A telecommunications access network comprises a primary aggregation point in the form of an exchange, a plurality of optic fiber to metallic pair interface aggregation points which may be in the form of Distribution Point Units (DPUs) each of which is connected to the primary aggregation point by a respective optical fiber connection, and a plurality of terminating devices which may be in the form of customer premises equipment (CPE) devices, each of which is connected to a respective one of the optic fiber to metallic pair interface aggregation points by a respective twisted metallic pair connection. The access network further includes a plurality of metallic, interface-interface connections between one or more pairs of the optic fiber to metallic pair interface aggregation points. Each metallic, interface-interface connection preferably comprises three or more twisted metallic pairs of wires.

A flat data center network includes a plurality of switches each including a first plurality of server facing ports connected to a first set of servers, and a plurality of network facing ports connected to other switches of the plurality of switches, wherein the plurality of switches are interconnected via corresponding network facing ports in a semi-structured random network architecture that enables additional servers to be added to the flat data center network during operation while maintaining random interconnect.

This application discloses a communications network and a related device. In one embodiment, the communications network includes a first optical line terminal and a second optical line terminal. The first optical line terminal is configured to send, through a first passive optical network (PON) interface based on a first PON protocol, a first optical signal to the at least one second optical line terminal. The second optical line terminal is configured to process the first optical signal and send through a second PON interface based on a second PON protocol, a processed first optical signal to at least one customer-premises equipment during downstream data transmissions, and process a second optical signal and send, through the first PON interface based on the first PON protocol, the processed second optical signal to the first optical line terminal during upstream data transmissions.

An interconnect as a switch module (ICAS module) comprising n port groups, each port group comprising n1 interfaces, and an interconnecting network implementing a full mesh topology where each port group comprising a plurality of interfaces each connects an interface of one of the other port groups, respectively. The ICAS module may be optically or electrically implemented. According to the embodiments, the ICAS module may be used to construct a stackable switching device and a multi-unit switching device, to replace a data center fabric switch, and to build a new, high-efficient, and cost-effective data center.

An optoelectronic switch for switching data from a source external client device to a destination external client device, the optoelectronic switch includes: an array of client-side transceivers, each having an array of client-facing optical ports to connect to an external client device, and an array of leaf-facing electrical ports; an array of leaf switches, each including an array of client-side electrical ports and an array of fabric-side electrical ports; a first electrical interconnecting region providing electrical connections between the leaf-facing electrical ports of the client-side transceivers and the client-side electrical ports of the leaf switches, an array of fabric-side transceivers, each having an array of leaf-facing electrical ports, and an array of fabric-facing optical ports; a second electrical interconnecting region providing electrical connections between the fabric-side electrical ports of the leaf switches and the leaf-facing electrical ports of the fabric-side transceivers; an array of spine switches, each including an array of fabric-facing optical ports; and an optical fabric providing connections between the fabric-facing optical ports of the fabric-side transceivers and the fabric-facing optical ports of the spine switches.

In an example, the present invention includes an integrated system on chip device. The device has a variable bias block configured with the control block, the variable bias block being configured to selectively tune each of a plurality of laser devices provided on the silicon photonics device to adjust for at least a wavelength of operation, a fabrication tolerance, and an extinction ratio.

An interconnect as a switch module (ICAS module) comprising n port groups, each port group comprising n1 interfaces, and an interconnecting network implementing a full mesh topology where each port group comprising a plurality of interfaces each connects an interface of one of the other port groups, respectively. The ICAS module may be optically or electrically implemented. According to the embodiments, the ICAS module may be used to construct a stackable switching device and a multi-unit switching device, to replace a data center fabric switch, and to build a new, high-efficient, and cost-effective data center.

Methods and systems are disclosed for optical network link traversal, including a method comprising the steps of receiving, by a traverser software module for an optical network, from a first node in a network link defining a path in the optical network, one or more node sets indicative of one or more of a second node also in the network link; determining, with the traverser software module, an order of traversal of the one or more node sets; traversing the network link using the determined order of traversal; communicating, by the traverser software module, information with a feature manager software module for a first software feature, the first software feature configured to perform a function specific to a specific node; and triggering, by the feature manager software module, the first software feature to execute one or more computer executable instruction based on information from the traverser software module.

Power supply for a networking device may be provided. The networking device may comprise a first plurality of switch bars each comprising a first switch type arranged parallel to one another and a second plurality of switch bars each comprising a second switch type arranged parallel to one another. The first plurality of switch bars and the second plurality of switch bars may be arranged orthogonally. A first plurality of power supplies may be fed by a first source. A second plurality of power supplies may be fed by a second source. Respective ones of a first portion of the first plurality of power supplies feed first respective pairs of the first plurality of switch bars and respective ones of a first portion of the second plurality of power supplies feed second respective pairs of the first plurality of switch bars. The first respective pairs of the first plurality of switch bars may be different from the second respective pairs of the first plurality of switch bars.

A networking device with orthogonal switch bars may be provided. The networking device may comprise a first plurality of switch bars comprising leaf switches arranged parallel to one another. In addition, the networking device may comprise a second plurality of switch bars comprising top of pod switches arranged parallel to one another. Furthermore, the networking device may comprise a third plurality of switch bars comprising top of fabric switches arranged parallel to one another. The first plurality of switch bars, the second plurality of switch bars, and the third plurality of switch bars may be arranged mutually orthogonally. The first plurality of switch bars may be adjacent to and connected to the second plurality of switch bars and the second plurality of switch bars may be adjacent to and connected to the third plurality of switch bars.