Tutorial

tutorialAs passive components become active, network designers face integration challenges.activelifestylesThis is an expanded version of the articlethat appeared in oemagazine.By Brian Lavallée and Frank Santillo,Nortel NetworksAs optical networks continually strive to increase linerates, capacity, flexibility, and reach, significant changes toboth active and passive components are fast becomingenecessary and will soon be commercialized for wide-scaledeployment. Traditional passive components such as dis-persion compensation modules (DCM), gain flatteningfilters (GFFs), multiplexing/demultiplexing(MUX/deMUX) filters, optical add drop module(OADM) filters, and polarization-mode-dispersionILLUSTRATION BY HANK OSUNA(PMD) maintaining fiber will soon be offered as activeing industry over the past few years, however, many ven-modules and sub-systems. Although these changes willdors emerged that now offer active versions of these oncesurely add to the overall robustness, flexibility, reliability,passive modules, claiming improved performance, reach,and performance of tomorrow’s optical network, they willand capacity. However, most of these devices are offeredalso add to the overall complexity of the network as well.in isolation, due to the specific expertise required for theirEach active module will operate dynamically and willdevelopment. Thus, the onus is on the system integratortherefore be controlled by software and be integrallyto incorporate ...