SURF, the collaborative organisation for IT in Dutch education and research, successfully reached a single carrier 800Gb/s optical transmission using Nokia’s photonic service engine technology.
The trial was conducted over a 1648 km point-to-point fiber link connecting Amsterdam and Geneva, crossing Belgium and France. The fiber link is part of the SURF-network, which connects national research and education institutes in the Netherlands, such as Nikhef. Furthermore, the SURF-network boasts robust connections with various research networks and experiments globally, notably the LHC Optical Private Network (LHCOPN). This network facilitates access to data from the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, renowned as the largest and most potent particle accelerator worldwide. In a collaborative effort involving CERN, Nikhef, SURF, and the ATLAS LHC experiment, real production workflows pertinent to the forthcoming operation of the High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) have been incorporated for trial purposes.
Nokia’s sixth-generation super-coherent Photonic Service Engine (PSE-6s) was deployed on the Amsterdam-Geneva link, in combination with SURF's line system with equipment from a third-party on an older fiber link. It showed that the partners were able to achieve 800 Gbps transmission using 16QAM-shaped PCS modulation.
SURF is gearing up its network infrastructure in anticipation of CERN's LHC transition to the High-Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC), set to be operational by 2029. The original LHC's role in discovering the Higgs boson has already transformed our understanding of the universe. The upcoming HL-LHC is poised to provide even more profound insights into the universe's fundamental components. This enhancement will not only yield richer research outcomes and heighten the chances for pivotal discoveries but will also handle a vast increase in scientific data. The HL-LHC is expected to produce data at a rate five times that of the current LHC.
Ron Augustus, Chief Innovation Officer, member of the Board at SURF, said: “We are proud to collaborate with Nokia and Nikhef in this successful innovative trial that pushes the limits of our existing fiber and shows us what is possible. This trial is an important milestone for us as we prepare our network for the future demands of scientific research and education, including the upgrade of CERN’s particle accelerator. By emphasizing testing and the adoption of advanced technology, SURF ensures optimal service and support for its research partners' innovative, data-heavy projects and applications.”
James Watt, Vice President and General Manager, Optical Networks at Nokia, said: “Groundbreaking test events like this show how networks can play an essential role in initiatives that help unlock the secrets of the universe, and the role they play enhances our ability to learn and grow as a civilization. This trial is a testament to the innovation, collaborative spirit and leadership of both Nokia and SURF in the optical networking space. We are committed to helping SURF prepare its network for the upgrade of CERN’s particle accelerator, and look forward to working with other research and education networks around the world to advance their missions and enable cutting-edge discoveries.”
