My senior project: Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing

Comprehensive Implementation of DWDM Between Weber State Campuses

Overview

For my senior project, I undertook a significant network infrastructure upgrade for Weber State University by implementing Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) between two of its major campuses: the Weber State Davis Campus (Building CAE) and the Weber State Ogden Campus (Building Noorda). This project addressed a specific request from the Computer Science (CS) and Cybersecurity (CYBER) departments, which needed dedicated Layer 1 links to ensure seamless, high-performance connectivity between their lab environments located on the two campuses.

This undertaking represented not just a solution to an immediate need, but also introduced a completely new networking technology—DWDM—into the university's existing IT infrastructure. It required me to engage in every stage of the project life cycle, from initial consultations and procurement through testing, deployment, and post-implementation troubleshooting. By the end of the project, Weber State University had an advanced, scalable, and future-proof network solution that would serve its academic and research goals for years to come.

Project Goals

The project’s main purpose was to design, test, and implement a high-performance network solution that would replace the existing fiber optic connections between the two campuses with more advanced, efficient links. The CS department required dedicated Layer 1 connections between their labs on the Davis and Ogden campuses to support data-intensive academic research and activities. This new infrastructure needed to:

This project would not only address the immediate networking needs of the CS department but would also set the stage for similar implementations across other departments and campuses.

Phase 1: Requirements Gathering and Initial Planning

The first step in the project was to clearly define the problem and understand the specific needs of the CS department. I scheduled and conducted several meetings with necessary staff, including faculty members, IT staff, and department representatives from the CS and CYBER departments. These discussions revealed that the existing fiber optic infrastructure was no longer sufficient to handle the amount of data traffic generated nor secure enough to bridge the lab environments.

The CS department was experiencing increasing data transfer demands for student virtual machines, requiring fast, dedicated connections with minimal latency. The department’s lab environments also needed secure, Layer 1 connectivity that would be isolated from the rest of the university’s network to ensure data privacy and operational efficiency.

Armed with these insights, I worked on drafting a comprehensive set of requirements. I spec'd out the necessary equipment, designed the initial network architecture, and explored different technologies that could meet the department’s needs. After weighing the available options, DWDM emerged as the most effective solution. DWDM’s ability to significantly increase the data capacity of the existing fiber made it an ideal fit for the project. This would allow the university to maximize its current infrastructure without the high costs associated with laying new fiber lines.

Phase 2: Research and Procurement

Once the solution was identified, I began researching the specific hardware components that would be necessary to implement DWDM. DWDM, or Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing, is a technology that allows multiple data streams to be transmitted simultaneously over a single optical fiber by using different wavelengths of light. This dramatically increases the potential capacity of the fiber without needing any physical changes to the cabling itself.

The project required DWDM multiplexers, specialized channelized SFP modules, and other networking hardware capable of handling high-speed, multi-channel fiber connections. I worked with Fiber Store to source the necessary equipment and ensure that it was compatible with the university’s existing network infrastructure.

Part of this phase also involved financial planning and budgeting. Given the scale of the project, I needed to carefully manage procurement costs while ensuring the quality and performance of the equipment. After I placed orders, I began preparing for the deployment phase.

Phase 3: Initial Lab Testing

Before rolling out DWDM on a large scale, it was essential to conduct thorough testing in a controlled environment. To do this, I set up a small-scale lab environment within the Networking department's storage room. This lab allowed me to simulate the final deployment and evaluate how the new technology would integrate with Weber State’s existing hardware and gain an understanding on how the technology works.

In the lab, I installed the DWDM multiplexers and connected them to the channelized SFP modules, which were configured to transmit and receive data on different wavelengths of light. I tested the ability of the DWDM system to multiplex and demultiplex multiple data streams over the same physical fiber, ensuring that the technology could handle the throughput required by the CS department's labs.

Through several iterations of testing, I was able to confirm that DWDM was both technically feasible and provided the necessary bandwidth and stability for the project. The lab environment also provided valuable insights into potential issues, such as signal loss and the need for specific hardware configurations. These insights would prove invaluable as I moved on to larger-scale testing.

Phase 4: Medium-Scale Deployment in the Engineering Technology Building

With the initial lab testing completed successfully, I moved on to a medium-scale deployment. This phase involved installing DWDM hardware between network closets within the Engineering Technology building at Weber State. The goal of this phase was to simulate the conditions and distances of the final deployment, but within a more manageable and localized setting.

This deployment allowed me to refine the configuration of the DWDM hardware and ensure that it could handle real-world network traffic. It also provided a chance to test various components in a production environment without the risks associated with directly impacting the larger university network. The medium-scale deployment was particularly useful for testing how the DWDM system performed over longer distances and for identifying any potential issues with fiber connectivity.

The medium-scale deployment was a success, confirming that DWDM was capable of supporting high-bandwidth, multi-channel connections over the distances required for the final project. This phase also provided an opportunity to gather additional data on how the system performed under load, allowing for further fine-tuning of the deployment strategy.

Phase 5: Change Management and Full-Scale Deployment

Once the medium-scale deployment was proven successful, it was time to move forward with the full-scale implementation. This phase required close coordination with the university’s IT department and adherence to Weber State’s change management policies. Given the scope of the changes involved, I submitted a detailed change request that outlined every step of the deployment process, including the equipment being installed, the impact on the network, and the anticipated downtime.

The change request was approved, and I coordinated with the relevant teams to schedule the deployment. The full-scale deployment involved replacing the existing fiber optic link between the Davis and Ogden campuses with the DWDM system. I installed DWDM multiplexers in the university's data centers and connected them to the network infrastructure at both campuses.

The installation involved configuring three dedicated links (a total of six strands of fiber) between the Davis and Ogden campuses, with each link designed to handle out-of-band lab traffic. The deployment was carefully timed to minimize network downtime, and I worked closely with the IT department to ensure that the transition was as smooth as possible.

Phase 6: Hardware Integration, Troubleshooting, and Final Testing

Once the DWDM system was installed, the next step was to integrate it with the university’s existing hardware. This required the installation of specialized channelized SFP modules, which allowed the DWDM multiplexers to interface with the network switches and routers. These modules were critical for splitting the fiber signals into different wavelengths, enabling multiple data streams to travel over the same fiber optic cable.

During this phase, I encountered some challenges related to fiber polarity. Polarity issues occur when the transmit and receive signals on a fiber link are not properly aligned, preventing the connection from establishing. After carefully troubleshooting the issue and reconfiguring the fiber connections, I was able to resolve the polarity problems and bring all three links online.

Conclusion

By the conclusion of the project, I had successfully implemented a scalable, high-performance networking solution for Weber State University that met the specific needs of the CS and CYBER departments. The introduction of DWDM technology not only resolved the immediate demand for dedicated Layer 1 links between the campuses but also set the stage for future expansion. This project exemplified my ability to design and execute large-scale network infrastructure solutions, and it stands as a highlight of my work in network engineering and cybersecurity.

The success of this project demonstrates the power of innovative networking technologies and strategic planning to address complex infrastructure challenges.

Key Technologies Used