Oclaro, Inc. (NASDAQ: OCLR) has introduced a new Add/Drop Routing Platform with a wide range of functions that customers can choose from to design their next-generation multi-degree, colorless, directionless, contentionless, and flexible-grid (CDC-Flex) ROADM networks for carrying channels at 100 Gbps and higher.
The new Oclaro platform, which features technologies such as switching, arrayed amplification, advanced control, and monitoring, can be offered either as a line card, a managed subsystem, or a “super module.” This platform enables customers to include or trade off specific functions to meet their performance and time-to-market requirements when designing next-generation ROADM networks. This new platform also offers improved density and cost-efficiencies for a wide range of configurations while meeting the performance requirements of next-generation fiber-optic networks, Oclaro claims.
The new Add/Drop Routing Platform encompasses a wide range of features and functions that customers need to future-proof their next-generation networks. Key components include:
- Highly integrated cost- and space-efficient amplified multi-cast switches with variable optical attenuation (VOA) functionality for CDC-Flex add/drop routing in multi-degree ROADM architectures.
- Advanced arrayed optical amplifier implementations leveraging Oclaro’s 980-nm pump portfolio that now also includes Oclaro’s uncooled dual-chip pumps. These pumps offer power reduction and enable cost-effective high-density designs, the company asserts.
- Multi-port flexible-grid optical channel monitor (OCM) that rapidly measures channel powers and frequencies of eight DWDM input ports with the accuracy needed for flexible-grid network applications. The OCM offers enhanced flexibility and incorporates features such as port or channel dwelling and prioritization for signal analysis.
- Embedded control features to provide fast transient management and advanced signal processing capabilities to support the network intelligence required by next-generation networks while also meeting stringent space and power constraints. This platform builds on field-proven control architectures to enable rapid and reliable development of highly integrated add/drop routing functionality, Oclaro asserts.
A typical add/drop application using the products would be targeted at four- or eight-degree CDC-Flex node architectures with each unit (whether a line card, a managed subsystem, or a super module) supporting up to 16 transponders per card. The right form factors (including single-slot) are achieved through a high degree of integration and controller consolidation, which also lowers cost. Such low density is a highly desirable feature for next-generation multi-terabit network equipment.
“The flexibility of the add/drop routing platform enables customers to specify customized subsystems that can meet their cost, density and time-to-market requirements while giving them the freedom to create truly differentiated network solutions,” said Per Hansen, vice-president of product marketing, optical networks solutions, Oclaro. “Leveraging Oclaro’s recognized strengths in vertical integration combined with a broad set of optical networking components and subsystems, this new platform essentially assembles leading-edge functionalities into a highly integrated and compact platform solution.”
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