Meriton launches fully integrated ROADM, optical crossconnect system
June 10, 2005 Chicago, IL, and Ottawa, ON -- Meriton Networks has introduced what it calls a fully integrated reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer (ROADM) and optical crossconnect (OXC) system. According to the company, release 4 of its 7200 optical add/drop switch (OADX) adds STS-1/VC-4 grooming to its existing ROADM and transparent wavelength switching capabilities.
The company says that the unique mid-plane design of the 7200 OADX platform supports transmission and switching of wavelengths and SONET/SDH traffic, all within a single network element. Individual wavelengths can be groomed via the SONET/SDH switch fabric or be switched transparently; as carrier networks evolve, wavelengths may be changed from SONET/SDH to Gigabit Ethernet, according to the company. With the platform, the company says carriers can achieve this migration without incurring additional costs, or "truck rolls" in order to change equipment.
The company says its 7200 OADX platform provides non-blocking switching capacity of 128 bi-directional transparent wavelengths with 320 Gbit/sec of STS-1/VC-4 grooming. According to the company, a non-blocking architecture is superior to ADM-on-a-card platforms, as it assures unrestricted "any wavelength to any wavelength" grooming within a single device. According to the company, with the platform's universal fabric, a line interface can automatically change from being a groomed OC-48 to being a transparent Gigabit Ethernet, without requiring physical manipulation of the device.
"The value proposition of the 7200 OADX continues to lead the industry. The cost of an OADX is the same as a fixed OADM, yet provides a WDM transmission system, plus switching, and now grooming, without any premium in price," contends Mike Pascoe, CEO of Meriton Networks. "It's a very compelling business case that resonates with service providers of all sizes."
The platform was introduced at this week's Supercomm 2005.