Optical switch port density for major Metropolitan areas
`
`OXC's- The Centerpiece
`of all Optical Network
`
`MARKffiDBY:
`
`PREPARED BY:
`
`B&C Consulting Servites
`c.hoOidcy@ieee.org
`
`www.igigroup.com
`
`0001
`
`Capella 2010
`Ciena/Coriant/Fujitsu v. Capella
`IPR2015-00816
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`
`Table of Contents
`
`Th.BLE OF CONTENTS ......................................................................... 2
`TABLE OF FIGURES .............................................................................. 7
`SUMI\IIARY OF CONCEPTS ................................................................. 9
`UPDATE INTRODUCI'ION .................................................................. 12
`INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................... 12
`WE HAD A BOTILENECK; NOW WE RAVE GRIDLOCK ...• -
`.......... - ......... 12
`WHAT ARE OXCS? ................................................................................. 14
`UPDATE STATEMENT ... ·-····-....................... -·········-·····-·········-.. ··- ............. 14
`WHEN IS A SWITCH REALLY A SWITCH"/ ············-····-············-················ 14
`''S~t•ilt:h"Tvpey ················-···· ... ····~·····-······ .. ·······-······· .. ······-·····-···-··············-····· J4
`Routers-······-·····-······-······-······-······-·······-······-······-······-······-······-····-····-·· 14
`TOM SwUches ......• -········-·····-·········-··············-········-························-· ...• IS
`ATM -············································································································ IS
`IP Switches··········-·····-·········-·······-······-······-······················-······-······-······ 16
`DACS ·········-···························-····································································· 16
`.................. 16
`OXC\·- Tire Ctmt:ryieccofiJu:rlll..fJptic·6l NtJftlt•orJt ................................... _
`Drivers to DACS Deployment ................................. - ........ - ........... - ..................... 16
`The Parallel Universe of OXCs ...... _ .........•• _ ........................................................ 17
`General Features ol an OXC ·-·········-··········-········-··········-··········-········ 18
`TECIJN'OLOGIES .u .......................................................... - ....................... 19
`UPDATE STATE~'ffiNT ··········-··········-····························-·········-·····-····-······· 19
`UNDERLYING TECHNOLOGffiS ·-··- ·········-····- ···-···-····-····-····-····-····-· 19
`REVT.EW OF BASIC TECHNOLOGIES-·····-···············-·····-·······-·····-·····-·· 19
`(1/iO .. -····-·····-···-····-····················· .. ·-·····-···-···-···-····-·····-···········-···· 19
`OED Vendors·····-········ .. ···-·····-········ .. •••••••··•······•••·••••·•••·••••·•···••··•••••·•··••••·•· 20
`~MS -···-····-····-·····-····--··--···-····-·····-·····-············-····-·····-············-·· 20
`••••• _ •••••• _ •••.• 20
`TwoA.oprfXlClleStQ/l<fE!l1S -····-······~ ............................. _ ................. _
`Digital Approach······-································-·····"''""''"-········-······-····"·········· 20
`Analog Approach ...• - .. ····-···············-····-···············-····-····························· 21
`J\1£,\oJS Det•tt/opers at1d Vendt1rs .............. ,_,,, •••• ,_,,, ...................... ,_,,, •• ,.,_,,, .................. 22
`ADC ···-··-····-····-····-·····-····-·····-···················-····-·····-····-···-····-· 22
`Ag...., Systems-············-············-······-····-····-·····-····-····-·····-····-···· 22
`Astarte Fiber Networks··················-······························································· 23
`C Speed Corp. ························-········································································ 23
`Calient Networks ................................................................................................... 23
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`Coming ·······-····- ····- ····-·················-····- ····-····-··········-····-····- ····-···· 24
`CoreTek (NorteQ ... -········- ········- ·············- ········- ········-··-·········- ····· .. ·- · 24
`Cronos (JDS Uniphase) ·······-·····-······-·····-··············- ··············- ············· 25
`lnlelliSense Corp. (Corning) ·····-·······-·····-····-··············-···-·············- ... 25
`Lucent·-·-·-··-····-·····-·····-····-··-·-·-·--····-·····-·····-····-· 26
`Nanovation ................... _ ....................... - ........... _.,,.,_ ..•.. - ............................. _,,,,,_,,,. 2·6
`Onix Microsystems, Inc. ................................................................................................ 27
`Optical Micro Machines (OMM) ········ -·····-
`··················· -·····-
`········- ······ 28
`TexaslnstrumeniS ···-·····-.. ·-·····- ·····-····-·····- ······-.. ·-·····- ······-···· 28
`Xros (Nortel)·-··--·····-····--··-······-···--····-·····-····-·····-····· 29
`LCD ································-·---················································································· 29
`LCD De••elliiHJI'S tJtul \~ndtirs ............................................................................................ 30
`Corning --·-·-·-·-·········· ... ··········································································-·-·-· 30
`Chorum ................................................................................................................. 30
`SpectraSwltch ....................................................................................................... 31
`Bubbles (lnkjel) - Planer Lightwave Circuits .................•..•..•.....••.••..••.••.••.••.••.•••••.•• 31
`- - - - -·- - 32
`PLC Dt-.•t:llJm'N 011d Vt'.lldOI$ -~-
`--- 32
`Agllent --·-----
`Lightwave Mlcrosystems .......................................................
`33
`Kymala, Ltd.{Aicatel) ............................................................................................ 33
`OMO •.••.•••.••.••.••.••..••••..•..•..•.......................................•..•..•..•..••..•..•..••.••••••••.••.••.••.••.••••• 34
`• 3S
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`-·-·-·-··············································· .. ••••• .. ·····-·-·--
`SUMMARY OF CHARACfERlSTICS OF EACH TECHNOLOGY ······ - - 35
`BASIC NEEDS OF TECHNOLOGY FOR OXCS .......................
`.... 36
`C't1n1I!!J!i,"on ofTransparerJt and {)nague ,'\'t6•iJches ...................................................... ~ •. ~ 36
`Examples ofAoofiroliotr!l o{'JhmS()(lrt:fll tmd Op(J(Jut. OXCt ·- ·- ··-·- ·- · ... ·- ·- ·- ··-·- ·- ..... 37
`INSERTION LOSS PROBLEMS OF TRANSPARENT SWITCHES--- 38
`STRUCTUREOFOXCS .... ----·-·-································································· 40
`lntportaJIC£ o!Cios O'et..•orks ................................................... - •••••••• -·-·-·····-·-·-·-·-· 40
`CLASSES OF OXCS ························-·-·-·--·-------·-·-·-·-····················· 41
`... ................................................................. 42
`FXC .........................................
`• ....................................................................................... 42
`IYSXC .......
`····-····- ·····-·····- ···················· ... •· 43
`····-
`····-
`····-
`\YIXC ····-·····-·····-····-····-····-
`Su.,ullllfY_nj fi'Mtures hy (.'lat.\' . _.. ................................................... .._. ..................... .._. ...... 44
`lt'"?l'rlance t1fTunahle La.ters ............ ,,,_, ................... - ........ - ........ _ .. ,, ............ _.. .......... 45
`Developers and Vendors ot Tunable Lasers······-············-············-········· 46
`Tunable Lasers Vendors Usl····-·····-·····-·····-·······-········-·········-···· 47
`ADC ··-····-····-·····-·····-· ... ·•······•······•······•·····•······•······•······•·····•······•······•···· 47
`Altirun AB ···-·····-····-··············-····-·····-···············-····-·· .. ··················-··· 47
`Alcatel ····················-···········-····- ····- ····-····-·····-···································· 48
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`Bandwidth9 ······-····-····-····-····-·················-.. ···-····-····-····-····-·········· 48
`Corning·-·····-·····-····· .................. ,,,_,,,,,_,,,,,_,,, .............. ,_,,,,_,,,,_,,.,,_,,, ........ 48
`Hew1ett·Packard ... -····-····-····-····-····-····-····-····-··-···-··-···-· 49
`JOS Uniphase ·······-······-·····-·····-·····-·····-·····-·····-·····-·····-····-····-····-·· 49
`Marconi.-·-··-··-····-·-··--··-··-·-· .. -····-····-.. ·-·-·-···-···· 49
`New Focus, Inc. ·········-········-·······-·······-········-········-·······-·······-·······-········· 50
`Nortel ·····-·········-····-····-·········-····-·········-·····-····-·········-····-····-······ SO
`Novalux -···-····-····-··-··-····-····-····-··-····-····-· .. ·-·-···-····-····- SO
`APPU CATIONS -··---·--··---·-----·-----·------·-----·------·--· 51
`UPGRADE STATEMENT .. - ... - ... - ... - ........... - .... - ... - ... - .... - ................... _ .. 51
`OPTICAL SWITCHES AS CROSS-CONNECTS .. - .... - .... - ..... - .... - ... ·-··- 51
`lmple.mg rtilrg CtpS'S (".onnerls -.•iJJr /)iffer.em (.'la,q Tratl.SPfl!t.tll SK•ilcJra ····~······-........ 5'2
`FXC .... ·-····-···-··-···-···-····-·····-····-···-···-··-···-···-····-·····-····· 52
`wsxc ······-·····-·····-·····-·····-····-·····-·····-·····-·····-·····-····-.. ···-·····-·····-·····-··· 53
`WICX ................................................................................................................................ 54
`lmpkmrmling (,'ross·Comu:tts willt Opaque OXCs ·--····-····--···-·····-···-····· 54
`GROOMING ..... - .... - .... - ..... - ..... - ...................................... - ..... - ..... -····-····-·· 55
`CffiCUIT ROUTING··-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-.. ·-····-····-····-····-·· 55
`'nrcOXCasatr Offorsi•·cDen'ce ........... --·········--············-············--········· .. 56
`............... 56
`f:Xamplc.ofiJ.singQXQ;tQExpand HusilrmHoriWII§ .............. -
`................ -
`CIRCUIT RFSfORAl, .. ·-···-··-···-····-····-·····-·····-····-····-···-··-··-· :r7
`SubstituJUu: for Exr!!tlsive Router Ports ·······-···········-····"······-······'*···-··· .. ·······-·······" 58
`JOINING RINGS···-···-·····-.. ···········-·····-····-.. ·-···-···-.. ···-·····-·····-... 59
`Ho.,.• Are the Rings llllercmmected'! ···--·····-·······--·······-········-·······-···· 59
`Bridges .. ·-·····-····-···-·····-· .. ···• ....... - ....• - .... - •... - ..................... - ..... -.. 61
`Baseband .... - ......... - ... ·-····-······ .. ··-.. ··-···-····-.......... - ... ·-····-......... - .. 61
`Traffic Engineered·-·····-·····-····································-·····-·····-·····-·····-······ 61
`Electronic Cross-Connect Sys1ems ···-····-······-·· .. ·-····-···-·····-·····-··· 61
`Terabh Routers as Ring Comectors ········-·······-···················-·······-········ 61
`OXCs as Ring Connectors ........................................................................................ 63
`l\'IARKET DRIVERS .......... --............. ·---····· .... ·····-.. -·····---· ......... _ ... 64
`INTERNET GROWTH .... _ ..... - ..... - ........................................... _ ..... _ ..... _ ..... - ... 64
`fJiher l~tlentel Truffle Sources -·········-········ .. ••···•• .. ········-········-····· ... - ................ _ ...... 66
`VoiP- Voice overiP ·······-··········-·········-··········-·········-·········-··········-····· 66
`B2B- Busin<>SS-to-Business Traffic,_ ....... -
`...... -
`....... - ..................... -
`..... 67
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`Offshore IP Growth·····················-· .. ·-·····-·····-······················-·····-·····-····· 68
`........... _...... 68
`Su11111Wa of Other ltllernetTrafflt: S11urces ......... _ .......... -
`........... _ ....... -
`OTHER DRIVERS··········-·······-······-·····-····-····-·····-·············-······-··············-··· 68
`GROWTII IN 'JUNCTION POINTS' ·····-···-.. ···········-· .. ·-····-·····-·····-·· 70
`l\IIARKET PROJECriONS ·--......... _____ ,,, .. , ______ , .. ,., .. _____ ,,, 72
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`UPDATE STATEMENT ·········-····-·········-····-····-·········-····-··········-····-······· 72
`CURRENT INDUSTRY PROJECTIONS ........ - .................. - ................. - ..... - ......... 72
`MODEL BASED PROJECTIONS ... - ... -
`... - .... - .................. - ... -
`... - ................. 72
`Ft'Nec:.(Uiitl¢ Lna1l OXC Market Usit~gMetroMode/ ........................................................... 73
`Example ol Model Use_ ...... -
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`Results from Use or Local Model ............................................................................. 75
`Detonnining Local Marl<et Forecast from Potential ............................................... 76
`l.ocalt•tarketForeca.\'lfort)XC'l .......................................................................................... 77
`F,recaslin~: /XC ~1arketfurOXC!t· ............................................................................................. 78
`Determining the Wavelengths per Junction Point .............. - ................................. 78
`......... 79
`Determining Number ol Junction Points_ ..... -
`.......... -
`......... -
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`..... - ...... -...... 79
`Developing IXC Marl<et Potential ........ -
`............. -
`.............. -
`IXCt~farketPorectUtforOXCs ............................................................................................. 79
`Tmal t\farkt!l Forecast forOXCs ··········-···········--····· .. ····-··········-···········--····· .. ••· 80
`Detailed FtJrt!t'.Qst:o tJIOXCs frtJm the Afode/:~o· ····-·-··············-·-··············-·-··············- 81
`...... 81
`Tolal Number of OXCs - ....... - ...... -
`..... -
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`Forecasts by Types of OXCs ........... -
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`Forecast of OXCs by Application ................ - ............... - .................. - ................. 83
`UPDATED FORECASTS_ ........... - ... - ... - ........... - ... - ... - .......... - .... - ................ 83
`SrtpOt~e.Dowt~turull11/!(1t:f ······-······-·······-·······-······-······-·······-·······-······ 83
`..... - ...... _ 84
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`Sten Two. 9-11/maacls
`S.Jep Three /le$11/linf! iVew Forecasts ··-····· .. ·-····· .. ·-···· .. ···-··•••••••··-•·•••••··-········-·•••·" 86
`Comparison ol Local vs. IXC Applications .............. -
`................. _ tr/
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`............ - -............ - -......... tr/
`Comparison ol Large vs. Small Switches .... -
`Comparison of OEO vs. 00 Market .............. - -............ -
`............ - -......... 89
`PRICING FORECASTS-·····--·······-···--···---·····--·····--·····--... ··--·· 91
`UPDATE STATEMENT .... _ .. ,_ .. _ .......... _ .. _,_ .... _ .. ,_ .. - .... - .... -·-··-.. 91
`FORECAST FOR SMALL (32 PORTS AND LESS) SWITCHES,_ ..... - ........... 91
`FORECAST FOR LARGE (ABOVE 32 PORTS) SWITCHES ........... -
`... 92
`...... -
`VENDOR PROFILES --···--·····-·····-·····--···--·---·--···--···--... ··-···· 93
`STATEMENT OF UPDATE ........... - .... - .......... - ..... - .......... - .... - ......... - .... - ......... 93
`SUMMARY OF VENDORS,_ .... ,_ ..... - ..... - ..... - ..... _ .... ,_ ......................................... 93
`ADC ...... _., ... _ ......................................... _ ..... - ..... _ ..... _ ..... _ .......................... - .... 95
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`Alcatel .... -
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`Ana mar Netw011<s .... - .... -
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`Agilent Technologies (HP) _ .... -
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`BrighiLink Networks (Corvia) _ .... -
`..... _ .... ,_ .... ,_ ............................................... 97
`................ _... 98
`C Speed Corp ................. - ................ _ .... _ ....... _ ..... -
`............... -
`Cslient Networl<s -
`.... -
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`Chiaro Networl<s ..... -
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`Chorum Technologies - ··-········-··-········-··-········-··-············-············-· !(M)
`Chromatis Networks (Lucent) ·········- ·········-··-····-··- ········- ·········-········-· 101
`Ciena (Ught:era and Omnia) .. ·-··-········-···-·········-·········-···-·········-... 101
`Cisco·-··-··-·······-··-······-··-·······-··-··-······-··-······-··-·······-··- 102
`Coming-·-··------···-··--··-·-··--··-·-··--· .. -··------ 103
`Corvis ······-········-·······················-·········-········-·············-········-········-· 1()4
`DiCon Fiberoptics ···-············-········-··-·······-··-········-············-········-· 106
`LIGHTech Flberoptics ··-··-··-······-··-··-·-··-··-··-·-··-··-··-·-.. ·- 107
`Lucent-··-··-··-··-··-··-···-·-···-·······-···-··- ··-··-······-··-··-··-
`108
`Luxoore --··-··-··-··--··-··-··-··-··-··-··---··-··-···-·-··- 110
`Monterrey Networks (Cisco)·················-············-··-············-···············- Ill
`Network Photonics····-··-········-·······-········-··-········-············-.. -· .. ·-· 111
`Nortel-··-·-···-·-··-···--··-··-·-···--···-···--··--···-.. ·--·· 111
`Optical SwHch CQIPOratlon ··-·-···-··-·-···-·-···-·-···-··-··-···--· 113
`Optisphere (Siemens) ... ----··-··----··-··----··-··-----··- 113
`Qtera (Norte!)·······-··-········-·········- ············- ········-·············-········- ········ 114
`Siemens·-··-······-··-······-··-··-·······-··-······-··-······-···-··-·······- 115
`Sycama<e ... -···-······-··--···-···-·-···--··-··-··-···-··-.. ·-··-··- 115
`Tellabs ... -··-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-·-··-··-······-··-··-·-··-··--···- 117
`Teillum Inc.··-·······-··-·······-··-···-···-·······-··-·······-··-···-· .. -···-.. ·- 117
`Templex ····-·············-·······-········-·············-········-········-········-··-····-· 118
`Teraburst Networks Inc.··-···-·-···-··-···-·-··-··--···--···-··-·-· 119
`Xros Inc. (Norte!)··-·--·-·--·-··--··---·-----··------- 119
`APPENDlX I- RING AND MESH ARCHITECTURES ..••••..•.. 121
`RING AND MESHARCHITECfURES ·-·-··--··--··-·-··-·--·· 121
`~aRit~gTgn.fllmt ......................................................................... ._ ......................... 121
`Type of Rings .................................................................................................... 121
`\t~n>t>lengtlt Access /11 Rilu:s ................................ -
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`•••••• ._ ............... _. ••••• -
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`Wllati\'OMt $11Topo/ogy'(
`Rnuter-&."ed Restoratitnl ....... -.......................................................................................... 124
`l)XC 8ased-J<estorotinn .......................... - .......................................................................... 124
`CoTIIhitredTRIOXCResttlrtJiioo .................................... ._ ................................................... 125
`AO\\<\NTAGESOFMESHVS.RJNGARCHITECfURES------· 126
`APPENDIX ll -SEGMENTATION OF THE NETWORK. •.•.•.•.• 128
`APPENDIX ill -!\'lATRIX OF PROVIDERS ·····---·····---·······--· 129
`APPENDIX IV-LISTING OF ACRONYMS--·····---·····--···· ... -· 132
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`0 l'OOIIGICon!l.lllniiiOO:.
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`6
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`0006
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`

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`OXCs- The Centerpiece of the AU-Optical Network
`
`Update Introduction
`
`This o•ig,inal repOrt was is.~ in November 2000. Much of the technic.al a1~d architectural mate-rial is still
`accurate and current, but various ~rcas of lhe repon noed updating. The purpose of this updzue to the original
`repon is to bring those areas up..tc>-date. and 10 add new infocmation that has developed. The approoch to
`prc:scnting this material h:tS resulted in a completely st.1ld alone OOculllClll. The original fofT110t :ux:l org:utiz.:ltion
`is preserved. howeve•·. the inltOdocboo of each chapter will ~l'ibe Lhe changes made in the update. Lll most
`cases this will allow the reader to readily see the changes made from the original repon.lt is thought that this
`capability will be~ useful in the forecast area. This pamgraph is Lhe only change in the Jnu'Oductio•t
`
`Introduction
`
`DWDM has brot.tght us the answer to the need for massivearnounts ofbnndwidth. across the city. across the
`country md now ncross the world. The need for thjs bandwidth h:ts been, nnd cominucs to be. driven by the
`emergence or me Jn~emet as me single mos1 signilkam developmem in the history or communjcatio•ls. This
`evcr4 incrcasing demand h.'IS changod the whole approach to fneili1y and even roote provisioning. Bandwidth
`iocremems (e .. g... OC-48) lhat would have been the entire cro~section on a gi venrot~te only 1wo ot three
`years ago. arc now 001 even provisionjng illlcrval incrcmcn1s.
`
`We Had a Bottleneck; Now We Have Gridlock
`
`While OWDM h:•s given us the 1ool to de:ll with this bandwidth cxplo5ion. it tu•s noc g.ivcn us 11 way to be
`able 10 oontn)lthis massive amount of bandwidtlt We were looking for a way 10 keep up with the unending
`demand for bandwidth ~s prcscntc.:d by the lntcmcc and we found it in DW0,\ 1. Some of the c:..rriers (AT&T,
`lOt example) are estimating that thei•· backbones a1e i•lCreasing at a rmeof 400% a yeal'! T•·ying to keep up
`with that grow1h, both the existing grow1h and the forward looking view of a real!)• scary "hockey stick"
`g1uWih cur,•e, was the. lirst problem. Now. we can take existing fiber (at least to a great exre•u-some of the
`older fiber may not support all of the capabilitiesofDWDM at all distances), add DWD.M and we have an
`instant increase in bandwidth of up to 100 times. So, that solves the boule•leck problem, at least for now.
`
`What i.11; left. howe"er, ruay be an e'•en greater probJem.1l1e question is how to deal with aU of tltis added
`bandwidth and how to deal with the rnpid changes and rearrangements implied by a market growing this
`fast ln addition to the growth, and the implit..-d amount of chum (in :l market growing like this. the end
`customers are also in turmoil, oying to devise the besl way to deal with growth from !.heir "iewpoints. thus
`caus-ing many chang~: orders to bandwidth providers), th~: n~:tY..Vrk is I:U"gely Sh.tek with an :ux:hitocture-that
`was singularly unfitted to rapid changes and additions - i.e .. SONET. To establish a new w.a.velength on
`SONF.T --derived fncilities (SONET on DWDM or SONE.T directly on fiber), it is olien nro:ss:uy to make
`physical equipment additions and changes at many nodes- particulatly where rings intersect. 'The additions
`and chnnges require signiflc:mt engineering. equipment procuring, site visits.. and cnrefully coordim1tcd
`testing and tutn up activities. As a •-esuh of all of this wo1t. provisioning intervals stre(Ch illto many months
`and service costs continue to be very high in spite of decreasing co~s of underlying infrnsln1C1ure. These
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`0 2001 !GICI!n'-!lln111n::.
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`12
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`factocs have all combined K> lead us from alxlndwidth bottleneck to a gridlock glut - we have a great deal of
`potcnti:d b:uldwidth, b~n it is very h:u'd toeffccdvely use it.
`
`The great ntlli()rull and intcm:uK:m:tl c:1rrier$ h:!ve buill fitx:rroWOT\•1 nth\'QrkS that promise tuxl deliver
`bandwidth that was only dre:lmed of 1\1/0 or three years ago. Now the issue is teaming that Q:>S involves
`more th:m dt:cuic.11l nnd optk~•l standards. I' also involv~s service flexibility, mpid provisioning ~nd
`reruYB.rlgeme.us. ruxJ the .ability 10 suppOn new. ·oo~ernand' st1Vices.11tese are the. qualities dlat will supp011
`the new strutcg_it:s of service pro,•iden; in the ern of rP,thc Jotcme1. B2B. etc. They ai"C also- the parameters
`lhat will tunl all of thm bruxlwidlh into useful and marketable services.
`
`The answer that is developing to this gridlock glur. is the Optical Switch (OXC.) This EleW (oew in these
`sizes and with the capabilities now becoming available} device will (1) aJiow extremely rapid service
`pi'O\•isiOEling aod reatl'allgeme•tts. (2) focilitate mesh topOlogies th<'lt mo•-e directly suppott d3ta ttaffic and
`that can save on (XJUipmcm. facilities. and opern.tions costs. (3) provide an c.xtrc:mcty fast opticallc\'CI circuit
`(libet/w:weJe•lg.th/route) reste>nuion cnpability. atld (4) SUppOrt new se.vices Oil a wtwelengtJl level based O•l
`rapkl and remotely comroiJcd switching.
`
`l11is repon will explore this new device in depth. It will; develop a basic understanding of OXCs. explore all
`aspects of the technology. te\·iew applications. evaluate m:u'ket dri,·crs. project market dem!lnd and prices.
`and describe available equiproom and vendors.
`
`Exoept where sp?cillcally noted difterendy, this repon ckals with existing. available (or nearly so) tedmology
`for OXCs. 1l.e curn:nl verslnns of the OXCs !ll't:· primtuily "d umb" switches. Somc \'t::n<kmo (particularly
`some of lbe OEO switch ve.ndofs} are adding si,gnilie::tm software to the peripber.tl controJ -syst:ems allowing
`some \'Cry useful (nnd in somea~st:s spcct:teuhLr) scEViccs. Hov,.e ver. •he swil.dlCS remain fairly dumb, The
`Applications.. Market forecasts, and Pricing Forecasts are aU based on dtese oomparnth,ely dumb systems.
`
`Future. de.,re.lopmem wiJJ be lOCused on two major areas:
`I. Producing ;•II -optical swhc:hcs fully e~p:lble of WSXC and WrXC clnsscs of opc:r:llion. (See the
`Technolo~y Section for a full discussion of these classes.)
`2. 1ncorpormiog true optical router cap0bilitics, whereby the OXC will octu:.llly be: ;;Eblc to parse the
`incoming ()ptic.:d Signnl and pcrfonn :1 Switching funcli()n i).'lJ;Cd l.)n thi.'> infOilit!IJj()n in rettl (Or very
`ncar real) time.
`
`The first of these will be commercially avniL'lble in the next few )'eMS, and ibc second will likely 1ru<c longer.
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`0 2001 !G J Co!1~!11111 he.
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`Ln 3ddition to providing a more appropriate archite<:ture for data. mesh promises to be a more economical
`opprooch to faitun: protection. du:: to its :~bility 10 share protoction routes. rather lh:lll hoving 100% prolcction
`bandwidth. as is the case with trnditional app1-o.'1Ches. Sludies have suggested that optical swifChes and mesh
`architectures can nchicve as gn:at tLS 50%-60% savings in c:1pit.t1l costs O'lt!r the: traditional SONIIT ring
`approach.
`
`Given all of theseco•~sideratio•~s. it is p•'Ojec~ed th:u OXCs will be. both tlll!enablef or. a•'ld a major reason for
`a migration to, an ··a11 4 optic111'' networl:. (It will be sc:en, hQwc:ver, thnt '":•ll~tkol"' may not ulways mc::tn
`only opt~.al as we go forward in this report.)
`
`General Features of an OXC
`
`Having looked at a wotking definition of 3ll OXC. we would now like to present a general list of basic
`requirements for OXCs. It wiJJ lx: clear as "'C go through the ·technologies Section, thai applications and
`rechnical approaches will cause. differences in emphasis on various of these. requirements. however the list
`will still lx: inscn•ctive to use as a future yardstick.
`
`An OXC is a device that allows a given number of optical inputs to access a selection of optical outputs.
`These inputs and outputs may lx:-wth·elengthsor fibers (with multiple wavelenglhs.) ()eneral requirements,:
`
`Rl'COnftgurability - Maybe this goes wilhout saying. but it should be: stated ll j ust means that the
`switch can switch in puis to outpulS, under external ooniiOI.
`
`Non blocking-These network devices rnuS4 be able to terminate and swit<.'h all of their inptus to an
`available output under nJI dn.::umst:tocc:s. Then: is JX) R)Ql1l for a 'busy signal' in this kind of switc:hing.
`
`Scaleable - In backbone nctwort< applications panicular1y, this is of great imponance. No carrier
`wants to face the prospect of having to make a 'fOf'k Lift' replacemem of a device like an OXC witll
`so much lrnffic going lhrough it Ocvicxs thnt st:ut :tl only 32 x 32 muS1 be able 10 scale at least to
`1000 x 1000 (in backbone applications). given lhe cu«ent and projected gJowth r.nes of the netwo1'k.
`
`l.c)w ln$!rtion l.•)l')$- This refers 10 Lhe Optical insertion loss (i.e .. the atttnuatiQn of lhe light.) We
`will sec in detail lmcr the reason for this rcquirclllCJlt. but in general. it is obvious that it is desirable
`for any light path elementiO ha\·e a low loss characteristic.
`
`u·•w C~ralk - Again. d1is refers to an optical signal impact If crosstalk is too high be1ween any
`two internal paths. the signals will be degraded. and pethaps unusable.
`
`Fast s~itchin:g ·nme- ln many of the applications of OXCs the SWiiChin.g lime is of m~ impon.ance.
`An example is in n:storntion applic:tltiMS. 'The tOial time on restOring n failed link must be-no g_rtater
`than 50 ms (based on SONET Slandards). lllUs, the time for the OXC 10 illlemally swilch must be as
`small as possible so as to lx: able to mctl this standard.
`
`Low C«.kSt and Reli:tble- These dcviccs will be ccntml to very high cap;•city network points. In
`order to achieve their greatest usefulness. tbey must be l'elatively cheap. Also, because of their
`ccntml kx:ation. it is imperative thnl they be virtually fauh free (internally).
`
`0 l OOIIGICI!nll.lllnlllno::.
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`18
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`0009
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`

`
`Xros (Norte!)
`
`777 Pasloria A \'O:,
`Sumt)''':llc. CA 94086
`Tei.<Ul8·H3·1331
`F<a:\ 40:S-733-7377
`"'ww.x.ros.rom
`
`LCD
`
`The LCD (Liquid CryS1al Dcvio:;s) t<X:hooJogy is based on n .. &~ndwich'' structure of two layers of glass witb
`liqukl c•y.stal material between them. The application or small voltages to the sandwich can cause inc-idem
`light to change its polari7_atiQfl and thus its properties can be c:ontmllod. This technology hns been used for
`years for various light displays such as 'vatches.laptop computer, calculators. etc. ln the reJecommunications
`aren:1, these devices can be used for :. v:tricty of purposes.. iDCiuding switching. aucnu~tlion. and other
`applictHil)llS. A.<: a switcJl it uses an anuy of pOrtS (rtbe:rconneciOrs} to direct light thruugh a liquk:l crysul and
`then to a 'p:;>l:uizcd' lens. At the polnri?.C:r lens the light ~m is either transmincd through to one output or
`reflected off to another depending on whe-ther the liquid crystal had a voltage applied Ol' 001. Figure 4
`illustrates this technology.
`
`Figure. 41 Sketcllof Liquid CryJt(ll Tedtnology
`
`lnpul Fiber
`A n 'Q)'
`
`Pc,larizer Lens
`
`...
`
`0 LCO•On'
`0 LCO 'OF f'
`
`•On' Output Array
`
`/
`
`' /
`
`/
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`/
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`Ou1pu1 Flbe
`ArrnJ'$
`
`'Off' Output Array
`
`Although the jury isctnainly s.ill out on the question. it would appear that the current consensus is that LCD
`will be 11 viable technology for switches of smr.ll port siz.:s (under 32x32) and for a \'llric:ty of other
`te1eoommunication optical components, but likely not for the larger port count switches thm are possible
`
`0 COOIIGIConf.llfng I!'JC.
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`29
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`Ttl:eoo~Z3~oes ·f~c : l11 ·734i1~6Z
`
`0010