The deployment of Reconfigurable Optical Add/Drop Multiplexers (ROADMs) is gradually transforming a transport layer made of point-to-point optical links into a highly-interconnected, reconfigurable photonic mesh. To date, the widespread use of ROADMs has been driven by the cost savings and operational simplicity they provide to quasi-static networks (i.e. networks in which new connections are frequently set up, but rarely taken down). However, new applications exploiting the ROADMs’ ability to dynamically reconfigure a photonic mesh network are now being investigated. In this chapter we review the attributes and limitations of today’s ROADMs and other node hardware, and survey proposals for future improvements, including colorless, non-directional, and contentionless add/drop ports. Applications of reconfigurable networks are also discussed, with emphasis on the backbone network of a major communications service provider (carrier). Finally, we assess which of these new developments are most likely to bring added value in the near-term and long-term future.
The deployment of Reconfigurable Optical Add/Drop Multiplexers (ROADMs) is gradually transforming a transport layer made of point-to-point optical links into a highly-interconnected, reconfigurable photonic mesh. To date, the widespread use of ROADMs has been driven by the cost savings and operational simplicity they provide to quasi-static networks (i.e. networks in which new connections are frequently set up, but rarely taken down). However, new applications exploiting the ROADMs’ ability to dynamically reconfigure a photonic mesh network are now being investigated. In this chapter we review the attributes and limitations of today’s ROADMs and other node hardware, and survey proposals for future improvements, including colorless, non-directional, and contentionless add/drop ports. Applications of reconfigurable networks are also discussed, with emphasis on the backbone network of a major communications service provider (carrier). Finally, we assess which of these new developments are most likely to bring added value in the near-term and long-term future.
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