Technology Analysis
Week 4 Course Project
Sebastian Campbell
Paul Behan
Steve Johnson
Kameron Bluehouse
May 30, 2015
DeVry University
NETW-471-19936 Advanced Topics Networking
Prof. Thomas Walsh
1. Problems Statement
One important point to address is EnTouch already has a network capable of Gigabit
speeds using wavelength multiplexing. The recent problems arising with EnTouch current use of
fiber optics includes a problem within Wavelength Division Multiplexing network where traffic
is static. Given a topology and traffic data our solution is to find the fiber and wavelength
interchanging configuration with the minimum cost
Rolling out the switch to incorporate Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing will be
quite easy as EnTouch can leverage majority of its current Gigabit infrastructure, with certain
enhancements to some areas of the network. These enhancements may include upgrades or
maintenance to accommodate DWDM. Bottlenecks from hardware in some coverage areas may
also be a limiting factor as they may on be cable of only 10Gbps. DWDM is more capable of
that, pushing 100Gbps. DWDM hardware can initially be a high cost. But the benefits of
DWDM technology incorporate reliability, high bandwidth, low latency and jitter cannot be
unseen. This investment is worthwhile for EnTouchs services, as they will see an increase in
residential and commercial customer satisfaction.
2. Potential Solutions
Fiber optics is the best suited for digital transmission. In our ever growing age of
technology we are always looking ways to revolutionize the old technology without
compromising the quality of it and glass fibers does just that. Fiber optics refers to the medium in
which the transmission of information pulses along a glass or plastic strand (fiber). Basically it is
the use light travelling through a prism to transmit information. EnTouch currently implements
fiber technology but only on a small spectrum using wavelength division multiplexing or WDM.
In analyzing the technology we found the in order for EnTouch to grow and improve quality,
efficiency, and dominance in their field they must take the use of fiber optics to the next level. To
do this they must move from using coarse wave technology to dense was technology or use both.
Figure 1
Typically using coarse wave technology provides 8 wavelengths capability enabling the
transport of 8 client interfaces over the same fiber. However, the relatively large separation
between the CWDM wavelengths allows expansion of the CWDM network with an additional 44
wavelengths with 100GHz spacing utilizing DWDM technology, thus expanding the existing
infrastructure capability and utilizing the same equipment as part of the integrated solution. For
example, figure 2 show the coarse wave technology occupying ITU channels 1470nm, 1490nm,
1510nm, 1530nm, 1550nm, 1570nm, 1590nm, and 1610nm, each separated from the other by
20nm. A set of additional 8 wavelength of dense wave technology separated from each other by
only 0.1nm. By doing so up to 4 times, the CWDM network capability can easily expand by up
to 28 additional wavelengths.
Figure 2
This expansion can be easily achieved with no service interruption to the current
networks or data. Plus there would be no need to replace the existing infrastructure. The benefit
of using fiber optic in this manner is endless. It provides the following advantages:
Low-cost initial setup with targeted future growth path
Easy conversion and upgrade capabilities up to 44+ wavelengths
Easy upgrade to support 10Gbps/40Gbps and 100Gbps services
Seamless, non traffic effective network upgrades
Provides reliable, secure, and standards based architecture
Is simple to install and maintain
3. Analysis of solutions (both quantitative and qualitative)
Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexing (CWDM) and Dense Wavelength Division
Multiplexing (DWDM) each have their own applications. CWDM is a short-range wave division
multiplexing technology that can support up to 8 different wavelengths on a single fiber strand.
This can effectively multiply the available bandwidth in a single direction by eight times the
normal capacity. CWDM systems are cost-effective and provide ranges up to 160 kilometers.
This makes them well suited for commercial customer applications. As EnTouch expands its
footprint and begins to offer more services, CWDM is an excellent solution to connect
commercial customers back to the EnTouch core fiber optic network.
DWDM is better suited to long-haul fiber applications. When EnTouch chooses to expand
their fiber network, they need to ensure they are getting the highest return-on-investment (ROI)
possible. This can be accomplished by using a DWDM system to multiplex anywhere from 40 to
upwards of 96 different channels onto a single strand of fiber. Considering each of these waves
can run at speeds of 10Gbps or higher, each fiber strand has the potential to carry over 960Gbps.
Construction costs are the most significant investment in a fiber optic network. EnTouch will
need to either hire contractors or purchase all of the necessary equipment to run buried fiber
cable or run the cables through aerial means. There is a huge initial investment, but by leveraging
DWDM, the return on investment can be substantially higher.
EnTouch currently utilizes a CWDM system to provide more bandwidth across its
existing fiber optic network. CWDM utilizes wide range frequencies which limits the amount of
channels that can be multiplexed onto a single fiber strand. The 10GBASE-LX4 standard uses
four wavelengths operating near 1310nm to provide 10Gbps transmission over a single fiber
optic cable. Each wave can be designated for a specific customer to offer speeds of 2.5Gbps per
channel. Using the current technology, a single pair of fiber can provide high-speed internet
access to four different commercial customers. Other standards exist within CWDM systems that
allow the use of the 1270-1470nm spectrum. Use of the full spectrum allows for 8 different
wavelengths to share a single fiber. Vendors that offer CWDM products include: Cisco, Infinera,
Ciena and Aurora.
Some advantages to the existing CWDM system include:
Reduced Costs
o EnTouch currently utilizes a CWDM system and is familiar with the
technology.
Suitable for commercial and metro-applications
o Typical commercial customers dont need more than 2.5 10Gbps for
WAN connectivity. If EnTouch is looking to add these services to their
portfolio, it would be easy to do at a relatively low cost.
CWDM does introduce some challenges for EnTouch:
Limited Scalability
o Service provider networks are growing at a rapid pace. As EnTouch
expands its network reach, it will soon outgrow the use of a CWDM
system for transport across the core network. CWDM is only suitable for
lower speeds that are used near the network edge.
o The wide-range frequencies used in CWDM limit the scalability of the
technology. Once all of the wavelengths are used within a fiber, a new
CWDM system and more fiber optic cable will need to be added to the
network. Construction costs are the single most significant investment in
fiber-optic networks.
Short range (up to 160km)
o CWDM has an effective range of anywhere from 50-160km. The range is
dependent on multiple factors such as the type of fiber-optic cable and
wavelength used.
o Signals cannot be amplified to increase the effective range like in DWDM.
As the EnTouch network continues to grow, a DWDM system will help to maximize the
investment in the fiber infrastructure. DWDM is well-suited for the long-haul fiber systems
where high-bandwidth connections are a necessity. DWDM relies on devices known as OpticalAdd-Drop Multiplexers (OADMs) to multiplex several different wavelengths onto a single strand
of fiber. Using wavelengths in the C-Band spectrum (1530-1565nm) a DWDM can support
anywhere from 1-96 different frequencies. DWDM systems can be bought from vendors such as
Cisco, Infinera, Ciena and Alcatel-Lucent. A typical DWDM system will look similar to Figure 3
shown below.
Figure 3. A typical DWDM system used to connect two routers (Infinitel, 2006)
As EnTouch expands its footprint, it will require long-haul fiber connections outside of
Texas. DWDM can help to maximize on the initial construction investment. In Figure 3, it shows
that OADMs will sit in-line between the network routers. The routers are unaware of the
presence of the OADMs sitting in-line. As far as the routers are concerned, the OADMs do not
exist and the routers connect directly to one another, even though they may be hundreds of
kilometers apart.
A DWDM solution can provide many benefits to the EnTouch network:
Optimization of EnTouch owned fiber network
Highly scalable
o Instead of being limited to 10Gbps per fiber-strand, EnTouch can lay a single
fiber pair and achieve speeds of 960Gbps. The network can initially be
provisioned for a single wavelength. As the needs of the network grow
another wavelength and connection can be turned up without having to run
more fiber between the locations.
Long-haul transmission (thousands of kilometers)
o DWDM signals can be amplified which allows them to have a longer reach
than CWDM systems. DWDM is used by all large internet service providers
and some larger enterprises to connect remote sites to one another.
DWDM does have some drawbacks that need to be considered:
High initial cost
o If high-bandwidth is not needed, DWDM may not be necessary. However,
as EnTouch is a service provider that needs to account for regular network
growth, DWDM provides a high level of scalability.
o Components in a DWDM system require consistent cooling systems to
keep them stable. The lasers within the system dont operate effectively
under adverse conditions. Cooling for these systems introduces high
operational costs.
Linear and Non-Linear effects
o DWDM can suffer from linear and non-linear effects such as: attenuation,
Rayleigh scattering, absorption, chromatic dispersion, polarization mode
dispersion and four-wave mixing. Most of these effects can be mitigated
through proper optical network design.
4. Recommendation
After careful consideration and analysis of the two options; one being Coarse Wavelength
Division Multiplexing (CWDM) and two, Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM),
DWDM is the recommendation. The reason for the recommendation is based largely on the point
that it is highly scalable, and well suited for long-haul transmission.
As EnTouch grows and adds new customers and new locations, the use of DWDM will
increase its customer satisfaction and attract new customers based on the word of mouth. As
adding and retaining customers is the key to success in this highly competitive industry, positive
reviews from existing customers will make or break an upstart, newcomer going up against the
entrenched, and national providers of the same services.
The initial costs associated with the upgrades to the infrastructure will be recovered
through the addition of new areas that become available to service. These areas would not be
serviceable with the existing CWDM equipment which lacks the long haul abilities of the
DWDM technology. The addition of the new areas to service, and the new clients that will be
added due to word of mouth and sign on incentives, will strengthen the monthly revenues and
allow further additional expansion.
The cost to benefit ratio of the suggested recommendation is highly in favor of the
recommended transition into the DWDM technology. Recent acquisitions in the ISP, backbone
services industry suggest the trend toward fiber to the home is only going to increase in the near
future making EnTouch a leader in their market space.
References
Cisco ONS 15454 DWDM Engineering and Planning Guide, Release 7.x - Chapter 1, DWDM
Overview [Cisco ONS 15454 M12 Multiservice Transport Platform (MSTP)]. (2012,
January 5). Retrieved May 30, 2015, from
http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/optical/15000r7_0/dwdm/planning/guide/70epg/d
7ovw.html
What is multiplexing? - Definition from WhatIs.com. (n.d.). Retrieved May 30, 2015.
The Fiber Optic Association. (n.d.). Retrieved May 30, 2015, from
http://www.thefoa.org/tech/ref/basic/SMbands.html
