Continuum Photonics unveils
DirectLight IG Series of optical switches for emerging Optical
Automation Systems market
February 11, 2004 Billerica, MA -- Continuum Photonics
Inc., supplier of advanced photonic switch products, has
announced the availability of its DirectLight IG (instrumentation
grade) Series of Optical Switches. The scalable, non-blocking
optical switches are transparent to protocol and line rate and are
available in 16- to 64-port configurations. The IG Series products
are designed to support the need for flexible physical and protocol
layer testing and automation.
DirectLight IG is the first in a series of products to be
released by Continuum utilizing its patented beam-steering
technology. Based on platform technology originally developed for
its military customers, Continuum has designed its products for
demanding applications with high reliability requirements. Through
standard open interface APIs, DirectLight can be used to establish
and maintain optical connectivity among numerous channels with
minimal physical impairments. Integration with test equipment
enables highly automated test solutions by eliminating recurring
set-up time and lowering overall equipment costs. DirectLight IG is
ideal for applications in manufacturing production, lab
environments, component and system development, network monitoring,
intrusion detection and more. Continuum is now accepting orders for
DirectLight, which is currently deployed at a number of customer
sites.
"With DirectLight, Continuum is targeting a critical need within
an emerging market we call 'OAS' -- optical automation systems,"
explains Dr. Aaron Bent, vice president of marketing and business
development for Continuum Photonics. "We see a fundamental shift
toward centralizing resources and automation of development and test
processes. Customers are looking for solutions that can radically
drive down cost, whether by reducing labor, eliminating equipment,
or improving test throughput," he adds. "With many of our customers,
we are able to prove-in a three to five times ROI in the first
year."
"We are seeing indications of a significant emerging market
segment in optical automation, contends Sterling Perrin, senior
reseach analyst, Optical Networks, at market research firm IDC
(Framingham, MA). "In telecom, for instance, component and systems
vendors and carriers are under continued pressure to reduce their
costs. By automating testing and monitoring processes, Continuum's
DirectLight optical connectivity product enables customers to lower
the costs of building products and maintaining networks."
Continuum has specifically designed its product to meet the
instrumentation-level performance requirements of the OAS market. In
contrast to 3D MEMS mirror technologies, DirectLight steers
collimated arrays of light across free space to achieve switching.
"In the majority of OAS applications we have identified, it is
not enough to establish an optical path--maintaining integrity of
the physical layer signal with minimal impairments and extremely
high repeatability is key," explains Bent. "Through our patented
switching architecture, DirectLight actually combines three
instrumentation products in one: switch, power meter, and optical
attenuation on a per-port basis, features that usually cost
thousands more. Customers tell us they have never seen this
combination of performance and price and that DirectLight radically
changes the economics of their applications."
Continuum will show the DirectLight IG in cooperation with two
strategic partners at the upcoming Optical Fiber Communications 2004
conference and exhibition in Los Angeles, February 22-27. In
cooperation with Agilent, Continuum is demonstrating the DirectLight
IG platform in concert with a suite of Agilent telecommunications
test and measurement products. The demonstration will highlight the
impact of DirectLight in an OAS application. In addition, as part of
an announced partnership agreement with Analog Devices, Continuum
will show DirectLight in booth 3907. ADI supplies over 95% of
Continuum's analog electronics.
DirectLight IG represents the first in a family of DirectLight
products, based on a common technology platform and optimized for
markets in instrumentation, optical transport, and fiber
distribution systems for central office and access solutions.
DirectLight IG is available in two platforms: DirectLight IG 3200
(32-port) and DirectLight IG 6400 (64-port) non-blocking transparent
switches. Either chassis can begin with as few as 16 ports and can
be upgraded in 16-port increments to its maximum size. Pricing and
availability is available directly from Continuum.
Click here to enlarge
image DirectLight IG is available in two platforms: DirectLight
IG 3200 (32-port) and DirectLight IG 6400 (64-port) non-blocking
transparent switches.
Interested in a subscription to Lightwave
Magazine? Click here to subscribe!