A reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (ROADM) is a form of optical add-drop multiplexer that adds the ability to remotely switch

traffic from a WDM system at the wavelength layer. This is achieved through the use of a Wavelength selective switching module. This allows individual or multiple wavelengths carrying data channels to be added and/or dropped from a transport fiber without the need to convert the signals on all of the WDM channels to electronic signals and back again to optical signals. The main advantages of the ROADM are: The planning of entire bandwidth assignment need not be carried out during initial deployment of a system. The configuration can be done as and when required without affecting traffic already passing the ROADM. ROADM allows for remote configuration and reconfiguration. In ROADM, as it is not clear beforehand where a signal can be potentially routed, there is a necessity of power balancing of these signals. ROADMs allow for automatic power balancing.

ROADM functionality originally appeared in long-haul DWDM equipment, but by 2005, it began to appear in metro optical systems because of the need to build out major metropolitan networks in order to deal with the traffic driven by the increasing demand for packet-based services. The switching or reconfiguration functions of a ROADM can be achieved using a variety of switching technologies including MEMS, Liquid crystal, thermo optic and beam-steering switches in planar waveguide circuits, and tunable optical filter technology. ** IN AMDs OEO should take place at each add & drop points. It introduces delay. ** To reduce this OADM has come into picture. Channels add/drop can be done from the same fiber without any OEO conversion at the demux/mux points in the network. **In OADM only one add/drop/pass thru can be done. In order to support the increase in bandwidth of metro, long haul networks ROADM is introduced. ** Main use of ROADM is using WSS it can direct the channels to different ways. (1X5 & 1X9). ** Using CMD44 cards we can accommodate total of 88 wave lengths. ** NO need of pre planed bandwidth allocation / hardware deployment like in TOADM/GOADM group CMD4 cards. ** WSS has the capacity to do Power balancing whenever there is new channel add/drop happens in the network. ** Optical Power monitoring on all channels & power equalization on input, output, add & drop channels. ** Some more Benefits Elimination of the OEO Pass-through tax Single Wavelength Granularity No stranded bandwidth Fully Automated Optical Layer Reduced human error, increased reliability, reduced OPEX

** Wave length steering, Selectivity & Directionality are the three main capabilities of a ROADM configuration.

**Granularity is the extent to which a system is broken down into small parts, either the system itself or its description or observation. It is the "extent to which a larger entity is subdivided. For example, a yard broken into inches has finer granularity than a yard broken into feet ** OSC is Optical Service Channel. **A ROADM network element typically includes: Transponders ROADM Subsystem Optical Service Channel Optical Power Monitoring Amplifiers (Pre-Amp & Post-Amp) Dispersion Compensation Module

Grating: Optical device consisting of a surface with many parallel grooves in it; disperses a beam of light (or other electromagnetic radiation) into its wavelengths to produce its spectrum

** Main part in WSS is Switch Engine which uses the following technologies LC (Liquid Crystal) MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical deviceS) PLC (Photonic Light guide Circuit / Planar Light-wave Circuit) LCoS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon)