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With their improved efficiency and lower costs, optical switches provide the key for carriers to both manage the new capacity dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) provides as well as gain a competitive advantage in the recruitment and retention of new customers. However, with two types of optical switches being offered, there is a debate over which type of switch to deploy—intelligent, optical-electrical-optical (O-E-O) switches, or all-optical, optical-optical-optical (O-O-O) switches. The real answer is that both switches offer distinct advantages, and, by understanding where and when deployment makes sense, carriers can optimize their network and service offerings.
Overview
Carriers have embraced DWDM as a mechanism to quickly respond to an increasing need for bandwidth, particularly in the long-haul core network. Many of these carriers have also recognized that this wavelength-based infrastructure creates the foundation for the new-generation optical network. However, as DWDM delivers only raw capacity, carriers now need to implement a solution to manage the bandwidth that DWDM provides. Optical switches present the key for carriers to manage the new capacity and gain a competitive advantage in the recruitment and retention of new customers. To secure improved efficiency, lower cost, and new revenue-generating services, carriers have two choices of optical switches to control their bandwidth and rising capital expenses, the O-E-O switch and the all-optical, photonic-based O-O-O switch. A logical evolution path to the next-generation network must include the deployment of intelligent O-E-O switches to ensure that current needs are met and that all-optical O-O-O switches are added where and when they make sense. Therefore, there is no debate on whether carriers need to deploy either O-E-O or O-O-O, but there is on how to optimize network and service offerings through the implementation of both switch types.
