DWDM architecture diagram explanation

 

✅ DWDM Architecture Diagram – Explanation

A DWDM system architecture typically consists of three logical layers:

  1. Client/Service Layer
  2. Optical Transport Layer
  3. Optical Line System (Fiber + Amplification + ROADM)

🧩 1) Client / Service Layer (Traffic Source)

What it shows in the diagram:

  • Routers
  • Switches
  • Storage systems
  • Base stations
  • Data center servers

Function: These devices generate client signals such as:

  • 100G / 400G Ethernet
  • Fibre Channel
  • OTN (OTU4, OTU2, etc.)

➡ These signals cannot travel directly on DWDM fiber and must be converted into optical wavelengths.

🔷 2) Transponder / Muxponder Layer (Electrical ↔ Optical)

What it shows in the diagram:

  • Transponders
  • Muxponders
  • Line cards in DWDM chassis

🔹 Transponder

  • Converts a client signal (e.g., 100G Ethernet) into a DWDM wavelength (e.g., 1550.12 nm).
  • Performs modulation (QPSK, 16QAM, etc.).

🔹 Muxponder

  • Aggregates multiple lower-speed signals (e.g., 10×10G → 100G) into one DWDM wavelength.

👉 This is the bridge between IP/DC equipment and optical transport.

🌈 3) Optical Multiplexer / Demultiplexer (MUX / DEMUX)

What it shows in the diagram:

  • Passive or active MUX/DEMUX modules
  • AWG or thin-film filters

Function:

  • Combines multiple wavelengths onto a single fiber (MUX).
  • Separates wavelengths at the far end (DEMUX).

Example:

  • λ1 = 100G
  • λ2 = 400G
  • λ3 = 100G ➡ All travel on one fiber pair

🔁 4) Optical Line System (Fiber + Amplifiers)

This is the core long-haul transport section.

🔹 Optical Fiber Span

  • Single-mode fiber (G.652, G.654, G.655)
  • Typical span: 80–100 km between amplifiers.

🔹 Optical Amplifiers

EDFA (Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifier)

  • Boosts signals in C-band / L-band.
  • Used every 80–100 km.

Raman Amplifier (Optional)

  • Distributed amplification for ultra-long-haul.

👉 Amplifiers avoid electrical regeneration.

🔀 5) ROADM Nodes (Reconfigurable Optical Add-Drop Multiplexer)

What it shows in the diagram:

  • ROADM sites in ring/mesh topology
  • Wavelength switching blocks

Function:

  • Add/drop specific wavelengths dynamically.
  • Route wavelengths without manual patching.

Example:

  • λ1 goes A → B → C
  • λ2 goes A → D directly
  • Network operator reconfigures remotely.

👉 ROADM enables optical layer automation & mesh networking.

🧠 6) Optical Supervisory Channel (OSC) & NMS

What it shows in the diagram:

  • OSC module
  • NMS / EMS system

Function:

  • Monitors fiber health, OSNR, power levels.
  • Remote management of DWDM equipment.

🏗️ Typical End-to-End DWDM Architecture Flow

Client Device → Transponder → MUX → Fiber + Amplifiers → ROADM → DEMUX → Transponder → Client Device

🌍 Typical DWDM Network Topologies

🔹 Point-to-Point

  • DCI links
  • Submarine or terrestrial backbone

🔹 Ring

  • Metro networks
  • Carrier backbone protection

🔹 Mesh

  • Hyperscale backbone
  • National telecom core networks

🧩 Why This Architecture Matters (Business Perspective)

Article content

👉 This is why DWDM is L1 infrastructure CAPEX-heavy and often bought by Tier-1 carriers, hyperscalers, and national ISPs.

⚠️ Key Technical Bottlenecks Shown in Architecture Diagrams

  • OSNR degradation over distance
  • Fiber nonlinearities
  • Amplifier noise
  • Spectrum fragmentation
  • ROADM insertion loss

These drive:

  • Coherent DSP upgrades
  • C+L band expansion
  • Flex-grid ROADMs

✅ Simple One-Sentence Explanation

A DWDM architecture converts client data into optical wavelengths, multiplexes them onto a single fiber, amplifies and routes them across long distances, and then demultiplexes and converts them back at the destination.

DWDM solution demand and price inquiry link info:

Article content

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Introduction to Metro Ethernet

Image
  Ethernet was originally created for the LAN (Local Area Network) and not for the WAN (Wide Area Network), one of the reasons was the distance limitation that the first Ethernet standards offered. The technology of Ethernet is used a lot in networking products, which makes it cheap to produce Ethernet products compared to other networking technology. This is one of the reasons why Ethernet is interesting to use outside of the LAN. Metro Ethernet was first used outside of the LAN in metropolitan areas, called MANs (Metropolitan Area Network). We use fiber cabling because of the support for longer distances. Here are some of the standards that are suitable for Metro Ethernet: As you can see in the table above, we can now cover distances of up to 100 Km (62 miles) and up to 100 Gbps. Metro Ethernet was first only used in metropolitan areas, that’s why it’s called “Metro” Ethernet. Nowadays it’s also used for long-distance WAN links, often named Carrier Ethernet. From the customer’s p...
Read more

DWDM: Concept, Function, Application in telecom network

  DWDM stands for Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing. It is a type of multiplexing technique used in optical fiber to achieve high data transfer using the same optical fiber. DWDM is a type of Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) but a more compact version in-order to transmit and receive high data in the same WDM technology. In DWDM technology, different sources of data are multiplexed so that all the data can use the same optical fiber for the data transmission. In this technology, more than 80 different wavelength of light can be passed through a single pair of fiber. As each light wavelength refers to different data. In this technology, generally all the light wave are multiplexed within 1550 nm wavelength. This is because, in this wavelength the light are tolerable to losses and distortion. But generally, light wave is sent for wavelengths between approximately 1525–1565 nm (C band), or 1570–1610 nm (L band). Multiplexing is achieved in such a way that none of ...
Read more

Communication power supply, why choose -48V?

Image
In our country, most communication power supplies use -48V power supply. As a communicator, do you know why? Before solving this question, let’s first understand where the -48V power supply comes from! █ How is -48V power generated? The power supply for communication equipment can be AC ​​power or DC power. To achieve uninterrupted power supply, in addition to UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply, uninterruptible power supply), we must rely on the power stored in batteries. The monitoring module is responsible for the management of the entire system and transmits data to the remote monitoring terminal. The picture below takes the mains power as an example to introduce the working structure of the communication power supply system. As can be seen from the picture above ,  the -48V power supply is converted from alternating current or high-voltage direct current through a rectifier module  . █Why use -48V power supply? Seeing this, many people will ask: Why is the power supply volt...
Read more