The Cisco® ONS 15454 Multiservice Transport Platform (MSTP) provides a comprehensive, intelligent dense wavelength-division multiplexing (DWDM) solution for expanding metropolitan (metro) and regional bandwidth. Product Overview Release 9.1 of the Cisco ONS 15454 MSTP expands the platform’s reconfiguration options. In addition to the existing 32-channel and 40-channel reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer (ROADM) cards, two new cards are introduced in this release to optimize and increase the MSTP’s throughput density. By integrating multiple features on the same card (optical service channel [OSC], amplification, and ROADM), the single-module ROADM (SMR) cards are so compact that they can be added to any node in the network, extending optical add/drop multiplexing to the edge. The new 40-channel single-module ROADM with integrated optical pre-amplifier (part number 40-SMR1-C) combines the OSC add/drop filter, a pre-amplifier, and a 2x1 wavelength selective switch (WSS)-based ROADM core into a single-slot unit. This unit is optimized for Degree-2 reconfigurable nodes. The 40-channel single-module ROADM with integrated optical pre-amplifier and boost amplifier (part number 40-SMR2-C) includes the OSC add/drop filter, pre- and boost amplifiers, and a 4x1 WSS-based ROADM core. This unit provides an effective way to support multi-degree nodes up to Degree-4, allowing in-service upgrade from Degree-2 up to Degree-4 at a very competitive price point. Similarly to the already available 40-channel wavelength cross-connect (40-WXC) card, and thanks to the software functionalities extended from previous releases, the 40-SMR2-C card provides multi-degree switching capabilities at the individual wavelength level. Mesh and multi-ring network topologies can now be deployed using the Cisco ONS 15454 MSTP with complete flexibility of service routing at all nodes in the network. Individual channels separation, required on the add/drop ports to terminate local traffic, is provided by the new Cisco ONS 15216 40-channel multiplexer/demultiplexer patch panel (odd channels). The use of athermal Arrayed Waveguide Grating (AWG) technology allows the removal of the multiplexer and demultiplexer function from the Cisco ONS 15454 MSTP shelf. This approach provides many benefits to customers, including: - Simplified connectivity to passive patch-panels: 4 LC cables instead of 20 MPO cables. - Improved density: passive multiplexing and demultiplexing frees up slots in the main chassis to be used for traffic. Single-module ROADM (SMR) units increase the density of the Cisco ONS 15454 MSTP. An SMR1-based Degree-2 node can increase a single-shelf throughput by 500 percent compared to the supported throughput in Release 9.0 (200 Gbps vs. 40 Gbps), as the additional free slots can be used to install transponder cards. A similar improvement can be obtained in Degree-4 nodes. A 40-WXC-based Degree-4 node requires two shelves for the common optics without any available slot for the transponder. An SMR2-based Degree-4 node provides 400 Gbps of traffic in the same two shelves, or 120 Gbps of traffic when installed into a single shelf.