Grant: Collaborative Research and Development Grants

The continuous traffic increase in carrier networks in the last decades has led to the development of wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) transmission systems with ever-increasing bitrates and capacity. Current coherent systems exhibit a total capacity of up to nearly 10 Tb/s (96 channels x 100G/channel), which makes the potential impact of performance degradation and failure at both the link and network levels more severe and the need for monitoring more important than ever. This research project aims at developing predictive models for performance degradation and failure for high-capacity coherent networks based on real monitoring data collected in a carrier network over several seasons and on multiple fiber plant deployments. This project builds on the research activities conducted by the principal investigator in the area of optical fiber measurements and networks. The results of this exploratory research will enable to develop preventive strategies at the network level for making high-capacity coherent networks more reliable and easier to manage for network operators, as well as more precise engineering and planning rules for future fiber network deployments. Some additional innovations are: long-term performance dynamics in coherent networks; new link metrics, time constants and predictive methods for performance evolution and polarization activity in different outside plants; new proactive fault management applications enabled by the digital signal processing (DSP) capabilities of coherent transponders; new software defined network (SDN) applications, given that proactive and automated fault management schemes can be expected to allow for the development of new applications through simplified and automated network operations and higher network reliability. The research project will be realized in partnership with Ciena, as well as collaborators from Verizon and KTH Royal Institute of Technology. The 3-year research project will provide a unique opportunity for training students on optical performance monitoring and advanced network management concepts and practices and will allow training at least 2 Ph.D. and 5 Master students.*