40-Channel Single-Module ROADM for the Cisco ONS 15454 Multiservice Transport Platform

The Cisco^® ONS 15454 Multiservice Transport Platform (MSTP) provides a comprehensive, intelligent dense wavelength-division multiplexing (DWDM) solution for expanding metropolitan (metro) and regional bandwidth.

Product Overview

Release 9.1 of the Cisco ONS 15454 MSTP expands the platform’s reconfiguration options. In addition to the existing 32-channel and 40-channel reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer (ROADM) cards, two new cards (Figure 1) are introduced in this release to optimize and increase the MSTP’s throughput density. By integrating multiple features on the same card (optical service channel [OSC], amplification, and ROADM), the single-module ROADM (SMR) cards are so compact that they can be added to any node in the network, extending optical add/drop multiplexing to the edge.

The new 40-channel single-module ROADM with integrated optical pre-amplifier (part number 40-SMR1-C) combines the OSC add/drop filter, a pre-amplifier, and a 2x1 wavelength selective switch (WSS)-based ROADM core into a single-slot unit. This unit is optimized for Degree-2 reconfigurable nodes.

The 40-channel single-module ROADM with integrated optical pre-amplifier and boost amplifier (part number 40-SMR2-C) includes the OSC add/drop filter, pre- and boost amplifiers, and a 4x1 WSS-based ROADM core. This unit provides an effective way to support multi-degree nodes up to Degree-4, allowing in-service upgrade from Degree-2 up to Degree-4 at a very competitive price point.

Similarly to the already available 40-channel wavelength cross-connect (40-WXC) card, and thanks to the software functionalities extended from previous releases, the 40-SMR2-C card provides multi-degree switching capabilities at the individual wavelength level. Mesh and multi-ring network topologies can now be deployed using the Cisco ONS 15454 MSTP with complete flexibility of service routing at all nodes in the network.

Individual channels separation, required on the add/drop ports to terminate local traffic, is provided by the new Cisco ONS 15216 40-channel multiplexer/demultiplexer patch panel (odd channels). The use of athermal Arrayed Waveguide Grating (AWG) technology allows the removal of the multiplexer and demultiplexer function from the Cisco ONS 15454 MSTP shelf. This approach provides many benefits to customers, including:

● Simplified connectivity to passive patch-panels: 4 LC cables instead of 20 MPO cables.

● Improved density: passive multiplexing and demultiplexing frees up slots in the main chassis to be used for traffic.

Single-module ROADM (SMR) units increase the density of the Cisco ONS 15454 MSTP. An SMR1-based Degree-2 node can increase a single-shelf throughput by 500 percent compared to the supported throughput in Release 9.0 (200 Gbps vs. 40 Gbps), as the additional free slots can be used to install transponder cards. A similar improvement can be obtained in Degree-4 nodes. A 40-WXC-based Degree-4 node requires two shelves for the common optics without any available slot for the transponder. An SMR2-based Degree-4 node provides 400 Gbps of traffic in the same two shelves, or 120 Gbps of traffic when installed into a single shelf. See Table 1 for details.

Table 1. Shelf Throughput Comparison for 40-Channel ROADM Cards

1. Based on current 17-slot MSTP chassis

2. Using 15454-OTU2-XP card

The Cisco ONS 15454 ROADM cards are plug-in modules that take advantage of the proven Cisco ONS 15454 carrier-class features to deliver the flexibility to access network bandwidth from a single DWDM channel all the way to 112 channels, to support the requirements of service provider and enterprise networks. Table 2 provides deployment details.

Table 2. 40-Channel ROADM Deployment Information

The Cisco ONS 15454 single-module ROADM cards (40-SMR1-C and 40-SMR2-C) operate on the ITU 100-GHz wavelength plan. Each card integrates automatic per-channel power monitor and control capabilities, providing node- and network-based automatic-power-level management on each input and output port. Per-channel optical path selection is also done in a completely automated way through Wavelength Path Provisioning (WPP) at the network level, featuring end-to-end, point-and-click wavelength provisioning and easy SONET/SDH-like wavelength management.

The ROADM node architecture has been specifically defined and engineered to provide:

● High reliability – Enables complete independence between specific direction-facing units with the possibility to house units in physically separated shelves.

● Automatic optical power balancing – Per-channel automatic power control allows a “self-healing” intelligent approach to DWDM, which is unique in the market.

● Low insertion loss – Selected technology allows direct integration of different functionalities in the same optical module, reducing to the bare minimum the number of optical connections.

● Reduced footprint – SMR units integrate multiple functions into a single card (amplification, OSC add/drop, ROADM, and power monitoring), reducing node power consumption and increasing shelf throughput.

The optical cards incorporate faceplate-mounted LEDs to provide a quick visual check of the operational status at the card. Printed on each of the faceplates is an icon, an orange circle, which is mapped to shelf-slot icons indicating the shelf slot where the card can be physically installed. The cards are supported by the integrated Cisco ONS 15454 Cisco Transport Controller craft manager, which provides the user access for operations, administration, maintenance, and provisioning (OAM&P) for the system. Taking advantage of the embedded units’ capabilities, Cisco Transport Controller can also provide a per-channel graphical representation of the optical power levels associated with each individual path in the ROADM nodes (Figure 2).

Complete flexibility provided by the single-module ROADM units greatly simplifies the design of optical networks in terms of unit placement. However this flexibility alone is not enough to allow users to define any possible optical path at the network level. The Cisco Transport Planner (CTP) optical design tool features the possibility to design DWDM networks based on ROADM functionalities and to verify all the possible optical paths and the DWDM interface types defined by the user. A truly flexible network design resulting from the selection of both optical paths and DWDM interface types is highly customizable by the user, who can compare different solutions and create hypothetical scenarios in a simple and effective way.

Figure 3 and Figure 4 show sample signal-flow diagrams for Cisco ONS 15454 MSTP Single-Module ROADM nodes, outlining the use for each unit type.

Cisco ONS 15454 ROADM Cards Specifications

Tables 3 through 7 give specifications for the Cisco ONS 15454 single-module ROADM cards.

Table 3. Regulatory Compliance¹

1. All compliance testing and documentation may not be completed at release of the product. Check with your sales representative for countries outside of Canada, the United States, and the European Union.

Table 4. System Requirements

Table 5. Specifications for Single-Module ROADM Cards

1. Short-term refers to a period of not more than 96 consecutive hours and a total of not more than 15 days in 1 year. This refers to a total of 360 hours in any given year, but no more than 15 occurrences during that 1-year period.

Table 6. Optical Specifications for Single-Module ROADM Cards

1. EXPi-RX, where i goes from 1 to 3.

Table 7. Optical Specifications for Mesh Patch Panel Units

Ordering Information

Table 8 gives ordering information for the 40-channel Cisco ONS 15454 single-module ROADM units.

Table 8. System Ordering Information

Service and Support

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For more information about Cisco Services, refer to Cisco Technical Support Services or Cisco Advanced Services.

For More Information

For more information about the Cisco ONS 15454 Multiservice Transport Platform, contact your local account representative or visit Cisco at: http://www.cisco.com/go/optical or http://www.cisco.com/go/IPoDWDM.