The world’s inaugural all-optical network to employ liquid cooling technology, achieving an eco-friendly grid capable of slashing power consumption by up to 90%.
Fujitsu and SoftBank Corp. have jointly unveiled the successful nationwide deployment of an all-optical network in critical regions across Japan, employing a disaggregated architecture. This optical transmission system, designed to facilitate open networks, leverages the optical transmission platform known as the “1FINITY T900,” also called the “1 FINITY Ultra Optical System T900.” This strategic collaboration is poised to play a pivotal role in creating eco-friendly communication networks, thereby reducing the environmental footprint of the infrastructure.
The all-optical network employs optical technology across all segments of the communication network. By harnessing the company’s optical transmission system, this network reduces power consumption by up to 90% compared to its predecessors. This efficiency boost is achieved through connectivity with equipment compatible with all-optical technology and the application of liquid cooling technology. When integrated with conventional equipment, the latest photoelectric conversion technology trims power usage by approximately 50% relative to traditional setups. Consequently, this sustainable network promotes exceptional energy efficiency across various connection scenarios.
By utilising a dual optical fibre configuration, both companies have significantly elevated communication performance, attaining impressive high capacity and high-speed transmission capabilities of up to 48.8Tbps. This throughput is roughly double that of conventional networks, accentuating the network’s readiness to meet the ever-growing demand for data communication. By introducing this advanced optical transmission system, they aim to construct a network that achieves carbon neutrality and accommodates the escalating data communication requirements, foreseeing the advent of future networks based on Beyond 5G/6G technology.
Key Features of Optical Transmission System:
Integration of Optical and IP Networks: The IP router incorporates a long-distance coherent optical transceiver (DCO) linked through the newly developed 1FINITY L211, aligning with specific needs. This integration facilitates an all-optical connection, eliminating the need for photoelectric conversion within the optical transmission system. Consequently, this design achieves an impressive power consumption reduction of up to 90%. Furthermore, the collaboration between the two partners has led to creation a versatile network, leveraging IP network technologies, including SRv6 (Segment Routing IPv6). This approach addresses the scalability of routing, a critical aspect in establishing a comprehensive all-optical network.
Implementation of Enclosed Liquid Cooling Innovation: 1FINITY T900 introduces pioneering liquid cooling technology in optical transmission, enhancing efficiency even with existing devices. Achieving double the cooling efficiency of air-based systems, it accommodates 12 coherent devices in a compact 2RU enclosure, enabling 36 400GbE connections with 50% less power usage. This closed-loop cooling minimizes facility adjustments, ensuring a dependable, maintenance-free system lasting 20 years.
Advanced C+L ROADM Disaggregation Architecture: Optical transmission products were traditionally categorised into distinct C-band and L-band wavelength ranges. Fujitsu’s innovative system breaks this convention by simultaneously accommodating both wavelength bands, effectively doubling the supported optical fibre pairs compared to conventional equipment. This pioneering disaggregated C+L ROADM architecture empowers system upgrades on an as-needed basis. It allows for the incremental addition of the L-band after initially opening only the C-band, offering unparalleled flexibility in equipment configurations tailored to evolving communication traffic demands. This approach delivers a highly adaptable network and ensures low power consumption and cost-effective investments, eliminating the need for additional equipment.
