Dave Welch, Infinera
Title: Coherent Technologies for the edge
The extension of coherent technology to the edge and the novel architectures thereby enabled remove current metro/access barriers and deliver new levels of capacity and service agility in a wide set of applications. The use of intelligent coherent pluggables in the network enables a management architecture that enhances end-to-end visibility, accelerates service turn-up and enables advanced networking functions. Recent techno-economical case studies to quantify the benefits of such emerging technologies will be reported.
Prof. Dr. Ioannis Tomkos,University of Patras, Greece
Title: Towards multi-Pbps scale backbone optical networking in support of future 6G access networks
Since we have entered the research era of 6G networks, disruptive approaches should be investigated about the optical x-haul technologies associated with advance optical nodes and their transceiver Interfaces that will enable flexible capacity scaling (up to 10Tbps rate per interface, 10Pbps capacity per transmission link and over 100Pbps throughput per optical node), based on the utilization of ultra-high bandwidth photonic devices and the efficient exploitation of both optical spatial and spectral dimensions (i.e. Ultra-Wide-Band Spectral Lanes Multiplexing & Spatial Lanes Multiplexing in a hybrid UWB/SDM configuration) at the data transport plane. The x-haul 6G optical network infrastructure should be capable to adapt its capabilities according to the needs of the various network segments forming the end-to-end connections, by utilizing new ML-enabled SDN control-plane approaches that incorporate novel resource allocation algorithms and protocols to optimize the routing of network traffic across network layers and segments, with the goal to achieve ultra-high energy efficiency and low-cost per switched/transmitted bit and support improved network QoS (e.g. high rates, low latency, high reliability/availability), as required by upcoming 6G applications. The talk will discuss key network elements and approaches that should be developed to support this vision.
Polina Bayvel, Head of the Optical Networks Group (Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering), University College London (UCL)
Title: What can be done to make optical networks more intelligent?
Optical networks have evolved almost beyond recognition since the installation of the first optical fibre links in late 1970s. They are sometimes viewed as essential ‘plumbing’ in the digital infrastructure – but does the optical bandwidth they provide, play a greater role in network evolution? Can it be made more intelligent, more flexible and adaptive, how can bandwidth be accessed – can optical networks help in ‘seeing through the cloud’?