Open XR Optics Forum validates coherent management functionality

Applications and Research

The Open XR Optics Forum has announced results from the latest demonstration of advanced management capabilities described in the Open XR Optics Forum Management Architecture Specification. The effort was spearheaded by Forum member Liberty Global and also included  DriveNets, Infinera, Juniper Networks, and UfiSpace. It demonstrated seamless management of intelligent coherent transceivers in a diverse set of hosts and routers, in a wide range of currently deployed network configurations using line systems from multiple vendors in point-to-point and point-to-multipoint applications.

This trial successfully demonstrated the versatility of Open XR transceivers and management methods by operating in 400G routers on 400G line systems in point-to-point connections, 400G to 4 x 100G point-to-multipoint configurations, and 2 x 100G transmission over a 50 GHz line system optimised for only 10G transmission. The trial, also demonstrated the ability to transmit 100G full-duplex optical signals over a single-fibre PON infrastructure coexisting with the 10G XGS-PON signal. This PON overlay technique highlights how network operators can leverage XR signals over existing PON infrastructure to deliver new high-speed business services with minimal incremental investment.

The Forum says the key benefits of Open XR optics include simplification of network architecture enabled by coherent point-to-multipoint connectivity, intergenerational compatibility of high-speed and low-speed transceivers, and software-configurable bandwidth. Realisation of these benefits in legacy networks requires compatibility with a diversity of routers and transport host devices as well as coexistence of XR signals in a variety of brownfield DWDM and PON line systems. In many cases, seamless integration with existing network management methods is also needed. Open XR optics advanced management features enable a dual management paradigm that preserves host-independent management of optical functions to maintain the delineation between the IP layer and optical layer management present in many optical transport networks today.

The Forum published the first specification defining enhanced network management of pluggable coherent optical technology in June 2022. The details and results of this demonstration were reported at ECOC 2024 in October 2023, and are now available in the full Open XR Optics Forum report, Dual Management of Open XR pluggable modules in P2MP Applications Hosted in Various Routers with Transmission over Multiple Line Systems Proof of Concept Demonstration.

For more information, visit www.openxropticsforum.org.