knowledge bank
Expert resources and insights on open optical networking.
Article
Coarse and dense wavelength division multiplexing
Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) allows different data streams to be sent simultaneously over a single optical fiber network. In other articles, we’ve used the analogy of an expressway to outline how WDM works to create a single virtual fiber netw...
WDM
Optimizing fiber usage with multiplexer
A WDM multiplexer, sometimes referred to as a mux, is the key to optimizing, or maximizing, the use of the fiber. The multiplexer lies at the heart of the operation, gathering all the data streams together to be transported simultaneously over a single...
WDM
Optical transceivers – turning data into light
In the first article of our series on WDM, The basics of dark fiber networks, we compared a fiber optic network to a powerful multi-lane expressway, capable of transporting traffic between various sites. And just as we have traffic rules for driving, di...
WDM
What is an optical fiber?
We’ve looked at an analogy for fiber networks that compares them to a road network. Fiber itself, however, is tiny – about the same diameter as a strand of human hair – and the traffic it carries is in the form of light. To the human eye, light appears...
WDM
The basics of dark fiber networks
The foundation for Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) is the possibility to send all sorts of data over fiber networks in the form of light. WDM makes it simple to maximize the capacity and performance of a fiber network, but it can be challenging t...
Article
The business case for embedded DWDM over active DWDM systems
This article focuses on comparing embedded DWDM and active DWDM systems. Several methods are available for data center interconnectivity and for connecting traffic between sites in a distributed data center.
Article
Smartoptics solutions for 32G embedded FC networking receive Brocade approval
We are pleased to announce the approval of our latest 16/8G Fibre Channel optical transmission solutions with Brocade. In this round of approvals, the 8G ZR and 16G ER (Rev 2) embedded Fibre Channel transceiver solutions were tested and qualified.
Article
How to use QSFP28 transceivers for 100G data center connectivity
The most straightforward way to connect 100G traffic is by using standard transceivers and there is a wide range of cables and transceivers suitable for this. To offer cost-optimized solutions for connecting switches together in a rack or data center, E...
Article
The power of the open compute model for data center networking
For data centers, there’s an evolving need to increase the bandwidth over networks without needing to install more cable. Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) has become the solution of choice for transporting large amounts of data efficiently...
Article
The advantages of a distributed DWDM Network
Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) has long been the technology of choice for transporting large amounts of data between sites. The main advantage is that it increases bandwidth by allowing different data streams to be sent simultaneously ove...
Article
Launching the Smartoptics DCP portfolio: Plug-and-play networking for the metro
Today the most common way of connecting 100G Ethernet switches between sites is over dark fiber. Increasingly, enterprises want to manage their own data and fiber networks, especially between their own data centers.
Article
Synchronous data replication: Simple. Like it should be
Corporate data centers, campus networks and all enterprises have to deal with the ever growing demand for bandwidth-hungry services and applications. These requirements continue to grow and so must the data replication strategy , resulting in a headache...
