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Regional Optical Networking - The Next Steps

I2 Member Meeting

May 2, 2005

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Quilt RON Workshops

• Goal: Educate the regional community about fiber and optical network opportunities and technologies. – 1st Workshop June ‘04 in Denver

• “So you think you want some dark fiber?”

– 2nd Workshop Nov. ‘04 in Raleigh• “So you’ve got some dark fiber-now what?”

– 3rd Workshop June ‘05 Newport. RI• “So you’ve lit your fiber-now what?”

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Inaugural Workshop

• June 2004 at Level 3’s Facility in Broomfield, CO• Focus on learning about the acquisition and operational

issues associated optical networks.– A “Who’s Who of RON Experts from the R&E Community”– Not Bad for Beginners!– Archive available at: http://www.thequilt.net/

• Specific topics– Where is the fiber? – IRU’s and other legal issues– Technical Design

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Where’s the fiber?

• Presenter - Victor Braud• Basic Issues

– What kind of fiber is it?– Where does it go?– Who owns it?– Do they have any extra?– Do they have the right to sell it; if so will they sell it?

• Can you afford it, including the cost of the:– IRU @ $500 to $2500/fiber/mile– Collocation @ $500 to $1,200/rack/month + power– O&M @ $100 to $300/route mile/year– Optronics to light and staff to maintain it?

• Will the owner allow you reasonable access to it?• 20 year partnership with Owner?

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Indefeasible Right to Use

• Presenter - Alex Preiser - Associate Legal Counsel, UCAR

• Key Legal issues associated with IRU Agreements

• IRU Defined• Key Terms• Considerations• Strategies

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IRU - Key Terms

• Connection• Acceptance Testing• Maintenance• Construction• Fees• Performance• Property Rights• Term/Usage Rights• Payments/Taxes• Force Majeure

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Funding the Network(s)

• Several models presented– Almost as many funding models as there are

organizational models

• Basic Costs– General Operations– Network Operations Center– Allocation of Optical Network– Equipment Maintenance– Equipment Replacement Allocation

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Technical Design Elements And Test Equipment

• Presenter - Steve Cotter• Design

– Optical budget = Output power – Input sensitivity

Steve Cotter – Internet2 / National LambdaRailscotter@internet2.edu

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Technical Design

• Optical budget is affected by:– Fiber attenuation– Splices– Patch panels / connectors– Optical components (filters, amplifiers, etc.)– Bends in the fiber– Contamination (dirt, oil, etc.)

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Fiber Types

• SMF (standard, 1310 nm optimized, G.652)– Most widely deployed so far, introduced in 1986,

cheapest– Corning SMF-28– Corning SMF-28e

• ‘extended band fiber – optimized for CWDM

• DSF (Dispersion Shifted, G.653)– Intended for single channel operation at 1550 nm– Corning DSF

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Fiber Types, Con’t• NZDSF (Non-Zero Dispersion Shifted, G.655)

– SMF/LS (limited slope) fiber from Corning – Later fiber types are engineered for WDM

operation in the 1550 nm region only• TrueWave, FreeLight, LEAF, E-LEAF, TeraLight…

– These are the latest generation fibers developed in mid 90’s

– For better performance with high capacity DWDM systems– Optimized for DWDM in the C-band & L-band

• MetroCor, WideLight are other types• Low PMD ULH fibers are also out there

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Ins and Outs of Co-location

• Presenter - Steve Cotter• Co-location Site Survey

– Know How to Get to the site– Access– Equipment Delivery– Inspect the facility– Know your costs

• Power,• Cross-connects• Labor Steve Cotter – Internet2 /

National LambdaRailscotter@internet2.edu

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Acceptance Testing• Presenter - Paul Schopis• Main Issues

– Background– Adapted lab approach– Examples on Web at ITEC sites– http://www.nc-itec.org/archive/CAR/plan.html– http://www.adec.edu/nsf/index.html

– Layered approach– Specific targets– Physical Layer– Optical Layer – Full System

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Quilt 2nd RON Workshop

• November/December 2004– Raleigh, NC hosted by MCNC.

• Focus on Equipment available to light up the network.

• New Approach – RFI with a Case Study served as discussion tool.

• Selected Equipment Vendors Presented

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Example Equipment RFP

• Presenter - Scott Gerstenberger– MiLR Optronics Acquisition

• RFP Purpose– Gives the vendors the big picture of why you’re doing this.– Reduces the number of questions – Gives your project more credibility

• Components– Background and Overview

• Include: general R&E RON activities, about the fiber you have, and an overview of the optronics you want to buy

– Network Topology and Fiber Specifications

• Specifics of your fiber (maps, distances, fiber types, fiber providers, loss specifications, colo sites, etc.)

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Example RFP Components (cont’d)

• DWDM System and Bid Requirements - Major section – Lay out your optronics design (list of OADM sites,

wavelength capacity needed), – Trib interfaces you need, the initial specific

configuration you plan to buy through the RFP– Expected network growth over time and how the

vendor’s initial design needs to accommodate this growth,

– Requirements for alien wavelengths,– Timetable, management and maintenance plan.

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Example RFP Components (cont’d)

• Evaluation Criteria – Don’t make this too limiting or overly specific

– Specifics:• Vendor’s ability to comply with the RFP specifications• Vendor’s ability to demonstrate the product in their lab• Customer references• Overall cost (put this last)

• How to Respond– Boiler plate and procedural material your

purchasing department requires

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Connecting to the Backbone

• Presenter - Dave Reese• Option 1: Co-location

– RON co-locates in same facility (not in same cage/space) as backbone.

– Consider bulk fiber bundle between RON and backbone• Watch cross-connect fees!

• Option 2: High fiber count – RON builds/buys/leases bulk fiber from nearby location into

backbone facility– Distance is the limiting factor - some backbone interfaces are

short reach ONLY

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Common RON Issues

• Diversity– Do you need diverse entrance into backbone facility?

• Common facility– Can you incorporate the backbone facility as integral part of

your RON?

• Will the ILEC make “waves?”– Some are now offering reasonable Gig-E, and indicating 10GE

availability– Depending on your visibility, ILEC may apply pressure to use

their services!

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Quilt 3rd RON Workshop

• June 1-3, 2005– Newport, RI, co-hosted by OSHEAN– Focus will be on learning more about the issues of operating an optical

network– Vendor Presentation May 31 – June 1

• Agenda Topics– Optical Network Testing– Transition from Layer 3 to Layer 1– Optical Network Management Tools– Issues Connecting– URL: http://www.thequilt.net/meetings

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Optical Network Testing and Test Kits

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Fiber Testing Goals

• Operations and Maintenance– Is this fiber contiguous– Are optical components functioning as they should– Are there dirty connectors or bad splices

• Initial Fiber Characterization– Measure span loss– Measure optical return loss (reflections)– Measure Dispersion

• Chromatic Dispersion testing required at 10G

• Chromatic and Polarization mode required at 40G

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Test Equipment - Overview• Optical Time Domain Reflectometer

– Measure attenuation along span– Can be used to troubleshoot fiber cuts

• Optical Spectrum Analyzer– Display and measure the power levels of all the lambdas on the fiber– Helps ensure waves are balanced – Consider purchasing two– Want one with at least 2 nm sensitivity

• Bit Test Set– Perform packet loss test to determine your BER – We require a 24 hour test before accepting circuits

• 1310nm / 1550nm Light Source• Optical Power Meter• Chromatic Dispersion test set• SONET / GE / 10GE test sets

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Fiber Test Equipment Kit• Fiber Inspection Scope

– Optical Inspection Scope (<$500)– Video Inspection Scope (USB or standalone) ($2-3K)

• Cleaning Kit ($100)– Cleaning sticks, alcohol, and wipes.

• Laser glasses/goggles ($300)• Visual Fault Locator ($300)• Loss test set ($1K)

– Stabilized light source– Power meter– Look for multi-wavelength units (1310/1550/1625 is common)– Loss testing often included with OTDR. Recommend you get

both standalone and OTDR option.

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OTDR Configuration• Optical Time Domain Reflectometer

– Buy modular unit that can add features– For operations and maintenance (>$50K)

• OTDR with order of 40dB of dynamic range ($30K)• Optical Spectrum Analyzer (OSA) ($30K)

– For initial fiber characterization, add (total >$100K)• Chromatic Dispersion analyzer. Often, vendors will have a CM

module with an integrated OTDR, so you can save some money getting this rather than discrete CM and OTDR modules ($20-30K)

• Polarization Mode Dispersion testing ($60K)

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Best of Breed Modular OTDR

• Agilent N3900• EXFO FTB 400• Nettest CMA 5000

– This unit is OEMed by Corning and sold as the Corning 500 Plus Multitester

• Informal survey of RON operators indicate most folks have Nettest/Corning or EXFO

• Some vendors have a trade-in program, so if you have an old crusty OTDR…..