2 March 2012
There are some exciting new product directions that many optical components suppliers are taking. The industry has been talking about optical integration for many years and some companies, like Infinera (Booth 1158), have implemented it into their real-world products. While Infinera develops its technologies to be used internally only for its optical transport equipment, there are many more companies making similar advances. It seems we’re on the brink of some true industry breakthroughs using what many have deemed “optical engines.”
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By John D’Ambrosia, Chairman and Member, Board of Directors, Ethernet Alliance; Chief Ethernet Evangelist, CTO Office, Dell | Posted: 1 March 2012
On June 13, 2002, IEEE Std 802.3ae-2002TM, otherwise known as the 10 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) standard, was ratified. Shortly after the ratification of this standard, the industry saw a new generation of networking and the explosion of the Gigabit Ethernet market. These networking technologies helped fuel the likes of companies such as Google and Facebook, and the mass deployment of Gigabit Ethernet servers arguably set the bar for what the Ethernet industry identifies as a successful standard.
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By David Nugent | Posted: 29 February 2012
1 August 1981: MTV was launched at 12.01AM by broadcasting “Video Killed the Radio Star”, the chart-topping song by British synthpop group The Buggles. Yet ironically radio-over-fiber appears poised to resuscitate video-burdened networks at home and work. So has millimeter-wave photonics come of age?
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By Steve Alexander | Posted: 28 February 2012
One of the reasons I look forward to OFC/NFOEC each year is the event’s pure collection of networking talent and insight. Attend and you’re sure to come away with a new perspective on the future of optical networks and the services that run over them.
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By C. David Chaffee, Founder and CEO, Chaffee Fiber Optics | Posted: 27 February 2012
The first time I ever stepped onto an OFC exhibits floor it was a kind of wonderland experience. It was right after the keynotes many years ago and there is always a rush of energy as the exhibits area opens for the first time. Here were companies I had been writing about and all were present and available to talk, explain themselves, put their best foot forward, and provide insights into where the industry and technology we shared were going.
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By Ross Saunders | Posted: 24 February 2012
The growth fundamentals of our industry are strong. The multiplicative drivers of increasing broadband penetration, demand for streaming video services and Broadband on the Go will all help drive growth of the Internet. So why are we still so nervous?
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By Lisa Huff, Discerning Analytics | Posted: 24 February 2012
Ever since the 40/100G Ethernet standard was completed in 2009, the IEEE standards group has been continuing to refine it. While the original standard covers the minimum requirements, end users have indicated two areas for enhancement:
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By C. David Chaffee, Founder and CEO, Chaffee Fiber Optics | Posted: 21 February 2012
For Vincent O’Byrne, director of wireline access technologies at Verizon, OFCNFOEC 2012 is a place where he can check on the status of fiber-to-the-premise deployments around the world. “I am definitely interested in seeing how everyone else deploys FTTP,” says Vincent. “It is always interesting and it may help us to save on our cost structure going forward.” You will probably find Vincent at the session on Monday, March 5 on Access System Trials, where there will be speakers from Germany, Japan, Brazil and Korea.
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By David Nugent | Posted: 21 February 2012
“Attention, everyone. Would those in favour of SDM please form an orderly line on the left. Those in favour of MDM please disperse throughout the room whilst choreographing yourself into patterns of uniquely identifiable shape.”
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By Jim Theodoras | Posted: 15 February 2012
Shiny gold plated laser housings. Gleaming AWG wafers. Rainbow colored ribbon cables. Stuff. There is something exciting (dare I say tantalizing) about seeing new gadgets, and being the first to see, touch, and feel them. It always seems much of the buzz at #OFCNFOEC each year centers on the tangible. XFPs, QSFPs, CFPs, TOSA's, ROSA's, ribbon cables, etc. Yet, this year, I challenge attendees to resist their natural tendencies honed over centuries of evolution, and to look beyond mere devices.
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By Lisa Huff, Discerning Analytics | Posted: 13 February 2012
We have been talking about 40G for more than 10 years now in telecommunications networks, but just for about three years for datacom ones. The first components were shown at OFC/NFOEC 2009, but we have yet to see them used in “real-world” networks. This is starting to change. Many early adopters such as Google, Facebook and the Amsterdam Internet Exchange (AIX) are now deploying switches and routers that have 40 and 100G ports
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By C. David Chaffee, Founder and CEO, Chaffee Fiber Optics | Posted: 13 February 2012
When optical is the only transmission medium that can stay ahead of the accelerating global demand for broadband, there are going to be new challenges. This is an exciting theme that is being explored at OFCNFOEC 2012.
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By C. David Chaffee, Founder and CEO, Chaffee Fiber Optics | Posted: 3 February 2012
The service providers sit atop the optical transport food chain. While these days carriers come in a variety of stripes and guises, the service providers are still the big boys with the most wampum--and the system and components vendors play off their lead.
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