Switches
Overcoming growing mobile traffic concerns through all-optical switching solutions
By Rohit Kunjappa, head of POLATIS product management & application engineering, HUBER+SUHNER I
nnovations in mobile technology have fundamentally changed the way we live our daily lives. With people across the globe now able to learn, shop and interact from their mobiles, it’s no wonder mobile traffic continues to increase at an unprecedented rate. Data intensive applications such as video, cloud computing and emerging 5G technologies are continuing to grow in popularity, and mobile traffic is predicted to explode: Ericsson recently projected that total global mobile data traffic will reach 288EB per month by 2027. As the amount of traffic continues to increase, so too does the requirement for scalable and optimised operations to deliver high throughput. The data architecture in place presently will not be enough to scale the unprecedented traffic demands expected in the near future. Increased capacity and network flexibility will be required for optimal resource allocation, and operators will be no doubt aware of the importance of automation to manage any complex connection demands. With this in mind, optical switching holds the key for streamlined, reliable and enhanced operations. Businesses which deploy all-optical switching solutions can expect dependable automated connections with maximised uptime and a reduction of manual Moves, Adds and Changes (MACs).
Streamlining processes It is normal in the modern data center for signals to be transported optically but switched electrically. All-optical switches, often referred to as ‘optical-to-optical-to- optical’ (OOO) switches, are able to streamline this existing procedure, maintaining the signal as light from input to output without ever switching the data on the fiber into an electrical signal. This cuts out the need for ‘optical to electrical to optical’ (OEO) conversions which would need to re-generate optical signals.
All-optical switches have significantly lower data latency in comparison to OEO solutions. This enables data transmissions to
34 May 2022
pass through the switch without introducing significant delays to the operation. All-optical switching also allows traffic to be redirected remotely to maintain consistent service levels, whilst services can be provisioned rapidly in order to meet demands, no matter how complex the connection.
All-optical switches represent an evolution, rather than a revolution of the existing data architecture. As systems still require the strengths of each technology in order to build dynamic and adaptable low loss data center networks, OEO switching can still play its part in the fight to cater for future traffic requirements. For operations involving packet switching, where small pieces of data are required to be transferred across a number of different networks, OEO switching remains a useful tool.
An efficient approach
Industries worldwide are being increasingly scrutinised in regard to their environmental impact, and data centers are no different. A substantial amount of energy is required to
Components in Electronics
run a data center – it uses approximately 200 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity in a year, making up nearly 1 per cent of the global electricity demand, according to a recent report by IEA. OEO switches are not the most efficient or cost-effective way of switching large amounts of traffic from one fiber to another and have a much higher cost per port than all-optical switches. Each OEO switch requires many transceivers and electronic components. This means they consume more power, take up essential space and generate more heat that must then be dissipated, than all-optical solutions. The benefits of adopting a low power switching technology are numerous, making this a useful tool for companies looking to integrate a greener approach to operations.
Ensuring future-ready operations Beam-steering solutions, like HUBER+SUHNER’s patented POLATIS DirectLight, are paving the way for further innovation within the data center. These innovative switches operate independent
of bit rate, signal format, direction or power level (and indeed presence or absence) of the light on the path. This so-called “dark fiber” capability allows services to be pre-provisioned before light is even present, thus reducing time to revenue for service providers. To keep up with the expected growth in traffic, further data center growth will be required to meet the increasing demand for data. As signal formats change and bitrates increase over time, all-optical switching will not require upgrading or replacing, offering providers the chance to reduce obsolescence, giving them more time to prepare their systems for future demand. All-optical switching will play a significant role in mitigating some of the challenges that are predicted to stem from the increase of data-intensive applications, with streamlined and automated connections allowing for fast service expansion with scalable solutions.
www.hubersuhner.com/en
www.cieonline.co.uk
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