Channelmania! – future proof your DWDM network topology while keeping it flexible for 1.6T#

Thomas Weible (no affiliation listed; material made with FLEXOPTIX Research)

• Why: Grid and spectrum planning for 800G/1.6T superchannels is a near-term, irreversible decision for anyone owning DWDM for DC/WAN interconnect; filter choices made today can lock a network out of 1.6T tomorrow.
• What: A case for moving DWDM channel plans to larger grids (up to 400GHz, with COTS filters) to accommodate 400G/800G/1.6T coherent superchannels, while retaining backward compatibility with legacy 50GHz services — and an argument that IP engineers must now understand coherent optics in the IPoDWDM era. (from abstract only)
• How: High-baud coherent superchannels need far more spectrum than legacy 50/100GHz slots; coherent detection being "blind" to anything but its own wavelength enables filterless topologies, but at the cost of flexibility. Wider COTS filters both open the growth path to 1.6T and coexist with legacy narrow-grid services.
• Where applicable: Operators of their own DWDM/IPoDWDM infrastructure — DC interconnect, metro, and regional transport. Networks locked into 50GHz-gridded plants face the harder migration. The content is standard transport engineering despite the FLEXOPTIX Research affiliation; discount for any product positioning around their filter/solution portfolio.