Calient's gear is compact compared with other optical switching gear, the company says - a key consideration for upstart carriers who lease space in other carriers' switching offices or build their own. A single 7-foot equipment rack of DiamondWave gear can switch 164,000 wavelengths of light, according to Calient. The software controlling the equipment has been designed to support a future signaling protocol that will enable switches to set up new light paths automatically across optical networks as congestion dictates, according to Calient. The equipment makes use of a wide range of light frequencies to transmit traffic. Carriers that use the equipment can pick and choose which frequency to use according to application.
Some wavelengths are better suited to short-haul transmission and some to long distance.
Feedback Tell us your thoughts on this article or the issues raised in it. When you click Submit, you'll be taken back to this article. Links to additional resources . Tell us your thoughts on this article or the issues it raises . Systems Management, Storage, LANs and The Edge.