Solution Brief
Nortel Common Photonic Layer
Nortel Common Photonic Layer (CPL)
represents a significant development in
the ongoing evolution to an adaptive,
all-optical intelligent network. CPL lever-
ages years of proven expertise in devel-
oping and deploying optical network
solutions and separates the optical line
side from the service side. This service/
photonic separation enables Nortel to
deliver a highly flexible, optimized and
intelligent common photonic layer to
metro, regional and long haul networks.
This common approach eliminates the
boundaries between each, thereby
creating one converged, easy-to-operate,
all-optical network.
Nortel CPL offers enterprise customers,
service providers and cable operators a
cost-optimized solution for transport of
telephony, data, video and cable services
in metro, regional and long haul
networks alike.
CPL was designed to take the complexity
out of DWDM photonic networking by
developing the necessary intelligence,
automated functions and control into
the optical transport layer hardware and
software. By simplifying service delivery,
from the planning phase through to the
in-service turn-up phase, the CPL is
geared to reducing time to service signifi-
cantly through new operational tools and
architecture flexibility. The platform effi-
ciently delivers value-rich services end-to-
end, while reducing the total cost of
ownership.
The CPL concept
As shown in Figure 1, CPL is separate
from the service layer in order to provide
a set of building blocks that can be
configured to provide cost-optimized
metro, regional, long haul and ultra
long haul DWDM transport applica-
tions. The service-enabling network
elements complement the photonic layer
to deliver the reach and capacity require-
ments of these various applications. As
such, the key goal of CPL is to dramati-
cally simplify the transport layer to
ensure that the multiservice switches,
DWDM terminals, optical core switches
and other service elements that connect
into it can have their services carried
end-to-end — seamlessly and efficiently.
Key platform benefits
Scalability
CPL offers an initial system with a
significantly small footprint that scales
modularly and provides a pay-as-you-go
like structure that can grow as revenue-
generating opportunities or capacity
exhaust drive expansion of the network.
Initial deployments can start with a few
wavelengths on one span and then grow
or even branch into a larger network
without requiring an expensive OEO
(optical-electrical-optical) boundary.
The innovative architecture does not
require a traditional backplane but is
built on an efficient modular design
where low-power individual compo-
nents are interconnected using an
Ethernet virtual backplane for data
communications and where optical fiber
is used to connect the signal path
through the modules. Each site is
deployed with the footprint that
matches its required capacity without
limiting the future scalability.
CPL uses the same set of building
blocks that can be deployed in applica-
tions requiring anywhere between 10s
of km up to 2,000-km reach between
terminal points, without Raman ampli-
fication. It is the DWDM platform of
choice for metro, regional and long haul
applications, providing common spares,
documentation, training and user inter-
face across the network. CPL allows a
seamless evolution to 40-Gbps based
networking over existing 10 Gbps lines
on any fiber type (new/old, clean/dirty)
without network re-engineering or the
deployment of dispersion compensating
modules or Polarization Mode Dispersion
(PMD) compensators.
Figure 1. The Common Photonic Layer concept
OADM/ROADM Long haul 2,000 km
site
Regional
600 km
Metro
200 km
2.5G 10G 40G λ’s Service-enabling
Network Elements
• Multiservice switches
• SONET/SDH ADMs
Any service from • Optical switches
16 Mbps to 10 Gbps • DWDM terminals
2
Operational simplicity
CPL has been designed from the start
with the goal of introducing new levels
of operational simplicity into the
market. The platform provides highly
automated functions for the following
network deployment activities:
• Pre-deployment network planning:
The Optical Modeler tool helps deter-
mine the appropriate placement of
components in the network in order
to guarantee integrity of the signal
transmission through the end of life of
the product. The resulting design is
captured in pre-configuration down-
load files that can be exported to the
EMS (Element Management System)
to accelerate the provisioning of the
system upon deployment.
• Initial system turn-up and incre-
mental wavelength additions: Upon
system turn-up or in-service addition
of new wavelengths, the embedded
Domain Optical Control or DOC
software performs a series of auto-
mated processes for equipment provi-
sioning. Combined with in-skin
electronic Variable Optical Attenuators
Common
Photonic
Layer
(VOAs), rapid initialization and
adjustment of system components is
achieved for a complete deploy-and-
forget process.
• Fault-tolerant distributed control
architecture: CPL offers a dynamic
and continuous system optimization
to ensure optimal performance of the
wavelengths transported end-to-end.
This autonomous process alerts the
operations center of any degradation
warning signs that cannot be corrected
automatically. Since the DOC soft-
ware is fully distributed throughout
the system, any failure or disruption
of any part of the communications
network will not affect the rest of the
system.
Network flexibility
CPL provides an eROADM (Enhanced
Reconfigurable Optical Add/Drop
Multiplexer) architecture that delivers
any wavelength, anywhere, anytime,
without impact to the existing traffic.
The eROADM is a CPL functional
module that enables dynamic “on the
fly” optical branching to up to five
different optical paths in addition to
facilitating basic add/drop of individual
wavelengths. Unlike first-generation
ROADMs with colored ports, eROADMs
are “colorless”, which means any wave-
length (color) can be added/dropped
on any port. With the eROADM:
• Service providers and cable operators
can redirect wavelengths to any span,
using CPL’s unconstrained optical
switch architecture
• Optical branching at strategic fiber
junctions is fully enabled with the
eROADM agility by enabling the
rerouting of light paths without
requiring conversion back to
electrical signals
• Wavelengths are managed optically
through the eROADMs, thus limiting
the need for fiber interconnections,
while helping to reduce the chance
of causing outages due to incorrect
manipulation of equipment
The flexibility offered with CPL’s
eROADM solution provides efficient
management of transiting wavelengths
at add/drop and branching locations
where previously more costly OEO
bandwidth management was required.
Wavelengths can be managed at the
single channel level, eliminating
stranded bandwidth, thereby increasing
network utilization and efficiency. The
DOC software provides continual
network optimization during reconfigu-
rations and network expansions for a
fully automated process.
Direction Independent Access (DIA)
Unlike other ROADM configurations
that are directionally dependant where a
TX/RX pair connected to a filter can
Figure 2. Common Photonic Layer architecture
Service Layer
Optical Metro 5200
Optical Metro 3500
λ1
Optical Multiservice
Edge 6500
Ethernet Routing
Switch 8600
Routers
λn
Vendor “X”
Optical Cross
Connect
DX/HDX/HDXc
only be sent out of the site in the direc-
tion of the line ports of the WSS it is
connected to, CPL allows Direction
Independent Access (DIA) where each
direction can be remotely reconfigured.
The DIA allows the user to determine
the optical direction of a channel out of
a site via software and not a physical
connection.
The DIA uses standard WSS, amplifier
and Optical Power Monitor (OPM)
components to create the directionally
independent access point. This simpli-
fies the planning of ROADM
sites/networks by allowing wavelengths
to be remotely redirected to another
direction as the bandwidth requirements
change. DIA supports directional
control of 44 (100GHz on eCMD44)
or 88 (50GHz on CMD44) wave-
lengths where each optical direction has
capacity up to 88 wavelengths via a
combination of passthrough, DIA
add/drop and local add/drop.
Common Photonic Layer
CMD
GMD
Amplifier
sites
Channel
access site
Architectural advantages
The main individual components that
make up the architecture of CPL are
detailed as follows:
Channel mux/demux (CMD)
The CMD is a 4-port or 8-port
mux/demux filter that feeds into one of
the nine ports on the GMD. Both types
of CMDs can coexist on the same line
to offer anywhere between 36 and 72
wavelengths on the DWDM system.
CPL also supports a CMD44 module
that allows service providers, cable oper-
ators and enterprises to access any
specific wavelength, among 44 in the C
band with enhanced network flexibility.
Any DWDM source that is ITU grid-
compliant can be transported, providing
an open photonic interworking solu-
tion. With the CMD architecture, wave-
lengths with different reach requirements
can be carried concurrently on the
DWDM system. For example, regional
reach wavelengths and long haul reach
wavelengths can be deployed to enable
an application such as the one described
in Figure 1.
eROADM/
WSS
Amplifier
sites
3
 The key goal of the Common Photonic Layer is to dramatically
simplify the transport layer to ensure that the multiservice
switches, DWDM terminals, optical core switches and other
service elements that connect into it can have their services
carried end-to-end — seamlessly and efficiently.
Group mux/demux (GMD)
The GMD provides a second stage
mux/demux capability and supports
nine CMD filters capable of offering a
total of up to 72 ITU-compliant wave-
lengths in the C band. This architecture
allows capacity to be added incremen-
tally for a smooth evolution path. The
GMD, in its capacity as the Virtual
Shelf Processor (VSP), provides a commu-
nications infrastructure in order for the
CPL node to interface with other nodes,
elements within the node, and the
outside world.
Wavelength Selective Switch (WSS)
The WSS is the key enabler for
eROADM solutions for the termination
or rerouting of any wavelength to any
port across the network. Single or
multiple wavelengths that are dropped
at one site can be re-inserted with new
traffic and rerouted to a different loca-
tion, eliminating bandwidth stranding.
The WSS can connect up to five
different nodes at an eROADM site
while supporting local add/drop traffic.
Amplifier
The Amplifier is a low-noise, high-
output power module with fast transient
control and self-provisioned variable
gain control that delivers enhanced
reach capabilities to ensure each wave-
length is amplified equitably. Various
amplifier modules are offered with
4
CPL to provide cost-optimized metro,
regional and long haul/ultra long haul
applications.
Domain Optical Control (DOC)
The DOC software resides on each
of the modules described above and
performs continuous background check,
eVOA and optical output power opti-
mization, fault isolation functions to
ensure that the network runs at optimal
state with the least human intervention
and time consumption. With this
feature, the requirement for expensive
test equipment and time to perform
system optimization is significantly
lowered.
Network management
for CPL
CPL is fully integrated into the Optical
Network Manager (formerly known as
Preside). Comprehensive screen layouts
provide the Network Elements’ health at
a glance, pull-down menus for simple
access to nodal management functions,
and all relevant nodal management
information. Faults are centralized on
the Optical Network Manager and
inventory, provisioning and perform-
ance management can all be controlled
via a common Graphical User Interface.
Through the Optical Network Manager,
the user can drill down onto the Craft
Interface of the Network Element for
full management options.
The Optical Network Manager provides
a proven interface to manage CPL and
all the subtending service layer optical
equipment to offer a centralized, inte-
grated solution at the Network
Operation Center.
Summary
CPL dramatically simplifies DWDM
line systems to enable significant
Capex/Opex savings and exploit this
simplicity to drastically reduce the time
to deploy value-rich services.
In support of these objectives, the plat-
form provides the smallest initial/final
footprint solution with significantly
lower power consumption, delivering
seamless scalability and in-service
capacity expansion from 2 to 88 wave-
lengths and beyond. Its building blocks
are optimized to offer cost-efficient
metro, regional and long haul reach
configurations. The automated tools
and intelligent software perform network
optimization and accelerate the end-to-
end provisioning/addition of wave-
lengths. The flexible architecture allows
these wavelengths to be delivered
anywhere, anytime. CPL integrates with
a proven network management platform
and easy-to-use optical planning tools.
CPL is truly the platform of choice for
all DWDM network applications.
CPL system features
Wavelengths supported 44 (100GHz), 88 (50GHz) or any combination to deliver between
(2.5G, 10G, 40G-ready) 44 and 88 wavelengths

Supported service layer Optical Metro 3500/5200, Optical Multiservice Edge 6500,
Network Elements Optical Cross Connect DX/HDX/HDXc, other products including multi-vendor
support (any ITU-compliant optical signal)

Reach From 10s of km to 2000 km — and beyond — depending on service platform

connected to CPL

Optical control Auto wavelength discovery, continuous dynamic system optimization,

fault isolation

Supported configurations Point-to-point, Ring, Mesh (i.e., service layer protection schemes)

OAM&P management features

Communication ports 10BaseT, RS232/modem craft access, 10/100BaseT internal (private),
external (COLAN), Ethernet wayside ports at every site

Element/Network SNMP, TL1, craft interface, Optical Network Manager,

Management Ethernet wayside channel (10/100BaseT clear channel)

Typical power consumption and footprint per site (CPL equipment)

Fulfilled channel access site (36 wavelengths) = 155 W (0.5 rack)

Fulfilled channel access site (72 wavelengths) = 255 W (0.5 rack)

Fulfilled line amplification site (72 wavelengths) = 115 W (0.25 rack)

eROADM site (36 wavelengths — 100% add/drop access) = 350 W (1 rack)

Other features:
Fiber management, OSMINE and NEBS3/ETSI compliant

The Common Photonic Layer offers an initial

system with a significantly small footprint that

scales modularly and provides a pay-as-you-go

like structure that can grow as revenue-gener-

ating opportunities or capacity exhaust drive

expansion of the network.

5
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