This course introduces optical networking and covers the passive infrastructure as well as transmission systems that use direct detection technology. These systems power very high capacity Ethernet inside data centres (up to 1.6 Tb/s) and commonly 100 and 400 Gb/s data rates for metro data centre interconnect (DCI). They’re also used across LAN and campus backbones, FTTA and 5G fronthaul, point-to-point FTTH, full fibre business connections and many transport and utility networks. Long haul OTN can deliver 800 Gb/s+ per fibre pair over thousands of kilometres.
You’ll learn what is required for satisfactory system performance and how it’s affected by the properties and quality of the fibre plant—including fibre type, reflections, attenuation, chromatic dispersion and PMD. You’ll also explore scaling capacity via SDM (parallel fibres) and WDM options such as SWDM, WWDM, CWDM and DWDM; extending reach using optical amplifiers (EDFAs, Raman, SOAs); and applying optical dispersion management. Design exercises and assignments help you plan efficient, cost effective solutions for a range of applications.
Features
Key Outcomes
- Design optical links that provide cost effective solutions for varied network applications
- Specify and configure the components required to build a transmission link
- Design links for performance and testability
- Assess SDM and WDM transceiver options including 100G and 400G Ethernet
- Determine optical power budgets for different transmission systems
- Calculate optical loss budgets for links
- Decide when optical amplifiers are required and identify suitable products
- Assess if chromatic dispersion compensation is needed and specify a management solution
- Explain the role of an optical supervisory channel and plan its implementation
- Verify link viability against power, chromatic dispersion and PMD limits
- Evaluate CWDM, DWDM and Raman amplified options for lighting dark fibre
Who is it for? Planners, project managers, operations staff and network managers; foundation for the advanced CONE course covering coherent systems.
Course Syllabus
Becoming a CONA
- What are optical networks?
- Generations of optical networking
- Role of standards
- Case study: background, roles, project
- Introduction to WhizzieKit
Understanding & Managing Light
- Light as a wave; wavelengths & frequencies
- Wave properties & information transfer
- Interferometry fundamentals
- Passive components for power management
- Directing & multiplexing light (TDM, WDM, WWDM/LAN-WDM, SWDM, CWDM, DWDM, SDM)
- Exercise: WDM vs SDM Ethernet transceivers
Light in Optical Fibres & Infrastructure
- How fibres work; multimode vs single mode; launch conditions
- Attenuation, bend loss performance, dispersion
- Optical fibres for telecoms & enterprise; standards
- Specifying fibre optic cables; constructions & environments
- Jointing external cables; installation issues; splice closures
- Terminating external cables; ODF specification
- Connectors: styles, performance, inspection & cleaning
- Inspection standards
- Performance requirements for joining fibres
- Polarity: simplex, duplex & array connectors
- Infrastructure testing: what & why; analysis; monitoring systems
Systems & Dispersion
- Systems performance: requirements & common issues
- Designing for performance and testability
- Power levels in loss limited systems: targets, loss budgets, Tx/Rx levels
- Optical amplifiers: EDFAs, Raman; types, configs and checklists
- Transceivers: sources, detectors, modules and key parameters
- Dispersion: when to compensate and how
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