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Other optical control mechanisms

Several other automated control mechanisms operate on the 6500 and are
briefly described in this section. They are categorized as follows:
• Transponder Power Spectral Density
• Safety-related: the 6500 Photonic layer includes two main optical power
safety mechanisms that can be invoked depending on the system
operating conditions and the nature of the fault:
— automatic power reduction (APR)
— automatic line shutoff (ALSO)
In addition, implications of other hardware in the above mechanisms are
discussed:
— Tx ALS (LOFEF) for client side DWDM interfaces connected to a
DWDM photonic layer
— Raman (SRA) Safety
• Transient suppression and detection

Transponder Power Spectral Density

As a result of the introduction of coherent transponders, which can have a
wider spectral shape, the Photonic network needs to better understand the
signal’s spectral shape in order to estimate its power level.

The following CMD ADJ-Tx parameters help define a transponder’s power

spectral density:
• TX Minimum Spectral Width (GHz)
— Represents the minimum signal bandwidth that would include the
majority of the signal power + budget for laser aging/drift + laser
control loop tolerance. This parameter is required for future upgrades
to Flex Grid.
• TX Signal Bandwidth 3dB (GHz)
— Represents the 3 dB signal bandwidth, where the measured power
(RBW<4GHz) is expected to be 3 dB lower than the peak center
frequency power.
• TX Signal Bandwidth 10dB (GHz)
— Represents the 10 dB signal bandwidth, where the measured power
(RBW<4GHz) is expected to be 10 dB lower than the peak center
frequency power.

Parameter defaults for these parameters are system-set depending on the

CMD ADJ-TX facility Transmitter Type and do not need to be modified for
Ciena transponders or Foreign transponders. The default values may require
changing for Foreign Coherent transponders.

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See figure below and follow these steps to obtain the TX Signal Bandwidth
values for foreign coherent transponders:
• Connect the transponder Tx port into a calibrated optical spectrum
analyzer (OSA)
• Set the Horizontal units of the OSA to be in frequency (e.g., GHz or THz)
and vertical units on a dB logarithmic scale (e.g. dBm)
• Set the OSA resolution bandwidth (RBW) as close to 1 GHz as possible
(RBW must be < 4 GHz)
• Find the peak signal value (in dBm) and then measure the outer signal
bandwidth in GHz which is 3dB below (TX Signal Bandwidth 3dB) and
10dB below (TX Signal Bandwidth 10dB) that value

Figure 2-11
Obtaining TX Signal Bandwidth for foreign coherent transponders

Automatic power reduction (APR)

Overview
Automatic power reduction (APR) is implemented on all EDFA-based and
Raman amplifiers at all points where there is a regulatory requirement for
exposure protection. This also applies to the embedded post-amplifier within
the RLA module.

APR is a software controlled ramp-down and recovery mechanism used to

limit potential exposure to instances of high optical power with a view to
protecting personnel and preventing equipment damage on detection of
breaks or disconnects in the optical line. A regulatory deemed safe level of
optical power is transmitted in the period of optical discontinuity on the line to
facilitate automatic detection of line restoration and recovery to normal state.

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For EDFAs, APR kicks in when the measured Optical Return Loss (ORL)
drops below 17 dB. This threshold is not user-provisionable. When APR is
triggered, the amplifier output power drops to +3 dBm, or stays at its current
output power level, whichever level is lower.

APR disabled on Mux AMP

For the SLA/MLA Mux AMP feature (see “SLA/MLA Mux Amp” on page
3-124), the Mux Amp could see an artificially reduced ORL due to the WSS
sending light towards the Mux Amp output.

This could trigger Automatic Power Reduction (APR) on the Mux Amp, thus
reducing the power of in-service channels. Therefore, on the Mux Amp, APR
is disabled. The Mux Amp is consequently categorized as a Hazard Level 1M
device.

The Gain Clamp mode safety mechanism support is extended to the MLA and
SLA. Gain Clamp is used to limit the amp output power in fiber pinch release
scenarios. For information on the EDFA gain clamp mode, refer to “EDFA Gain
Clamp mode” on page 2-84.

Automatic Line Shutoff (ALSO)

Overview
Automatic line shutoff (ALSO) is a safety shutdown mechanism for optically
amplified dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) based fiber optic
communications systems. Any amplifiers that have power levels at or above
eye safe levels are turned down or turned off when a fiber break or
intermediate connector disconnect occurs between two neighboring nodes
where optical power is being fed into both ends of the optical fiber and
generating a hazard on both ends of a fiber break.

ALSO triggers
ALSO is a system-level feature that involves detection of a break or disconnect
at the downstream amplifier and feedback to the upstream node to facilitate
shutdown of the upstream amplifier that is powering into the detected fault.
ALSO declaration is based on 3 criteria that must be flagged by software:
• Shutoff Threshold Crossed (STC): For traffic carrying wavelengths. The
total power of the DWDM channels goes below the STC threshold on the
Line A EDFA Port 8 Input or on the RLA Line A EDFA Port 8 Input.
• Loss of Light (LOL:) In the event 1511 nm or 1517 nm OSC power is no
longer detected at LIM OPTMON port 4 or at RLA OPTMON port 3. In the
case of the Raman also the TG LOL.
• OSC (OC3/STM1) Loss of Frame (LOF): This is a check of the OSC signal
at the Layer 1 level.

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When all 3 conditions are active, ALSO is triggered and the “Optical Line Fail”
alarm is raised (note that the OSC LOL and LOF conditions are not alarmed).
The rationale for all three is to not drop traffic due to OSC faults or OSC
pluggable replacements (also, some systems operate without OSC, see
below). Figure 2-12 shows the alarming behavior for unidirectional and
bidirectional fiber cut cases. Refer to Amplifier shutoff states below for details
on possible amplifier states.

The NTK552JA Single Raman Line Amplifier (SRA) circuit pack uses OSC
and TG channels, as described in “Raman safety mechanisms (Pump shutoff,
ALSO, APR)” on page 2-81.

Recovery from ALSO

ALSO recovery (i.e., amplifiers turn back on) requires any of the three
conditions to recover. Under normal circumstances, it is the OSC power or
frame that recovers the amplifier, but to cover systems without OSC, clearing
the STC condition (recovery of C-Band power) also does it.

Amplifier shutoff states

The following details the various amplifier shutoff states:
• Shutoff Threshold Crossed (STC): the pumps turn off due to loss of
C-band power, as measured by the input photo detectors (note that this
can happen for reasons other than fiber disconnects). The amplifier turns
back on when C-band power is detected.
• Optical Line Fail (OLF): in addition to loss of C-band power, the OSC
power and frame are lost. This identifies a fiber disconnect. The amplifier
turns back on when C-band power is detected or OSC power or frame is
detected.
• Out of Service – Manual (OOS-MA): the amplifier has been forced into
shutoff by the user, thus explicitly enabling this state. It is used for
maintenance activities (OOS-MA is not specific to amplifiers, used on
other facilities as well). The amplifier does not raise any alarms in this
state, and it does not turn back on if input power returns, remaining
effectively opaque in this state. Note that input power PMs continue to be
reported – i.e. you can check the input to see if there is power before
re-enabling the amplifier.
• Automatic Shutoff (AS): the shelf processor forces the amplifier into
shutoff. This is used to cut off / block optical power upstream of a fiber cut.
The amplifier does not turn back on if input power returns, remaining
effectively opaque in this state.

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ALSO when OSC is absent

When OSC is not provisioned, ALSO is driven only by the STC condition and
depending on the span loss the following manual recovery procedure may be
required to recover the link once the fault has been repaired:
• “ALSO Disabled” parameter has to be set to True on the LIM (EDFA) AMP
facility or LIM OPTMON facility of the line-facing circuit pack. The above
covers each scenario whether the span is bookended by LIM AMP and/or
LIM OPTMON facilities.
• Once the link has been restored, set the “ALSO Disabled” parameter back
to False.

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Figure 2-12
ALSO alarming behavior

Alternative ALSO operation

As of Rel. 12.1, another ALSO operating mode is available. This mode is
introduced to avoid the following situation: if the amplifier immediately
downstream of the fiber cut is not put OOS-MA (as instructed in the fiber cut
recovery procedure), and is “woken up” by injecting a signal at its input, for
example a mis-connected external OTDR instrument, this amp can produce
high power spikes affecting channels in the next downstream optical domain.

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To counter this, the alarming behavior and recovery conditions are changed:
• The amplifier immediately downstream of the fiber cut is forced into an
Automatic Shutoff (AS) state, which raises the “Automatic Shutoff” alarm
(Figure 2-13). This is functionally equivalent to putting the amplifier in the
OOS-MA state.
• Recovery only occurs when the OSC frame is detected. This ensures no
light can turn the amplifier on but the OSC signal.

Users can decide to use the pre-Rel. 12.1 ALSO mode of operation or this
alternate mode via the OTS “OSC LOF Only” parameter:
• When set to ‘DISABLE’ (default after an upgrade to Rel. 12.6 or greenfield
Rel. 12.6), ALSO recovery occurs when AMP STC or OSC LOL or OSC
LOF clears.
• When set to ENABLE, ALSO recovery only occurs when OSC LOF clears.

Use the Site Manager Photonic Configuration Management application to

provision this parameter.

If you are using this mode and the link does not recover after fiber repair
because of an OSC fault (defective SFP, excessive OSC BER, OSC fiber
disconnect, etc.), you can do the following:
• To recover the link if OSC power is present but no OSC frame:
— Confirm no maintenance activities are being performed (for example,
external OTDR is not connected to the 6500 system).
— Disable the ‘OSC LOF Only’ OTS parameter, which reverts to the
pre-Rel. 12.1 method of checking for any of the three conditions.
— Once the amplifier re-enables (due to detecting OSC power as
opposed to OSC frame) the ‘OSC LOF Only’ OTS parameter can be
re-enabled.
• To recover the link if there is no OSC power, revert to the “no OSC”
procedures where you disable ALSO temporarily to recover (see ALSO
when OSC is absent above).

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Figure 2-13
ALSO alarming behavior when in ‘OSC LOF only’ mode

Disabling of Tx ALS
Automatic Laser Shutdown (ALS) may be supported on certain 3rd-party line
Tx DWDM interfaces that may be connected to the 6500 Photonic layer as
foreign wavelengths. The 6500 version of ALS, known as LOFEF (Laser Off
Far-End Failure), is implemented only on client interface ports, for instance on

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a 4x10G MUX OCI or 10x10G MUX OCI. However, if these client ports are
equipped with DWDM pluggable units, it is possible that they may be
connected to 6500 Photonic layer systems.

ALS/LOFEF shuts an individual Tx laser off, which removes the power

associated with one wavelength. This is typically in response to hard faults at
L0 (e.g. optical LOS) or L1 (e.g. LOF, AIS, LF).

If the Photonic layer system is amplified, the removal of one or more Tx

wavelengths using ALS/LOFEF may have an impact on the equalization/
optimization of the link. It can also cause a transient, potentially affecting other
channels.

It is important to disable this functionality for interfaces connected to the 6500

Photonic layer, whether 6500 client port DWDM pluggable units with LOFEF
provisioning, or 3rd party interfaces supporting ALS.

Control of SRA-based Raman link

For an overview of the NTK552JA, see “Single Line Raman amplifier (SRA)”
on page 3-128.

The SRA circuit pack displays the state of the Raman facility. The different
states are NORMAL, APR (Automatic Power Reduction) and SHUTOFF.
These are displayed in the Site Manager Equipment & Facility Provisioning
application under the Raman facility and the Raman State parameter.

The TELEMETRY facility (representing the Telemetry Gain channel) is used

for the initial SRA turn-up bounding a dark fiber span. The OTDRCFG facility
is used for OTDR trace execution and reporting (characterization of fiber plant
before channel addition, and after a fiber cut/repair).

Note that the SRA turn-up is done independently of DOC.

The RAMAN facility is used for provisioning of various Raman amplifier

parameters. In particular:
• It controls the Raman gain. The available Raman gain is between 0 and
24 dB, depending upon the fiber type used, span loss and gain mode of
the XLA at the post amplification of the span.
• It performs an automatic calibration procedure, also known as a power
audit, to flatten and optimize the Raman gain based on fiber
characteristics.

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