The 3824 data center out-of-band management (DCOM) ONU is a chassis-based optical network unit (ONU) that helps hyperscalers, neoscalers, and enterprises simplify and scale out-of-band (OOB) management. As part of Ciena’s DCOM solution, this ONU supports a modern fiber-based approach to designing, operating, and expanding data center management infrastructure.
The 3824 uses XGS-PON technology to transport management traffic over a PON. In 1 RU and 3 RU chassis deployments, it helps enable more efficient OOB management.
Managed through the standards-based ONU Management and Control Interface (OMCI), the ONU is fully administered by the DCOM controller, with configuration, operational state, alarms, and performance statistics centrally managed and reported. This centralized management model simplifies provisioning, monitoring, software upgrades and downgrades, and security patch deployment by eliminating the need to manage the ONU as an independent network element.
By providing physically separate OOB connectivity, the ONU module provides up to four Ethernet management interfaces and up to four RS-232 serial interfaces. This flexible architecture enables secure and reliable access to devices with Ethernet or serial management ports—even during congestion, failures, or security events on the in-band network.
As AI-driven data centers scale, they contain thousands of servers, GPUs, accelerators, and other high-performance devices. The 3824 helps reduce reliance on legacy OOB management switches, cabling, and rack space. This supports lower cost, improved efficiency, and more sustainable data center operations.
Features and benefits
- XGS-PON ONU with Ethernet and console server capabilities in a chassis-based design helps reduce cost, complexity, and space requirements
- ITU-T G.9807.1–compliant XGS-PON port provides maximum symmetrical upstream and downstream rates of 10 Gb/s
- Unified management through OMCI eliminates the need for individual device lifecycle management and discrete equipment management
- Reliable, energy-efficient, fanless design
- Two 19-inch in-rack modular chassis
3824 DCOM ONU
- 1 x XGS-PON
- 4 x 10M/100M/1GbE RJ45 ports
- 4 x RJ45 RS-232 ports, each supporting up to 115.2 Kb/s
- Hot-pluggable in either chassis
3822 chassis
- Five slots: 2 x ONU slots, 2 x AC or DC PSU slots, and 1 x fiber splitter
- All connections from the front
- Integrated cable manager
3823 chassis
- 11 slots: 8 x ONU slots, 2 x AC or DC PSU slots, and 1 x fiber splitter
- All connections from the front
- Integrated cable manager
Product overview
The 3824 is a compact XGS-PON ONU for modular, chassis-based platforms that enable fiber-based OOB management in data center environments. Using PON, it connects managed devices to the management system through scalable point-to-multipoint connectivity while reducing cabling, rack space, and operational complexity. With four Ethernet and four serial console ports, the 3824 can be deployed in either the 3822 or 3823 chassis. The 3824 supports 1 RU or 3 RU installation and seamlessly integrates with Ciena’s DCOM architecture.
3824 in a modern PON infrastructure
As data centers scale, legacy OOB designs increase CAPEX, power and cooling demands, and turn-up complexity.
The 3824 is part of the PON data center infrastructure, extending OOB management access through passive optical distribution while reducing point-to-point cabling and rack-level switching.
Within the DCOM solution, the 3824 operates over an XGS-PON optical distribution link (ODL) based on ITU-T G.9807.1, supporting symmetric 10 Gb/s point-to-multipoint connectivity with no active devices between the optical line terminal (OLT) and ONUs.
The PON infrastructure supports up to 128 3824s over 5 km, using single-fiber bidirectional transmission and redundant passive splitters.
OMCI
With OMCI, the OLT can remotely provision, configure, monitor, and manage the 3824. It supports service provisioning, VLAN and QoS configuration, fault reporting, performance monitoring, and software updates.
For the DCOM solution, OMCI streamlines 3824 lifecycle management, supporting faster deployment and consistent operations across PON-based OOB management infrastructure.
Sustainability
The 3824 supports more sustainable data center operations by reducing the space, cabling, and power and cooling requirements for traditional OOB management networks. By aggregating Ethernet and console management traffic over a fiber-based PON architecture, it reduces reliance on rack-mounted aggregation switches, console servers, and legacy copper cabling. Its integrated Ethernet and console port server functionality, combined with a fanless design, helps lower power consumption and heat generation while improving airflow efficiency and supporting lower-cost, more sustainable OOB management.
Applications
With the compact and modular 3824, data center operators can deploy scalable OOB management over a fiber-based PON architecture optimized for 19-inch two-post racks and telco cabinets.
- Hyperscaler data centers use the 3824 to scale OOB management across large cloud and AI infrastructure inside the data center. By consolidating Ethernet and console server functionality into a single- or three-rack space, the 3824 improves power and airflow efficiency.
- Neoscaler data centers use the 3824 to support high-density AI, cloud, edge, and colocation environments. Its optical OOB architecture aggregates multiple ONUs over PON infrastructure through a single fiber and Ciena XGS-PON uOLT, reducing reliance on point-to-point Ethernet aggregation.
- Enterprise data centers use the 3824 to modernize distributed OOB management with a secure, efficient, and scalable optical solution that reduces reliance on rack-mounted aggregation switches and legacy copper cabling.
Technical specifications
Ports and interfaces
| 3824 DCOM ONU |
|---|
| Hot-pluggable |
| 48 VDC |
| 4 x 10M/100M/1,000M RJ45 bridge mode |
| 1 x ITU-T G.9807.1-compliant XGS-PON, SC/APC connector, SMF |
| Fanless |
| Front LEDs |
Transmitter optical characteristics
| Parameter | Symbol | Min | Typ | Max | Unit | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laser type | - | CW cooled DML DFB | - | - | ||
| Maximum reach | - | ≥ 5 | Km | Vcc, Tc | ||
| Nominal line rate | BWTX | - | 9.95328 | - | Gb/s | Vcc, Tc, XGS mode |
| Operating wavelength | λc | 1575 | 1577 | 1580 | nm | Vcc, Tc |
| Spectral width | Δλc | - | - | 1 | nm | |
| Average launch power | Po | 3.0 | - | 6.0 | dBm | |
| Extinction ratio | ER | 6.0 | - | - | dB | |
| Transmitter tolerance to reflected optical power | Tt | -15 | - | - | dB | |
| Side-mode suppression ratio | SMSR | 30 | - | - | dB | |
Receiver optical characteristics
| Parameter | Symbol | Min | Typ | Max | Unit | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Receiver type | - | Burst mode APD/TIA | - | - | ||
| Nominal line rate | BWRX | 9.95328 | Gb/s | VCC, TC, XGS mode | ||
| Operating wavelength | λc | 1260 | 1270 | 1280 | nm | VCC, TC |
| Damage threshold | PD | - | - | -6 | dBm | |
| Sensitivity | PSEN | -7 | - | -28 | dBm | VCC, TC, (9.95328 to 10.3125 Gb/s, λc = 1270 nm, NRZ, ER = 6 dB, BER < 10-3, PRBS 231 - 1) |
| Consecutive identical digit immunity | CID | 72 | - | - | Bits | VCC, TC |
| Receiver reflectance | Rλc | - | - | -12 | dB | @1260 nm to 1280 nm |
Regulatory compliance
| Parameter | Standard | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Agency marks | CE (Europe) UKCA (UK) NRTL (NA) RCM (Australia and New Zealand) VCCI (Japan) | Compatible with standards |
| Emissions and immunity | CISPR 32 Class A CISPR 35 EN 55032 Class A AS/NZS CISPR 32 Class A EN 55035 ETSI EN 300 386 FCC Part 15B Class A ICES-003 Class A VCCI CISPR 32 Class A | Compatible with standards |
| Environmental | RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU and 2015/863 WEEE 2012/19/EU | Compatible with standards |
| Laser eye safety | FDA 21 CFR subpart (J) EN 50689 IEC 60825-1 EN 60825-1 | Compatible with Class 1 laser product requirements |
| Electrical safety | CAN/CSA C22.2 No. 62368-1 IEC 62368-1 EN 62368-1 AS/NZS 62368-1 | Compatible with standards |
Physical dimensions
| Part number | H x W x D (mm) |
H x W x D (in) |
Weight (kg/lb.) |
Power consumption (W) Typ/max |
Operating temperature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 170-3824-900 | 99.3 x 40.5 x 260 | 3.9 x 1.6 x 10.2 | 1.2/2.6 | 8/10 | 0°C to +40°C; 5% to 85% RH, noncondensing |
| 170-3822-170 | 43.5 x 440 x 300 | 1.71 x 17.3 x 11.8 | 2.5/5.5 | 0.2/0.2 | |
| 170-0594-900 | 40.5 x 56.5 x 260 | 1.6 x 2.2 x 10.2 | 0.5/1.1 | NA | |
| 170-0595-900 | 40.5 x 56.5 x 260 | 1.6 x 2.2 x 10.2 | 0.4/0.9 | NA | |
| 170-3823-170 | 132 x 482 x 355 | 5.2 x 19.0 x 14.0 | 3.5/7.7 | 0.2/0.2 | |
| 170-0596-900 | 40.5 x 56.5 x 260 | 1.6 x 2.2 x 10.2 | 0.8/1.8 | NA | |
| 170-0597-900 | 40.5 x 56.5 x 260 | 1.6 x 2.2 x 10.2 | 0.4/0.9 | NA |
Standards
| Ethernet | Management |
|---|---|
| IEEE 802.3 | OMCI for XGS-PON |
| IEEE 802.3u | |
| IEEE 802.3ab | |
| IEEE 802.1D MAC bridges | |
| IEEE 802.1Q VLANs including 802.1p priority | |
| IEEE 802.1ad provider bridging (Q-in-Q) VLAN | |
| VLAN classification and manipulation |
Ordering information
| Part number | Description |
|---|---|
| 170-3824-900 | 3824 DCOM ONU, (1) XGS-PON SC/APC CONN, (4) 10M-1000M RJ45, (1) USB-C, +48VDC, METAL HOUSING |
| 170-3822-900 | 3822, 1 RU 19 INCH, (2) MODULE SLOTS, (1) SPLITTER SLOT, DUAL PSU |
| 170-0594-900 | 3822, AC PLUGGABLE POWER SUPPLY, 120/240V |
| 170-0595-900 | 3822, DC PLUGGABLE POWER SUPPLY, 48V |
| 170-3823-900 | 3823, 3 RU 19 INCH, (8) MODULE SLOTS, (1) SPLITTER SLOT, DUAL PSU |
| 170-0596-900 | 3823, AC PLUGGABLE POWER SUPPLY, 120/240V |
| 170-0597-900 | 3823, DC PLUGGABLE POWER SUPPLY, 48V |