ROADM Modules

Industry-leading ROADM solutions provide advanced SDN flexibility

Today’s ROADM networks have served the industry well, but their limitations are constraining operators’ plans for future growth. Broadcast-and-select architecture, hardwired fixed-wavelength arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) add/drops, and limited wavelength selective switch (WSS) port scalability do not offer the performance or network responsiveness now required. Channel turn-up and re-provisioning still require manual intervention; protection is still achieved with expensive transceiver duplication; and, data rate growth is constrained by fixed wavelength configurations. Carriers are looking to colorless/directionless (CD) and colorless/ directionless/contentionless (CDC) ROADMs to extend their network flexibility.

A new, flexible ROADM architecture is emerging, enabled by the Lumentum TrueFlex® ROADM portfolio. It incorporates a route-and-select configuration with a WSS in each direction—one each for mux and demux. This allows drop-path filtering and improves express-path isolation and loss for better network reach. For add and drop traffic, MxN WSS technology and multicast switching are optimized for CD and CDC respectively. ROADM architecture requires fully flexible spectral control and monitoring so that carriers can evolve to higher modulation formats and guardband-free superchannels for maximum system capacity and reach.

Hallmarks of a TrueFlex ROADM architecture include:

  • Route-and-select WSS configuration for performance and node agility
  • Optimized CD and CDC add/drop switching
  • Flexible spectrum control and monitoring