Fujitsu claims sustainable terabit networking with 1FINITY Ultra Optical

Fujitsu has unveiled the 1FINITY Ultra Optical System, which it calls a “hyper-reliable” optical transport platform with data rates of 1.2 terabits per second (Tbps) on a single wavelength, with future upgrade to 1.6 Tbps.

The launch of the networking technology is said to be a contribution to the realisation of a sustainable society by expanding resilient network infrastructure that can respond to the rapid increase in data traffic due to increased demand for the internet of things and big data processing, while simultaneously reducing power consumption and achieving a 60% reduction of CO2 emissions throughout networks.

The 1FINITY optical transport platform features a digital signal processor (DSP) using the latest semiconductor processes and liquid cooling technology that is said to have twice the cooling capacity of conventional technology.

It uses technologies including Fujitsu’s continuous C+L reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer (ROADM) architecture to handle multiple wavelength bands in a single product, as well as optical signal Raman amplification, designed to improve the reach and transmission capacity of optical signals by amplifying them on the transmission path.

With respect to the wavelength range used for transmission, products were conventionally divided in C-band, L-band and wavelength band. Fujitsu’s new system can handle both wavelength bands at once, said to contribute to an increase in the maximum transmission capacity of the system.

Fujitsu sees these technologies as being able to support customers in improving the scalability of their network infrastructure, and will further contribute to the decarbonisation of the entire optical network, as the system requires fewer transponders and decreases power consumption.

Indeed, the features are also said to allow the new system to reduce carbon emissions compared with similar platforms, while maintaining the high data rates on a single wavelength and 40% greater reach than that of conventional systems.

Flexible installation and simplified management are also said to be benefits of the new technology. The company noted that conventional optical wavelength multiplexing devices required network operators to bundle multiple optical fibre cables in the device, resulting in high cable complexity and difficulties during installation.

By adopting a smart fibre cable system in its L900 Series Optical Line System, Fujitsu believes it has succeeded in reducing cabling complexity by more than 80%, and troubleshooting time during installation and commissioning from multiple hours to seconds.

That is, by using an optical backboard system in which optical fibre connections are pre-installed inside the device, optical fibre connections can be significantly reduced in front of the ROADM device.

Fujitsu will launch the new platform in the first half of 2023 to communications service providers and cloud infrastructure providers globally, starting with customers in Japan, North America and throughout Europe, where Fujitsu recently expanded availability of its full line of optical, wireless and networking software services.