Which type of architecture does nLight ROADM employ?

Question

Options

• Abroadcast and select
• Bdrop and continue
• Croute and select
• Dpass through and drop

• A
  2% (1)
• B
  5% (2)
• C
  90% (38)
• D
  2% (1)

Explanation

nLight ROADM uses route and select architecture, where a Wavelength Selective Switch (WSS) at the ingress routes individual wavelengths to specific output directions, and another WSS at the egress selects which wavelengths to forward. This approach is power-efficient and supports colorless, directionless, and contentionless (CDC) operation - key requirements for modern flexible optical networks.

Why the distractors are wrong:

• A (broadcast and select): An older architecture where the input is split and broadcast to all output ports, wasting power; nLight's design avoids this inefficiency.
• B (drop and continue): This describes a multicast/protection technique where a signal is simultaneously dropped locally and forwarded downstream - it's a feature, not a ROADM switching architecture.
• D (pass through and drop): Not a recognized standard ROADM architecture; this term conflates basic OADM behavior with ROADM switching logic.

Memory tip: Think R&S = Route then Select - like a smart traffic system that first routes cars to the right highway, then selects which ones enter the city. This is the "smart, efficient" ROADM, whereas broadcast-and-select is the "spray and pray" older approach. If you remember nLight = modern = efficient = Route and Select, you'll get it right every time.

No community discussion yet for this question.