Optophotonics Lab Facility (Optical Communication Networks)


Founded and designed by Dr. Wahab Almuhtadi

Visit the Press Releases below.

The purpose of our Optophotonics Lab:

  • To extend the implementation of our existing Optical Systems and Sensors – OSS (formerly Photonics and Laser Technology – PLT) Degree Program by deploying and training with the latest cutting-edge SONET/SDH technology in optical fiber communications.
  • To teach and train students to be able to configure, implement, and manage the Operations, Administration, Maintenance & Provisioning (OAM&P) of SONET/SDH and OTN local and wide area optical networks using the latest technology and sophisticated Optical Long-Haul Network Elements (Optical Carriers with a speed of 2.4 Gbps, and Optical Transport Network platforms with a speed of 10 Gbps – upgradeable to 100 Gbps) and Optical Metro Network Elements (Optical Carriers with a speed of 155 Mbps to 2.4 Gbps).
  • To produce graduates qualified and experienced with the leading edge technology and who can apply scientific and engineering principles to design, analyze and operate optical communication networks, and photonics and opto-electronics equipment and systems.
  • To provide an incubation environment for high-tech small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to develop, test and validate their products and solutions.
  • To provide high quality of comprehensive training to internet service providers (ISPs), information and communications technology (ICT) companies.
  • To conduct a collaborative research with industry, academia, and research institutes.
Optophotonics Lab

Optophotonics Lab Construction and Capability:

Capacity of Phase 3:

The official opening of the new upgrade (Phase 3) took place on October 5, 2020. See the Press Releases below. More details, see the Press Releases below.

Phase 3: a complete upgrade of the existing equipment to a new gear with high speed. Optophotonics lab

In August/September 2020, the 3 x OC- 48 Classic NEs (2.5 Gbps/NE) (Paris, New York, Nairobi) have been replaced with 3 x Ciena 6500-Optical Transport Platforms (100-200 Gbps/NE) (Paris, New York, Nairobi), and connected to 3 x Ciena Webservers (100-200 Gbps/WS) (Paris, New York, Nairobi) respectively. In between the Optical Platforms and Webservers, there are 1x Ciena 96 MUX/DMUX Channels Unit, 2x Ciena 44 MUX/DMUX Channels Unit, along with 3 x 2 drums of 80 km of single mode fiber cables (total of 480 km). The Optophotonics Lab has a total of 600 km of single mode fiber cables to stimulate a long-distance, multi-city/country environment.
Optophotonics Lab at Algonquin College – video
The Ciena Insights Podcast – Episode 38: Algonquin Optophotonics Lab: Empowering future optical engineers

 

Capacity of Phase 2:

All Optophonic equipment housed in T129 lab at Algonquin College.

Optophotonics Lab – Speed line rate: 0.155 Gbps, 2.4 Gbps, 10 Gbps, 40 Gbps, 100 Gbps

Phase 2: Completed November 2012

  • Ciena has provided the BIT-OSS (PLT) Program with 2 Network Elements of Packet Optical Platforms (Ciena 6500 Family Series).
    Speed Line rate: 10 Gbps /40 Gbps / 100 Gbps optical multiplexing system.
    Configuration: three nodes configured either as BLSR or UPSR or Mesh.
  • 2x Ciena/AMPS 120 km fiber cables
  • 2x Ciena Common Photonics Layers (CPL) 10 Gbps – 100 Gbps DWDM transport platform metro, regional and long-haul networks Point-to-point, Ring, Mesh
  • 40x10G SFP+ PKT/OTN I/F Module – 10GbE, OC-192, STM-64, OTU2, OTU2
  • Ciena Management Interfaces: TL1, Site Manager (EMS)optophotonics lab

Accessories and test equipment:

  • 3x EXFO FTB500 platforms (10 gigabit next-generation SONET/SDH, OTN fiber and Ethernet channel analyzer, OSA, signal generator, testset)
  • 1x Digital Lightwave ASA 312-02 Bit Error Rate Tester
  • 1x Agilent -Hewlett Packard Omni BER 718
  • 1x EXFO Optical Time Domain Reflector (OTDR)
  • 1x Yokogawa Optical Spectrum Analyzer (OSA) – AQ6370D
  • 3x Nortel Baystack 450-24T 10/100Mbp/s Switch/Splitter
  • 1x NBase-Xyplex MX-1620-114 Maxserver 1620 Terminal Server 20 Port
  • 1x Xyplex – Max Server 40 Terminal Server
  • 2x Server (IBM+ HP)
  • 1x Fiber Management System (FMS)
  • 1x Microsem/Symmetricom GPS- for time synchronization
  • 25x PC workstations
  • 1x liebert AC unit
  • 1x EMERSON/liebert UPS unit
  • 1x EMERSON/liebert AC/DC unit

 

Capacity of Phase 1:

Photo of Optophotonics Lab T129

Optophotonics Lab – Speed: 0.155 Gbps -2.4 Gbps

Phase 1: Completed in June 2004

  • Three Long Haul nodes of Nortel S/DMS Transport Node OC-48
    Synchronous Optical Network Elements.
    Speed Line rate: 2.4 Gbps (2400 million bit per second) optical multiplexing system.
    Configuration: three OC-48 nodes configured as Bi-directional Line Switched Ring (BLSR).
  • Four Metro nodes of Nortel OC-3 Synchronous Optical Network Elements.
    Speed line rate: 155.52 Mbps (155.52 million bit per second) optical multiplexing Photo of equipment installed as part of Phase 1 in Optophotonics labsystem. Configuration: two OPTera Metro OC-3 nodes configured Linear (Point to Point) or Unidirectional Path Switched Ring (UPSR).
  • 24 PCs for Operation, Administration, Maintenance & Provisioning (OAM&P).
  • Baystock Units (connection between Algonquin ITS and Optophotonics Lab) Fiber Management System.
  • Global Positioning System (GPS), PC and Sun Servers.
  • Panel Interface Circuit Breakers, Fiber Cable Distribution Ports, DS1/DS3 Source, DS1 Ports, and DS1/DS3/OC-3/OC-48 Test Sets.

 

Press Releases, Communiqué, Links:

Links to press releases, communiqué, news, articles and files related to Algonquin College Optophotonics Lab Facility:

Optophotonics LabOptophotonics lab
Optophotonics Lab Optophotonics Lab Optophotonics lab

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