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 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.

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)

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:

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 system. 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.