Photonic switches have a number of advantages over OEO switches, which convert light into electrical signals for control, and then convert back into light to redirect. When you do a conversion into an electrical signal, you have to make an assumption about the speed and the format of the network. Once you do this, you are set in stone. Dixon claims Calient's photonic switch will save its customers 90 percent over the lifecycle of the product versus an OEO switch. The savings come from the immense scalability of the switch, which can handle a 40Gb OC 768 connection at multiple wavelengths.
Network traffic doubles every six to eight months.
Carriers don't have to reinvest in switches as volume increases with OOO switches for a much longer period than with OEO switches. Dixon says the OOO operates at lower cost, on less power, and occupies less space than older switches. Carl Showalter, VP of marketing at Juniper, says Calient has an impressive engineering team and product, but that Juniper's investment is more strategically than monetarily motivated. Along with Calient, Juniper also has invested in many of its rivals. The idea is to keep up with the changes in the switching space, which is intimately connected to Juniper's router market.