Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1081695
48 I ICT TODAY Implementing Next-Generation PON Technologies over Existing Optical Fiber Infrastructure Keeping up with bandwidth requirements has become a full-time job for network managers. While 1 gigabit per second (Gb/s) seemed like plenty of speed just a few years ago, increasingly enterprises are looking at 10 Gb/s and even beyond to support the use of streaming video content, video conferencing, and cloud-based services into the LAN. The choice is no longer between copper or optical fiber-based networks, but rather which type of fiber-based network to deploy to ensure that network requirements are covered today and can be easily expanded to meet future requirements. One of the options, especially for new installations, is the use of Passive Optical LAN (POL) technology. POL is an adaptation of the gigabit-capable passive optical networks (GPON) used in fiber-to-the-home deployments for the LAN environment. POL offers several advantages for enterprise LANs: simplicity in design; less equipment and cabling; centralized management; lower energy requirements; ease of testing; and future-proofing. As POL becomes more prevalent in the enterprise, it is important for ICT design engineers, installers, and project managers to grasp an overview of POL and how this technology can be upgraded and tested. By Guillaume Lavallee, Steven Van Den Bergh, and Cemil Canturk