New devices enabling software-defined optical networks

Next-generation ROADM networks are incorporating an extensive range of new features and capabilities including colorless, directionless, and contentionless multiplexing and demultiplexing, flexible spectrum channel definition, and higher-order modulation formats. To efficiently support these new features, both new ROADM node architectures along with complementary optical components and technologies are being synergistically designed. In this article, we describe these new architectures, components, and technologies, and how they work together to support these features in a compact and costefficient manner.