Optical Cross-Connection

Optical grooming is the configuration of logical wavelength routes, realized by optical cross-connection. This function meets the user's requirement of managing the services at the optical layer and services can be flexibly groomed.

There are two schemes supported by the WDM equipment for wavelength allocation:

Fixed optical add/drop multiplexer (FOADM)
Reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer (ROADM)

FOADM cannot reconfigure the wavelength allocation based on the requirements of service development. The ROADM realizes the reconfiguration of wavelengths by blocking or cross-connecting wavelengths, changing the static wavelength allocation to a flexible and dynamic operation. Making use of the ROADM technology, the Web LCT software adjusts the status of wavelengths (add, drop or pass-through) to realize the remote and dynamic adjustment of wavelength status.

Optical Cross-Connection for an NE and Optical Cross-Connections for a Board

You need configure the optical cross-connection for an NE and the optical cross-connection for a board to realize the ROADM in the WSS mode.

An optical cross-connection for an NE refers to a channel that is create between two specified ports on a NE. In addition, the source and sink ports can be on different boards. The specified wavelength can automatically obtain a route between the source and sink ports. Thus, the free transmission on the NE is realized.

An optical cross-connection for a board refers to the wavelength connection that is created or deleted on the two specified source and sink ports inside the WSS board. Thus, the adding, dropping, and passing through function of the specified wavelength are realized on the specified port.

NOTE:

The optical cross-connection for a board and the cross-connection for an NE are independent. You can create the optical cross-connection for a board and configure services based on the network planning to implement WSS grooming. For the optical cross-connection for an NE, however, grooming is implemented after the Web LCT performs automatic calculation. The configuration of the optical cross-connection for a board and the configuration of the optical cross-connection for an NE are mutually exclusive in terms of resources. When you configure the optical cross-connection for a board of a wavelength on a WSS board, the service grooming of this wavelength cannot be configured by using the optical cross-connection for an NE.

For more information and technical details about the ROADM function, see the Product Description.