Optical Transceivers Solution for Metro Transport Network

In recent years, the rapid development of IP and VPN has advanced data services – such as Internet access, IP-based virtual private networks and multimedia applications. This development requires a data network that offers wide coverage, high-speed bandwidth and fast services. The global telecom industry is evolving from the voice-based network services into multi-services. And now, the 5G era is here to meet these changes. As 5G high-frequency base stations generate extra bandwidth demands, in addition to providing bigger interface bandwidth, the metro transport network needs to support smooth bandwidth expansion (for example, link capacity expansion by bonding multiple links or wavelengths). For this reason, FiberStamp has launched a series of optical transceiver solutions for metro transport network.

Typically metro transport network is divided into three sublayers – access layer, aggregation layer and core layer. The access layer implements access to various types of users. The aggregation layer controls the aggregation of distributed access points, implements data multiplexing, switches data, and provides flow control and user management. The core layer completes the interaction of high-speed information over the whole networks, and interconnects with the backbone networks.

Optical Transceivers Solution for Metro Access Network

The "hottest" technologies in metro access network are passive xWDM systems which utilizes 10Gbps (per channel). They are comparably low cost 18-channel system for CWDM and 80-channel 50GHz DWDM system. Current xWDM systems use 10G CWDM/DWDM SFP+ transceivers. But now things are changing. Additionally to 10G CWDM/DWDM SFP+ transceivers, FiberStamp has developed 25G CWDM/DWDM SFP28 transceivers. The 25G CWDM SFP28 transceivers can freely substitute respective channel 10G CWDM SFP+ transceivers, therefore increase total bandwidth of passive transmission system. And the 25G DWDM SFP28 transceivers match same frequencies of ordinary 10G DWDM SFP+ transceivers. This means they have the same channels, and it will be possible to use them with current passive DWDM transmission systems already installed.

25G Ethernet technologies are the new standards that offer significant density, cost and power benefits for server to top of rack connections. As the telecommunication industry continues to innovate and present higher networking speed standards like 100G, 25G interface has been developed in order to provide simpler path to speeds of the "future" like 100G and 200G.

Single-lane 25G interface chipsets use similar SERDES (serializer-deserializer) technology as 10G but delivering 2.5 times better performance, at the same time reducing power and cost per gigabit significantly, in other words – higher system bandwidth at the same power consumption if compared to equivalent 10G solution. 25G SFP28 provides higher port density than 40G QSFP+. Power savings and higher density leads to a much lower cooling requirements and other operational expenditures. Availability of 25G capable switches and transceivers has great impact on connectivity upgrades. Upgrading from 10G to 25G speeds is much more cost-effective than upgrading directly to 40G. CapEx and OpEx savings are notable upgrading to 25G, because of backward compatibility with 10G systems, rack-design and reuse of existing cabling infrastructure.

Worth mentioning that 25G interfaces are perfectly usable for 5G networks. As necessary bandwidth for one 5G system antenna sector is 20Gbps. Therefore one 25G interface can perfectly utilize one 5G antenna. The 5G base station could have incoming 100Gbps pipe leading to switching unity, which with "breakout" cable is splitted into 4x 25Gbps streams for RRU.

For metro access network, FiberStamp has launched a series of 25G SFP28 transceivers as shown in the table below.

Optical Transceivers Solution for Core Network and Aggregation Network

Nowadays core network and aggregation network equipments (routers & switches) have ports up to 40G/100G capable speeds. These 40G/100G interfaces most notably use QSFP (QSFP+/QSFP28) transceivers. There are also CFP/CFP2/CFP4 and CPAK (a Cisco form factor), but they are not as popular as QSFP that provides smallest size dimensions currently possible. Therefore, manufactured switches and routers are with much more ports (density) on the front panel.

Due to ever increasing bandwidth demands for current and future metro transport network, new technologies more often and often finds their places in future infrastructure. Future metro transport network should have the related ability to carry these bandwidth demand, thus metro aggregation may provide the application scenarios for Nx100GE and Nx200GE. Technologies must assure smooth migration to new capabilities by utilizing current aggregation network infrastructures, without interrupting current services.

For metro core network and aggregation network, FiberStamp has launched a series of carrier-grade 40G/100G/200G transceivers as shown in the table below.