In the move toward IP-over-DWDM (IPoDWDM) architectures, the question of where to source coherent pluggable optics is central – after all, these modules are the most expensive part of the optical transport infrastructure. Should you buy from a distributor, a webshop, your router supplier or your optical line system (OLS) vendor? Luckily, the fact that you have chosen a disaggregated network architecture makes it possible to buy your pluggables from different sources and compare prices. But beyond the price point, there are important factors that make buying your pluggables from your OLS provider a smarter choice – including reduced risk, simpler operations and smoother long-term network evolution.

Proven performance with host-platform independence and reliable supply

Standards compliance alone doesn’t guarantee quality or performance in every network environment. With coherent pluggables, interoperability penalties and integration challenges are common, especially with recently introduced module types, making qualification testing essential before deployment. When the OLS provider supplies the optics, they can be tested and validated across various host platforms – including third-party routers – and within real-world optical line systems. This ensures they’re not only interoperable in theory but proven in practice across different host devices. 

In contrast, vendors focused primarily on providing pluggable optics often lack the system-level knowledge and resources to support such testing, shifting the burden to the network operators. A high-quality OLS solutions provider factors in power levels, dispersion tolerances and OSNR margins, giving you confidence that performance targets will be met. Just as importantly, they maintain a robust, diversified supply chain with guaranteed availability and quality – something that’s difficult to achieve on your own but part of their everyday operations.

Planning and automation that work end-to-end

Open, disaggregated networks are only as good as their coordination. One major benefit of sourcing pluggables from your OLS vendor is that they’re already modeled in the provider’s DWDM planning tools. This enables accurate simulation, avoids margin stacking and guarantees performance in the network without the need to manually tweak parameters or reverse-engineer compatibility – everything just fits.

For example, some 400ZR+ modules offer advanced features such as spectral pre-emphasis – a capability not included in the OpenZR+ standard and absent from many off-the-shelf modules. Sourcing from a coherent solutions provider makes these enhanced functions available when your network design demands them.

Compatibility, performance assurance and operational efficiency are easier to achieve when optics, line systems and planning tools are part of the same ecosystem.

Fault isolation can be a real challenge in open environments. When coherent optics, optical line systems and network planning come from different vendors, it’s challenging to determine where problems lie. But when pluggables and the OLS are sourced together and have been tested in a shared lab environment, you gain a single point of accountability. This translates into faster support resolution, simplified RMA management and far fewer gray areas during escalations.

Today’s networks must scale across 100Gbit/s, 400Gbit/s and 800Gbit/s links – sometimes even within the same topology. The right OLS provider can supply coherent pluggables that evolve with your network architecture, including variants optimized for reach, power efficiency or spectrum use. This approach helps you avoid costly mismatches and deploy faster when new demands arise.

Mitigating the hidden costs of “open”

Open networking is a powerful model, but integration and interoperability don’t come for free. When pluggables are sourced independently, you may save on unit cost but pay more in terms of validation time, troubleshooting overhead and lifecycle support. Buying optics from your OLS vendor helps contain these costs, offering a smoother operational experience while preserving the openness and modularity you value.

Compatibility, performance assurance and operational efficiency are easier to achieve when optics, line systems and planning tools are part of the same ecosystem. That’s especially true when they’ve been pre-validated across multiple router platforms and fully modeled within the same network planning environment – as is the case with Adtran solutions.

Looking forward to the next installment

That wraps up part four in this series on IPoDWDM architectures. In part five, we’ll look at muxponder and transponder use cases. You may be asking yourself, “Isn’t the essence of IPoDWDM to eliminate muxponders and transponders?” Well, there are situations where including them in the architecture can solve problems – and we’ll make the case in our next blog installment. 

To learn more about how our IPoDWDM technology helps network operators simplify and scale while managing the surge in AI-driven data demands, visit adtran.com.