508
13 Fiber Optic Communication Networks
and development engineers and scientists are devising increasingly higher-rate transmission methods and sophisticated data encoding schemes. Section 13.4 gives some
examples for high-speed optical fiber transceivers and optical interconnects operating
from 10 to 400 Gb/s.
Two critical elements for implementing high-capacity WDM networks include
fixed and reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexers (OADMs) and optical crossconnects (OXCs). Sections 13.5 and 13.6, respectively, define these elements and
describe how they route signals along wavelength channels or lightwave paths.
Section 13.6 also introduces the concepts of wavelength routing, optical packet
switching, and optical burst switching. Section 13.7 illustrates applications of
network elements, such as OADMs and OXCs, to various categories of WDM
networks. In addition this section also addresses the concept of elastic networks.
The architecture and operations of passive optical networks (PON) are examined in
Sect. 13.8.
13.1 Concepts of Optical Networks
This section provides some background material concerning the concepts of optical
networks [1–3]. The discussion illustrates different network architectures, notes what
organizations own and operate various network segments, and defines some network
terminology.
13.1.1 Terminology Used for Networks
To start, it is helpful to define some terminology using Fig. 13.1 as a guideline.
Fig. 13.1 Definitions of various elements of a network
13 Fiber Optic Communication Networks
and development engineers and scientists are devising increasingly higher-rate transmission methods and sophisticated data encoding schemes. Section 13.4 gives some
examples for high-speed optical fiber transceivers and optical interconnects operating
from 10 to 400 Gb/s.
Two critical elements for implementing high-capacity WDM networks include
fixed and reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexers (OADMs) and optical crossconnects (OXCs). Sections 13.5 and 13.6, respectively, define these elements and
describe how they route signals along wavelength channels or lightwave paths.
Section 13.6 also introduces the concepts of wavelength routing, optical packet
switching, and optical burst switching. Section 13.7 illustrates applications of
network elements, such as OADMs and OXCs, to various categories of WDM
networks. In addition this section also addresses the concept of elastic networks.
The architecture and operations of passive optical networks (PON) are examined in
Sect. 13.8.
13.1 Concepts of Optical Networks
This section provides some background material concerning the concepts of optical
networks [1–3]. The discussion illustrates different network architectures, notes what
organizations own and operate various network segments, and defines some network
terminology.
13.1.1 Terminology Used for Networks
To start, it is helpful to define some terminology using Fig. 13.1 as a guideline.
Fig. 13.1 Definitions of various elements of a network