10G DWDM Connects Three Core Sites over Dark Fiber for a Canadian Retailer

A Canadian apparel and accessories retailer relied on core IT infrastructure to support its connected retail operations. The customer planned to interconnect three core sites—a primary data center, a disaster recovery site, and a key business site—over existing dark fiber.

The project called for a 10G optical transport solution that could make use of the customer’s existing fiber and optical modules. The customer also wanted better visibility into optical performance and a more centralized approach to network management. The proposed design combined 40-channel DWDM MUX/DEMUX with FMT-OPM monitoring and Network Management Management Software adaptation testing.

The customer needed reliable connectivity between three core sites to support its retail operations, including inventory management, supply chain coordination, and store operations.

The customer wanted to make better use of its existing dark fiber to connect the sites and expand network capacity without installing additional fiber. It also needed a more centralized approach to optical monitoring and network management to reduce manual work and simplify day-to-day operations.

A key technical challenge was the optical link budget. Analysis identified a potential loss of 29 dB on the longest link, raising concerns about whether the available optical power budget would be sufficient for reliable transmission.

The customer adopted a 40-channel DWDM solution to connect its three core sites over existing dark fiber, avoiding the need for additional fiber deployment. The MUX/DEMUX multiplexes multiple wavelengths over a fiber pair, improving fiber utilization while supporting transparent transmission of multiple services. The 40-channel architecture also provides flexibility for future capacity expansion as network requirements evolve.

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The initial link-budget assessment identified a potential loss of 29 dB on the longest link, prompting further validation of the optical power budget. Follow-up testing confirmed that the customer’s existing optical modules met the link requirements, eliminating the need for additional signal regeneration equipment. Equipment was delivered in phases from February to March 2026 to support the customer’s Q1 deployment schedule.

Beyond supplying DWDM equipment, the solution helped the customer build a more capable enterprise optical transport infrastructure by connecting three core sites over existing dark fiber, improving fiber utilization, and enhancing optical visibility through FMT-OPM. Integration testing with Network Management Management Software also supported the goal of more centralized network monitoring and management, while the 40-channel DWDM architecture provides room for future capacity expansion.