Putting your innovative solutions on display for the world to see, out of the lab and in real-world scenarios, is always an exciting milestone. Following a busy tradeshow season, Ciena’s Wayne Hickey takes a moment to recap a robust set of Ciena’s Routing and Switching demonstrations – from 1.6T routing to 25GS-PON.
Every year, Ciena’s best and brightest travel the world showcasing groundbreaking solutions at events like OFC. This year was no different as Ciena put its Routing and Switching Portfolio on display with new live broadband and coherent routing demos, reinforcing why we are known as the global leader in high-speed connectivity. As we wrap up a busy event season, I want to take a moment to share five standout demos—four highlighted our expanding broadband lineup, while the fifth featured a truly amazing demonstration of WaveLogic 6 Extreme and the industry’s first 1.6T router.
Let’s look at how these innovations are pushing networks forward.
Ultimate Coherent Routing: Introducing Ciena's WaveLogic 6 Extreme Coherent Router
First, let’s dive into Ciena's WaveRouter family, focusing specifically on the WaveRouter-2.
WaveRouter-2 WL6e to 6500 WL6e interop
With its unmatched level of scale, performance, and spectral efficiency, Ciena’s WaveLogic 6 Extreme (WL6e) is changing the game in the networking world. In fact, at OFC this year, we were able to showcase the very first 1.6Tb/s router in the industry.
Attendees got a sneak peek at the WaveRouter's Universal Box subslot module, featuring WaveLogic 6 Extreme and two QSFP-DD800 ports. WaveRouter delivers to businesses an unparalleled and efficient solution for managing the surge in data traffic, ensuring reliability and scalability while simplifying operational complexities.
Ciena pulled off a seamless simulation of 4 x 400GbE services by linking the WL6e in the WaveRouter-2 to a 6500 WL6e MOTR. The traffic flowed flawlessly from the WaveRouter-2 router back to the Optical Network Transport (OTN) platform.
The 1.6T WL6e signal and 4 x 400GbE service connections were truly impressive.
What's even more exciting is that the WL6e SSM is compatible with the entire WaveRouter family, WaveRouter 2, 7, and 14. Watch the full demonstration below.
Unleashing the potential of 25GS-PON: Transforming business connectivity
At the forefront of the evolution of coexisting residential connectivity and business connectivity stands Ciena with its cutting-edge 25GS-PON solution. Our demo vividly displayed the harmonious coexistence of XGS-PON and 25GS-PON on a single fiber, serving both residential and business needs.
This seamless integration not only boosts flexibility but also enhances performance for businesses.
Central to Ciena’s broadband optical fiber demonstrations lie Ciena's MicroClimate Management System (MCMS) PON software. The MCMS software, now integrated into Ciena’s Navigator Network Control Suite (Navigator NCS), provides a comprehensive overview of topology and LAN management. This software showcases both optical line terminals (OLTs) and their connected optical network units (ONUs), while also featuring Bandwidth Manager, a tool that can display traffic flows, including 25GS-PON.
25GS-PON Datapath
With Ciena’s 25GS-PON solution, we are focusing on exceptional performance and adaptability in corporate connectivity by enabling the simultaneous operation of multiple PON technologies over a single fiber. Truly game changing for operators who would like the flexibility to add one port of 25GS-PON service at a time, while maintaining their existing Optical Distribution Link (ODL), currently serving up to 64 existing residential customers in a 20Km area. This technology allows for unprecedented flexibility to add business customers one PON port at a time when needed, in coexistence with existing residential customers, without the cost of new infrastructure or multiple truck rolls.
Unveiling the power of Campus PON MicroPlug OLT: Advantages for diverse industries
When it comes to broadband, Ciena's Tibit Campus PON MicroPlug OLT stands out as the perfect choice for deploying PON in campus, business park, in-building, and other short-reach scenarios.
The Ciena Campus PON solution offers remarkable flexibility, catering to the increasing connectivity needs of educational institutions, healthcare facilities, and corporate campuses.
Beyond just connectivity, Ciena's Campus PON MicroPlug OLT allows for hair pinning intra-LAN data transmission between two ONUs, offering tailored solutions for diverse industries, ensuring reliable and efficient connectivity. During the live demonstration, seamless traffic flow between the ONUs was showcased.
Ciena Campus PON
Overall, Campus PON presents businesses with a cost-effective, scalable, and adaptable network solution that optimizes resource utilization and simplifies network management. It empowers businesses to boost connectivity, streamline operations, and address the evolving requirements of their respective industries.
For more on Campus PON, read about how to upgrade your campus without upheaval to get the bandwidth your campus needs while using the infrastructure you already have.
Ciena's Tibit MicroPlug ONU: Simplifying PON network deployments
Ciena's Tibit MicroPlug ONU modernizes PON network deployments with its user-friendly approach. This innovative solution features a compact XGS-PON module that plugs directly into an Ethernet port, simplifying the installation process and ensuring a seamless integration into existing network infrastructures.
MicroPlug ONU
This demonstration vividly illustrated the impeccable performance of the MicroPlug OLT and the MicroPlug ONU connection, showcasing the clean and uninterrupted traffic flow between the two components. This not only highlighted the efficiency and reliability of the MicroPlug ONU but also emphasized its ability to enhance network operations with its advanced technology.
Organizations can now benefit from this cost-effective and flexible solution, allowing them to adapt to evolving network requirements without the need for extensive upgrades, ultimately empowering them to stay at the forefront of technological advancements while optimizing efficiency and cost-effectiveness in their network infrastructure.
For more on the MicroPlug ONU, check out the Tibit MicroPlug datasheet for impressive specifications and useability.
Introducing MicroClimate Management System (MCMS): Advanced network management for PON technology
Highlighting the frequently underestimated importance of software in PON networks, MCMS, now integrated into Ciena’s Navigator NCS, establishes the benchmark for sophisticated PON network management designed specifically for MicroPlug and ONU/ONT technology. This demo provided a firsthand look at MCMS's provisioning capabilities and its ability to offer real-time visibility into network devices, showcasing its prowess in optimizing network performance and ensuring an unparalleled user experience.
During the demonstration, Ciena highlighted the adaptability of MCMS in provisioning a diverse range of ONU types and speeds, underscoring its versatility and efficiency in managing network resources. MCMS software manages the PON-specific hardware components of Ciena's innovative MicroOLT device.
The demo emphasized MCMS's real-time monitoring capabilities, proactive troubleshooting features, and detailed analytics provided by the PON Manager, enabling data-driven decision-making and optimized network performance. With a focus on bandwidth management, MCMS ensures smooth traffic flow across MicroPlug ONU, 25GS-PON, and Campus PON connections, effectively minimizing latency and enhancing the overall user experience.
Moving at the speed of innovation
In my years as a seasoned professional in the networking industry, I have witnessed firsthand the evolution of networking technologies. Each year brings forth groundbreaking solutions that set new industry benchmarks, and this year was no exception. It was an honor to contribute to the work showcased by Ciena. These demonstrations and the technological innovations serve as a testament to our unwavering commitment to excellence and advancement in coherent routing and broadband technologies. I eagerly look forward to reconnecting with technology enthusiasts at next year’s event, or even sooner.