Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1327492
8 I ICT TODAY The POL derives its technology from the PON, which is a mature technology that has been used in the field for decades by telecom operators to provide data and services to millions of FTTx users worldwide. The POL architecture has become optimized for modern network connectivity within buildings and across campuses to provide benefits, such as better capacity, reliability, resilience, and data security for many enterprise projects, especially when comparing it to copper cabling. Consider the promised benefits of POL: 3 • Increase in data transmission capacity by providing converged video, data, wireless access, and voice services to users at high throughput over a single optical fiber strand. • Reduced space needed for POL equipment. This can lead to the reduction or elimination of telecommunication rooms (TRs) that may provide a hospital, for example, with space for another exam room. • Intrinsic energy savings by reducing the active equipment required. Due to the passive nature of the architecture, it requires no power supply for optical distribution. • Future-proof optical cabling infrastructure to support upgrades for next bit rates. In the future, only active termination equipment will need to be upgraded. • Increased reliability and better LAN stability. • Proven physical layer, data layer, and user access security. • Probable reduction in Capex and Opex. Implementing a POL can minimize operational costs, thereby reducing total cost of ownership (TCO). In a previously published ICT Today article, Discover How to Convert Multimode Optical Fibers into Singlemode to Support Growing Bandwidth Demands (January, February, March 2020 edition), the multi-plane light conversion (MPLC) technology, which increases the bandwidth of MMF in traditional active Ethernet LANs, was explained. Other advancements in MPLC- enabled technologies, such as modal splitters, now make POL singlemode equipment compatible with existing multimode cabling. By understanding POL, the passive optical network (PON), and the MPLC-enabled technologies via an actual case study, ICT designers and installers can provide an innovative and cost-effective solution for their enterprise customers. PASSIVE OPTICAL LAN AS AN EMERGING LAN ARCHITECTURE Companies and other enterprises spanning virtually every vertical industry that need to upgrade or replace existing networks are looking for ways to improve energy efficiency, as well as reduce their capital and operating expenses. IT departments seek solutions that provide high bandwidth while increasing the security and reliability of their networks. Many enterprises are looking toward the POL to meet these needs. Like all architectures, the POL may not be a suitable solution for all enterprise customers because architecture choice is dependent upon the goals, preferences, and requirements of the end user. A reduction of cabling and pathways via the POL, for example, may be the ideal solution for one enterprise whereas it may be too limiting as an expansion solution for another enterprise. However, global adoption of enterprise-based POLs is rising. "In a 2018 study by Building Services Research and Information Association (BSRIA), the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the POL market was estimated at 46%, which is much higher than earlier predictions. POL also continues to gain momentum in the federal space with the U.S. government deeming it effective, efficient and secure, as confirmed by its recent inclusion in the Department of Defense (DoD) Digital Modernization Strategy for 2019 to 2023." 2