The Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) has selected Transmode to build an integrated packet-optical metro-core and access network to support its students and researchers in optical communication research and development.

The oldest public engineering and technological university in Malaysia, UTM is a highly ranked university with a focus on innovation-led research.

The setting up of an advanced and scalable optical communication research facility will help UTM further develop its capabilities in the optical networking R&D field.

This will also be used to support its existing research activities and provide an enhanced training facility for optical communication systems and networking technology.

Transmode will be deploying the TM-Series platform with Reconfigurable Optical Add Drop Multiplexers (ROADM) units to build a flexible optical network with support for Layer 1 and Layer 2 packet-optical traffic.

The ROADM nodes allow for hitless wavelength allocation and a future proof traffic design, while packet-optical Layer 2 units offers integration with Ethernet networks.

The network equipment has been installed at the Photonics Characterization Research Laboratory in UTM’s Faculty of Electrical Engineering.

The test-bed will serve to allow Masters and PhD students to test hardware and software designs in a realistic network environment.

UTM says it plans to continue to expand the network with nodes in other universities and research establishments to expand the university’s connectivity.

“Our aim is to build a network which includes a test-bed facility quickly and efficiently. We needed one that is based on optical equipment that offers flexibility in traffic switching at the wavelength and Ethernet layers, so that our engineering students can have hands-on access to the latest technologies,” associate Professor Dr Sevia Mahdaliza Idrus, head of the Photonics Fabrication Research Lab at UTM, said.

“Amongst the commercially available solution providers, Transmode stood out as their packet-optical system met our specifications perfectly, including high ease-of-use which is instrumental in supporting our objectives.”