalability, and more,” said Chad Lamb, Chief Systems Architect for XKL.
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