Optical Networks: Technical and Financial Issues AREON Planning Meeting November 1, 2005 Little Rock, Arkansas David Merrifield University of Arkansas

Agenda Optical network components Building an optical network Connecting to an optical network Campus network infrastructure Costs

Optical Network Components Fiber optic cable

Optical Network Components Transmitter Receiver Optronics to “light the fiber”

Optical Network Components Transmitter Receiver Transmitter Fiber pair required for bi-directional communications

Fiber characteristics Multimode vs. Singlemode Fiber Singlemode fiber Multimode fiber

Fiber characteristics Attenuation (dB/km)

Fiber characteristics Dispersion

Fiber characteristics Fiber Types –Non-Dispersion Shifted Fiber (NDSF) 1300nm –Non-Zero Dispersion Shifted Fiber (NZDSF) 1523nm 1560nm –Dispersion Shifted Fiber (DSF) 1540nm

Fiber characteristics Light Loss –Occurs at: Injection Splice Along the fiber Connectors Termination

Fiber characteristics Types of loss that occur: –Refraction –Critical angle –Skew rays –Polarization –Physical irregularities –Absorption –Scattering –Dispersion –Noise

Optical Network Components Light amplification is required over long distances –influenced by fiber type, light loss, and optronics –80-120km (50-75mi) spacing typical TransmitterReceiver EDFA Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifier

Optical Network Components TransmitterReceiver RCVRRCVR ELECELEC XMTRXMTR O-E-O Optical-Electrical-Optical Signal regeneration is required over very long distances –influenced by fiber type, light loss, and optronics –600km (375mi) spacing typical

Wave Division Multiplexing LaserRcvr Single signal transmitted on a single fiber is relatively simple.

Technique of placing multiple signals via different wavelengths onto a single fiber using FDM-Frequency Division Multiplexing Wave Division Multiplexing Laser Rcvr Mux

Dense Wave Division Multiplexing (DWDM) Transmitter A ITU Ch. 1 Transmitter B ITU Ch. 2 Transmitter C ITU Ch. 3 Transmitter D ITU Ch. 4 4-Ch. DWDM Mux 4-Ch. DWDM Demux Receiver A Receiver B Receiver C Receiver D l1l1 l4l4 l3l3 l2l2 l1l1 l2l2 l3l3 l4l4 EDFA A lambda (l) is a single wavelength.

Optical Add/Drop Mux OADM TransmitterReceiver Single Fiber Filament

Optical Add/Drop Mux Transmitter A ITU Ch. 1 Transmitter B ITU Ch. 2 Transmitter C ITU Ch. 3 Transmitter D ITU Ch. 4 OADM Receiver A Receiver B Receiver C Receiver D l1l1 l4l4 l3l3 l2l2 l1l1 l2l2 l3l3 l4l4 OADMs provide means for creating “optical circuits.” OADM

Building a Regional Optical Network Preliminary network design issues –Determine connecting sites –Determine route redundancy requirements –Anticipate future needs

LOTA Ring

AREON Backbone Conceptual

AREON Backbone UARK SAU ATU UAFS HSU UCA UAM UAPB ASU UALR UAMS TULSA DALLAS MEMPHIS MONROE

Building a Regional Optical Network Research fiber availability and type Obtain fiber IRUs (if possible) Do fiber characterization Identify lambdas necessary for applications Engineer for Layer 1 & Layer 3 Acquire and install equipment Connect participant networks

Building a Regional Optical Network Contract with National LambdaRail members in neighboring states (LOTA) Contract for commodity Internet through Quilt Contract for Internet2/Abilene Network access

Connecting to a Regional Optical Network Local loop Layer 1 and Layer 3 Lambdas Alternatives

Connecting to a Regional Optical Network Local loop –Backbone fiber provider already terminates at your PoP –Use a different fiber provider to reach the backbone –Fiber provider builds a lateral fiber to your PoP (or nearby) –Bury your own fiber to the backbone

Connecting to a Regional Optical Network Local loop Fiber Hut Fiber Hand Hole Carrier Hotel

Connecting to a Regional Optical Network Local loop CAMPUS PoP 3 miles 2 miles Fiber Hut Costs can be significant Right of way Buried vs. aerial Cable Labor $3 - $50 per foot

Connecting to a Regional Optical Network Layer 1 and Layer 3 AREON Backbone Fiber Local Loop Campus Optical Infrastructure Optical Research Lab AREON Backbone OADM

Connecting to a Regional Optical Network Layer 1 and Layer 3 AREON Backbone OADM Local Loop Gigabit Ethernet Campus Border Router Campus IP Network AREON Backbone Fiber

Connecting to a Regional Optical Network Lambdas –Identify locations that your campus network needs to communicate with –Determine bandwidth needs

Connecting to a Regional Optical Network Lambdas 10G 8xGE 2.7G 2xGE 2.7G OC-12

Connecting to a Regional Optical Network Is optical network connect what you need? –High entry cost –High maintenance costs –Realistic bandwidth expectations Alternatives do exist –Leased ‘lit’ services (lambdas) –Standard carrier options (DS3, OC-3, …) –State network & SEGP

Campus Network Infrastructure Upgrades may be necessary to support high bandwidth Determine core network needs Determine border needs Consider security needs as well Plan for the future Budget for maintenance and operations expenses

Campus Network Infrastructure Juniper T320 Force10 E300 Building LANs Firewall

Costs Cost categories include: –State backbone buildout –Campus connection to backbone –Shared and dedicated lambdas –Campus network infrastructure upgrades –State backbone maintenance –Network operations –Organizational costs –SEGP membership –Internet and Internet2 bandwidth

Costs State backbone buildout –Backbone includes: Tulsa to Fayetteville to Fort Smith to Little Rock Little Rock to Pine Bluff to Monroe, LA –Additional fiber acquired: Little Rock to Memphis Memphis to Jonesboro Little Rock to Texarkana to Dallas Estimated cost: $7.75M (thru Dec 2007)

Costs Campus connection to backbone –Cost of fiber connection to nearest state backbone OADM site varies substantially from site to site requires engineering to determine full cost –Cost of optronics in OADM –Possible colocation costs

Costs Shared and dedicated lambdas

Costs Campus network infrastructure upgrades –Varies substantially from campus to campus –Recommend concentrating on two areas: Gigabit ethernet in the core Upgrading border router to support gigabit ethernet

Costs State backbone maintenance

Costs Network operations –Salaries & benefits of engineers –Equipment –Software –Training –Travel –Cost of doing business (office space, furniture, phones, etc.)

Costs Organizational costs –Salaries & benefits –Legal & auditing expenses –Consulting fees –Cost of doing business (office, furniture, equipment, phones, etc.)

Costs SEGP membership Requires an Internet2 member sponsor Access to Internet2/Abilene network is through member sponsor SEGP annual fee –$30,000 + ($2,000 x no. of seats in House) = $38,000 for Arkansas

Costs Internet bandwidth –Quilt membership –Discounted Commodity Internet –Cost estimated under $50 / Mbps / month e.g., 10 megabit = 10 x $50 x 12 = $6,000 annually Internet2 bandwidth –UARK, UALR, UAMS share 45 Mbps today –ASU has separate OC-3

Contact David Merrifield Associate Director University of Arkansas Computing Services 155 Razorback Road Fayetteville, AR