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DWDM over CWDM Network

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DWDM over CWDM provides an uplift of existing CWDM networks to support more wavelengths at a higher bandwidth without the need to change the existing infrastructure.

Maximizing network capacity by adding DWDM wavelengths onto existing CWDM wavelengths.

There are two types of wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) standards: CWDM - coarse wavelength division multiplexing, and DWDM - dense wavelength division multiplexing. CWDM used to be a more popular low cost entry point for many customers for the GbE rates, due to the difference in economic scale (typically a third of the cost of the equivalent DWDM optics), limited budget, and typical initial requirements not to exceed 8 wavelengths. As the need for capacity grows and service rate increases to 10G/40G/100G, there is a demand to increase the capacity of existing CWDM networks.

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Typically, CWDM solutions provide 8 wavelengths capability, enabling to transport 8 client interfaces over the same fiber. The large bandwidth of CWDM wavelengths and the spacing between them enables to expand the network in the spectrum overlapping between the CWDM and DWDM. Specifically, between 1531nm and 1551nm.

On each CWDM wavelength, an additional 8 DWDM wavelengths at 100 GHz spacing or 16 DWDM wavelength at 50GHz can be added, utilizing DWDM technology over the existing infrastructure as part of the integrated solution. The wavelength capacity is not limited to 1GbE or 10GbE but can be 100G or 200G, by using high capacity OTN-based muxponders to improve the spectral efficiency.

Best of Both Worlds

CWDM wavelengths are spaced at 20nm increments, from 1471nm to 1611nm. PacketLight’s DWDM over CWDM solution enable to increase the exiting CWDM network capacity by inserting into any of the of the 4 CWDM wavelengths - 1531nm, 1551nm, 1571nm and 1591nm - a set of additional 8 DWDM wavelengths, separated from each other by 0.1nm. By doing so up to 4 times, the CWDM network capacity can easily expand by up to 28 additional wavelengths.

Full solution, integrating DWDM transponders, mux/demux and EDFA (if needed) in a 1U chassis

The typical CWDM optical module supports data transport rates of up to 2.5G, while the DWDM optical module supports large capacity data transport rates of up to 200G. By utilizing CWDM network or DWDM network or a combination of both, carriers and enterprises are able to enjoy both worlds and transport from 2M up to 100G of services and data.

Multiplexing DWDM with CWDM

Mapping DWDM channels within the CWDM wavelength spectrum (as illustrated in Figure 1) achieves a much higher data transport capacity on the same fiber optic cable without the need for changing the existing fiber infrastructure between the network sites.

Figure 1: Diagram of Mapping DWDM Channels Within the CWDM Wavelength Spectrum

Expansion via DWDM

As seen Figure 2, a single outgoing and incoming wavelength in an existing CWDM infrastructure is used for 8 DWDM channels multiplexing into the original CWDM wavelength.

Diagram of Network Expansion of DWDM over CWDM

Figure 2: Diagram of Expansion Capabilities via the DWDM Spectrum

Expansion is achieved with no interruption to the network services or data, and without the need to change or replace any of the working CWDM infrastructure.

Advantages of PacketLight CWDM and DWDM network equipment: