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| In today’s world of intensive communication needs and requirements, “fiber optic cabling” has become a very popular phrase. In the field of telecommunications, data center connectivity and ,video transport, fiber optic cabling is highly desirable for today’s communication needs due to the enormous bandwidth availability, as well as reliability, minimal loss of data packets, low latency and increased security. Since the physical fiber optic cabling is expensive to implement for each individual service, using a Wave Division Multiplexing (WDM) for expanding the capacity of the fiber to carry multiple client interfaces is a highly advisable. WDM is a technology that combines several streams of data/storage/video or voice protocols on the same physical fiber-optic cable by using several wavelengths (frequencies) of light with each frequency carrying a different type of data. |
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CWDM vs. DWDM
CWDM (Coarse Wave Division Multiplexing) proves to be the initial entry point for many organizations due to its lower cost. Each CWDM wavelength typically supports up to 2.5Gbps and can be expanded to 4.25Gbps support. This transfer rate is sufficient to support GbE, Fast Ethernet or 1/2/4G FC, STM-1/STM-4/STM-16 / OC3/OC12/OC48, as well as other protocols. The CWDM is limited to 16 wavelengths and typically deployed at networks up to 80Km. An example of this equipment is well demonstrated by PL-400 by PacketLight Networks.
DWDM (Dense Wave Division Multiplexing) is a technology with much higher throughput capacity, over longer distances and number of channels transferring data of sub 10G (as in CWDM) and 10G services such as 10GB FC, 10GBE, and STM-64/OC-192. Some DWDM systems provide up to 144 wavelengths of mixed service types, and can transport to long distances by integrating amplifiers and dispersion compensators. Due to its more precise and stabilized lasers, the DWDM technology tends to be more expensive, but is a more appropriate solution for large capacity data transport and connectivity over long distances. An example of this equipment is well demonstrated by PL-1000 by PacketLight Networks.
WDM Installation
PacketLight’s WDM equipment is a Customer Location equipment and is placed between the two sites in a point-to-point configuration or at multiple sites in a ring configuration. These sites can be different branch offices, off-site disaster recovery centers, or off-site data centers. The equipment serves as demarcation point and installed behind the Ethernet switch or router or,fibre channel SAN island or SDH/SONET ADM connecting them to dark fiber. Different types of data are multiplexed into one channel using different color light allowing transmittal of multiple channels of data over the same fiber. The products are easy to install and take up minimal space as they are only 1U, while providing high ROI. Additionally, they are managed remotely with either imbedded management system or via any 3rd party SNMP tool or the RADView EMS.
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