Understanding CWDM Networks

Characteristics of CWDM
ITU-T Standards
G.694.2: Spectral grids Provides the wavelength grid for 3.0
Glossary for WDM applications; CWDM applications, which supports a
CO Central Office CWDM wavelength grid channel spacing of 20 nm.
O-Band E-Band S-Band C-Band L-Band
OADM G.695: Optical interfaces Applies to multiplexing applications for
CWDM Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexing for CWDM applications: point-to-point links of up to 16 channels 1260-1360 nm 1360-1460 nm 1460-1530 nm 1530- 1565-1625 nm
DEMUX Demultiplexer at 2.5 Gb/s. Signal transmission can be 1565 nm
Access 2.5
Business DFB Distributed Feedback either unidirectional or bidirectional.
Core DWDM OADM OADM DWDM Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing
Area
MUX Multiplexer
Key Feature CWDM
OADM Optical Add-Drop Multiplexer
OADM Standards ITU-T G.694.2 / G.695 2.0
ORL Optical Return Loss Operation Bands O, E, S, C, and L Bands (1271 to 1611 nm) Water Peak

Fiber Attenuation (dB/km)

Data OTDR Optical Time Domain Reflectometer Number of Wavelengths Up to 18
Center PDL Polarization Dependent Loss Wavelength Spacing 20 nm
Wavelength Drift Tolerance ± 6.5 nm
Applications Metro-Access, Regional Network, 7
Private Data Network (up to 80 km) 1.5 6 8
1 2 3 4 5 9 18
10 15 16 17
11 12 13 14
ITU-T G.694.2 CWDM Grid
Nominal central wavelengths

Common CWDM Deployment Topologies 1

(nm)
1271
1.0

2 1291
λ1 λ1 3 1311
4 1331
SONET/SDH SONET/SDH 5 1351
1 Point to Point 1 6 1371 0.5
7 1391
8 1411
MUX/DEMUX

MUX/DEMUX
λ2 λ2 9 1431
ITU-T G.652 Fiber
10 1451
Ethernet Ethernet 11 1471 0.0
12 1491
13 1511 1300 1400 1500 1600
14 1531
Wavelength (nm)
15 1551
λn λn 16 1571
Fiber Channel 1 1 Fiber Channel 17 1591
18 1611
1 3 4 2 2 1 3 4
3 3
Network Element Parameters
λ1 4 4 λ1 1 MUX/DEMUX Unit 2 OADM Unit
SONET/SDH SONET/SDH
1 Point to Multi-Point 1 Parameters
Center Wavelength
Unit
nm
Values
ITU-T CWDM Wavelengths
Parameters
Center Wavelength
Unit
nm
Values
ITU-T CWDM Wavelengths
0.5 dB Pass Bandwidth nm ≥13 0.5 dB Pass Bandwidth nm ≥13
MUX/DEMUX

MUX/DEMUX
λ2 OADM OADM OADM λ2
Insertion Loss dB ≤3.5 Add/Drop Insertion Loss dB ≤1.5 (1 ch), 3 (4 ch)
Adjacent Chanel Isolation dB ≥40 Pass thru insertion loss dB ≥1 dB
Ethernet Ethernet Optical Return Loss dB ≥50 Optical Return Loss dB ≥50
PDL dB ≤0.1 PDL dB ≤0.1
2 2 2 Adjacent Channel Isolation dB ≥40

λn λn
Fiber Channel 1 3 4 1 3 4 1 3 4 Fiber Channel CWDM Testing
λ1 λ2 λn Network Lifecycle Test Parameters Test Instruments
1 3 4 1 3 4 Installation/ - Connector inspection and cleaning - Video Microscope and Cleaning Kit
Fiber Qualification - Insertion loss at 1310/1550/1625 nm - Loss Test Set/OTDR
- ORL measurement - ORL Meter/OTDR
- Splice/Connector loss at 1310/1550/1625 nm - OTDR
- Length - OTDR
SONET/SDH Ethernet Fiber Channel - Attenuation profile measurement (verify water peak width, identify fiber type)
(standards, low water peak) 2
- Spectral Analyzer (OSA, WDM)

System Turn-up and - Connector inspection and cleaning - Video Microscope and Cleaning Kit
Wavelength Provisioning - Channel power-level and wavelength verification 3 - Channel Checker/OSA
- Wavelength route testing (Loss, ORL) 1 - CWDM OTDR
- Transmitter/receiver power-level verification - Power Meter/Channel Checker
Maintenance and - Connector inspection and cleaning - Video Microscope and Cleaning Kit
Troubleshooting - Channel power-level and wavelength verification 3 - Channel Checker/OSA
- Transmitter/receiver power-level verification - Power Meter/Channel Checker
- Failure localization per wavelength (loss) 1 - CWDM OTDR
- Channel wavelength/power drift testing 4 - Channel Checker/OSA

Fiber Optic Test Solutions WaveReady ™ Network Solutions

1 OTDR 2 Attenuation Profile 3 Optical Spectrum 4 Channel Power Level and

Wavelength Verification SMART Optical Handhelds T-BERD/MTS Optical Test Platforms Connector Inspection Scopes MUX/DEMUX OADM

To learn more, visit www.jdsu.com/fibertest

Note: Specifications, terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.
30162533 000 1008 CWDM.PO.FOP.TM.AE