Spatial Multiplexing in Fiber Optics: The 10X Scaling of Metro/Core Capacities

The amount of information created and replicated annually--not only by individuals, but increasingly by machines through distributed computing, sensor networks, and cloud-based services--has long surpassed the Zettabyte mark. Growth rates range between 40% and 50% per year, and microprocessing capabilities are growing at rates approaching 80% annually, triggering proportional growth in computer interface rates. Consequently, bandwidth demands across all network segments--from local-area and access networks to inter- and intra-datacenter networks and metro and core networks--are growing at comparable rates as well. This paper will examine technology options that will allow optical interface rates and network capacities to scale to the requirements of the decade ahead.