Next Gen ROADMs

“Less” is more:
Colorless, Directionless, Contentionless, Gridless

Krishna Bala, Ph.D

Exec VP WSS Group
bala@oclaro.com

ECOC 2010 Turin Italy

Company Confidential 1
Outline

• Next- Gen ROADM requirements

• Architectural Choices
• Implications for WSS devices

Company Confidential 2
Generations of ROADMs
• 1st Gen ROADMs introduced the following features:
– Re-configurability in add/drop channels
– However, these nodes were restricted to 2 directions

• 2nd Gen ROADMs introduced the following features:

– Multi-degree capability (e.g. 4 or 8 directions per node)
– However, these nodes are “colored” and “directional”

• 3rd Gen ROADMs will introduce more “Mesh” features:

– Significant flexibility in provisioning and restoration
– Colorless, Directionless, Contentionless and “Gridless” (Flexible
Spectrum actually)

Company Confidential 3
2nd Gen ROADM: 8 degree example
Colored and Directional

Degree 2
8x1 WSS
Passive
splitter
8x1 WSS

Degree 8
Degree 1

8x1 WSS

Add/Drop
AWG AWG AWG AWG AWG AWG

Tx Rx

Colored: Each “chassis slot” is associated with specific “laser color”

Directional: Each laser is associated with a specific direction
Company Confidential 4
Requirements for 3rd Gen ROADMs
New Features for Mesh ROADMs/WSS

North In North Out

West In East In

ROADM Node

West Out East Out

Local Drop ports Local Add ports

• Colorless add/drop – No blocking in • Directionless add/drop – Full flexibility in

wavelength assignment on any Add/Drop routing to any direction

• Contentionless add/drop – No blocking • Gridless - Dynamically allocate

inside ROADM due to wavelength collision spectrum to each wavelength

Company Confidential 5
Requirements for 3rd Gen ROADMs
New Features for Mesh ROADMs/WSS

North In North Out

West In East In

ROADM Node

West Out East Out

Local Drop ports Local Add ports

• Colorless add/drop – No blocking in • Directionless add/drop – Full flexibility in

Of course, customers want ……. Costless 
wavelength assignment on any Add/Drop routing to any direction

As a supplier, we think
• Contentionless add/drop – No blocking
inside ROADM due to wavelength collision
………….. Priceless 
• Gridless - Dynamically allocate
spectrum to each wavelength

Company Confidential 6
3rd Gen ROADM: 8 degree example
Adding Colorless Feature: Replace AWGs

Degree 2
8x1 WSS
Passive
splitter
8x1 WSS

Degree 8
Degree 1

8x1 WSS

Add/Drop
AWG AWG AWG AWG AWG AWG

Tx Rx

Colored: Each “chassis slot” is associated with specific “laser color”

Directional: Each laser is associated with a specific direction
Company Confidential 7
3rd Gen ROADM: 8 degree example
Colorless
Degree 2
8x1 WSS
Passive
splitter
8x1 WSS

Degree 8
Degree 1

8x1 WSS

Add/Drop
AWG AWG AWG AWG AWG
1x24 WSS
1x24 WSS 1x24 WSS 1x24 WSS 1x24 WSS 1x24 WSS

Tx Rx

Colorless: Each “chassis slot” can associate with any “laser color”
Directional: Each laser is associated with a specific direction
Colorless: Requires “Scalability” in WSS port count – Large port count
Company Confidential 8
3rd Gen ROADM: 8 degree example
Colorless AND Directionless
Degree 2
8x1 WSS
Passive
splitter
8x1 WSS

Degree 8
Degree 1

8x1 WSS

Add/Drop
Passive
splitter

8x1 WSS 8x1 WSS

AWG AWG AWG AWG

1x24 WSS 1x24 WSS 1x24 WSS 1x24 WSS 1x24 WSS 1x24 WSS

Tx

Company Confidential 9
3rd Gen ROADM: 8 degree example
Colorless and Directionless: But, has Contention

Degree 2
8x1 WSS
Passive
splitter
8x1 WSS

Degree 8
Degree 1

8x1 WSS

Add/Drop
Contention
8x1 WSS 8x1 WSS

AWG AWG AWG AWG

1x24 WSS 1x24 WSS 1x24 WSS 1x24 WSS 1x24 WSS 1x24 WSS

Tx Rx Rx

Company Confidential 10
3rd Gen ROADM: 8 degree example
Colorless, Directionless, Contentionless

Degree 2
8x1 WSS
Passive
splitter
8x1 WSS

Degree 8
Degree 1

8x1 WSS

MxN WXC MxN WXC

24x8 or 48x8 or ….
8x1 WSS 8x24 8x1
orWSS
8x48 or ….
AWG AWG AWG AWG
1x24 WSS 1x24 WSS 1x24 WSS 1x24 WSS 1x24 WSS 1x24 WSS

Tx Rx Rx

Contentionless: Requires “Scalability” in WSS ports – Large port counts

Company Confidential 11
3rd Gen ROADM: 8 degree example
Colorless, Directionless, Contentionless with “Grouping”

Degree 2
8x1 WSS
Passive
splitter
8x1 WSS

Degree 8
Degree 1

8x1 WSS

MxN WXC MxN WXC

8x1 WSS
8x18x8
WSS 8x8
8x1 WSS

AWG AWG AWG AWG

1x24 WSS 1x24 WSS 1x24 WSS 1x24 WSS 1x24 WSS 1x24 WSS

Tx Rx Rx

Company Confidential 12
3rd Gen ROADM:
Colorless, Directionless, Contentionless and “Gridless”
Example: Add BW in 25GHz steps

-200 -175 -150 -125 -100 -75 -50 -25 0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200

Dynamic/Flexible Spectrum Addition

– Add BW in 25 Ghz steps
– Allows future-proofing for higher speed transport
– E.g. 400 Gb/s and 1 Tb/s

Gridless: Requires Spectrum “Flexibility” in WSS

Xtellus Confidential - 13
Company Confidential 13
WSS Roadmap for 3rd Gen ROADMs

• WSS must be SCALABLE

– Large port counts
• 1x24 plus ports and beyond
• MxN where M=8 and N=24 and beyond

• WSS must be FLEXBILE

– Dynamic/Flexible Spectrum Alloction

• Other “Must Haves”

– Fast switching speed: Fast mesh restoration
– Green: Low power dissipation
Company Confidential 14
Conclusion

• 3rd Gen ROADMs require new features

– Colorless, Directionless, Contentionless,
Gridless

• 3rd Gen WSS must support

– Scalability in port counts
– Flexibility in spectral allocation
– Fast switching times
– Green low-power operation

Company Confidential 15