How Long Is Your DWDM Deployment Lead Time, Really?
Getting DWDM equipment delivered is one milestone. Getting your network carrying traffic is the one that matters.
See how pre-configuration, whole system testing and Physical Topology Replication can move critical deployment work earlier and reduce what is left for your engineering team after the equipment arrives.
Learn how to navigate vendor conversations and avoid the factors that contribute to an unsatisfactory deployment timeline.
DOWNLOAD THE NETWORK ENGINEER’S GUIDE TO SHORTER LEAD TIMES
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Test More To Deploy Faster
Inside the XKL lab, engineers can work with XKL to:
- Physically replicate planned network topologies using 2,200+ km of fiber
- Test exact customer site distances before deployment
- Evaluate interoperability with different interfaces of client optics
- Pre-configure and prepare systems around deployment requirements
The goal is simple: move more testing, configuration and discovery out of the field.
Streamlined Turn-Up
Plug and Play
A shorter shipping lead time is useful. A shorter path to an operational network is better. XKL’s precisely engineered optical gear can be configured, assembled and tested as a full topology before shipment, reducing the amount of work waiting for your team when the equipment arrives.
Find the Time Hiding in Your Deployment
Download The Network Engineer’s Guide to Shorter Lead Times to learn what really contributes to DWDM deployment lead time and what you should be asking before selecting an optical networking solution.
GOT QUESTIONS?
Frequently Asked Questions
How can pre-configuration reduce DWDM deployment time?
Pre-configuration moves work that would otherwise happen after delivery, like configuring all optical components, to an earlier point in the deployment process. Layer 1 gear can be prepared around the requirements of the planned deployment before shipment, reducing the amount of setup left for field technicians.
Network teams comparing optical solutions should consider timelines for hardware arrival alongside any additional work that has to happen before launch.
What is the difference between DWDM equipment lead time and deployment lead time?
DWDM equipment lead time typically describes how long it takes for hardware to be available or delivered. Deployment lead time extends beyond delivery and includes the work required to get that equipment operational, such as assembly, configuration, integration, interoperability testing, troubleshooting and turn-up.
Evaluating both gives network teams a better understanding of how quickly they’ll be able to turn up new circuits.
What is Physical Topology Replication in optical networking?
Physical Topology Replication recreates aspects of a planned network in a lab environment so engineers can evaluate a proposed solution end-to-end before field deployment.
The XKL lab provides access to more than 2,200 km of fiber, allowing engineers to recreate site distance, expected link loss, and topology and evaluate hardware and system behavior before the equipment reaches its deployment site.
Why is multi-vendor interoperability testing important before deploying a DWDM network?
A DWDM system does not operate in isolation. Optical equipment must interact with switches, routers and other technology already present in the network.
Testing those interactions before deployment can help identify configuration or interoperability issues while the system is still in an environment designed for testing and troubleshooting, rather than discovering them during installation or turn-up.
What should network engineers ask when comparing DWDM lead times?
Don’t stop at asking, “When will the equipment ship?”
Network engineers should also consider whether the complete solution can be pre-configured, whether components will arrive together, how much on-site assembly is required, whether whole system and multi-vendor testing are available, whether the planned topology can be replicated before deployment and how easily their engineers can work directly with the vendor’s technical team.
The better question is: “How much work will be left when the equipment arrives?”
