Prototyping lambdaMONs

lambdaMONs are a novel concept for passive network monitoring of Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexed (DWDM) optical networks.

They enable the collection and real-time analysis of IP packet data from any one of the active 10 Gigabits/second wavelength carriers on a DWDM optical network link.

lambdaMONs are typically collocated at DWDM terminals or ROADM sites; they utilize tunable channel filters to dynamically select a color from the ITU-T grid. With grid spacing of 50 GHz, and up to 80 channels in each of the C and L bands, any one of a maximum of 160 different high performance long distance data pipelines can be monitored and analyzed. Using modern transparent fiber optic switches, a multi-feed lambdaMON - lambdaMON node - can be further configured, supporting data collection and analysis from a number of different DWDM links terminating at the same location.

The technical foundation of lambdaMON rests on the success of NLANR's Passive Measurement and Analysis (PMA) team at the San Diego Supercomputer Center, in developing and implementing OC192MON systems: high performance, rack mountable, PCs capable of collecting and analyzing IP header trace data at 10 Gigabits/second link speeds.

For more technical details please refer to this paper.

Project progress

Research	Summer 2004	Equipment research. We are looking into suitable commercially available G.709 decoders, Tunable Channel Filters, EDFA's.
Phase 1 - lab trial	October 2004	Test trials with the CISCO 15808 DWDM terminal setup at CENIC/NLR NOC in Cypress, California, using Iolon's Tunable Channel Filter. The tests are generously supported by equipment loans from CISCO Systems (pair of 15501 EDFAs) and the enthusiasm of CENIC staff.
SC2004 Report	November 2004	The PMA team announces progress with prototyping the lambdaMON at SC2004 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Preparations for field trial	January 2005	Following the successful Phase 1 tests a pair of TCF's is rack mounted.
Phase 2 - field trial	March 2005	A complete system installed for field trial at CENIC's PoP at 818 West Seventh St in downtown Los Angeles. We are able to support OC192c PoS and 10 Gige LAN type of connections using different 15808 transponders. Data is being test collected from about 10 different active DWDM lambda's from Sunnyvale to Los Angeles, including NLR circuits, test traffic between SLAC and Caltech, PacificWave and the CENIC HPR backbone.
CENIC report	March 2005	We are demonstrating the PMA realtime services in conjunction with the lambdaMON field prototype to the audience at CENIC 2005. (slides)
PAM2005	April 2005	Presentation of research paper at the PAM2005 workshop in Boston, MA.
Phase 3 - active deployment	April 2005	We are collecting and processing data for public use. As a first data set the CENIC-I collection becomes available.
Setback	June 2005	Restrictions on available funds force partners to back out from equipment loans for the field system and the setup is currently not operational.

Other resources

Passive Monitorng the CENIC Optical Backbone, March 8th, 2005, CENIC 2005 annual users conference, Monterey, California. (slides)
lambdaMON - A Passive Monitoring Facility for DWDM Optical Networks, PAM2005, Boston, Massachuchetts. (slides) (paper)

Small poster 135 KByte JPEG	Large poster 13.3 MByte PDF	Pair of Iolon Tunable Channel Filters in UCSD manufactured housing 1.1 MByte JPEG