WAVELAN MULTIPLEXING LANE SHUFFLING (WDM LANE SHUFFLING) IN A NETWORK

Abstract

A device comprises optical input ports for receiving optical data signals via individual optical fibers, each optical data signal having a unique wavelength. The device includes optical routing components that connect the optical inputs to multiplexers, each multiplexer serving to receive an optical data signal originating from each of a first layer of network elements. The multiplexers serve to combine the optical data signals received by each multiplexer into the respective multiplexed optical data signals. The device has optical output ports connected to each multiplexer to send a multiplexed optical data signal to a respective network element of a second layer of network elements.