Passive DWDM systems and active DWDM systems have their own advantages and disadvantages, which will be introduced in detail in this section.
Pros and Cons of Passive DWDM Systems
Cost savings: Compared with active DWDM backbones equipped with fiber amplifiers and dispersion compensators, passive DWDM can build high-speed transmission lines with high channel capacity at a lower cost.
Simple to use: Passive DWDM is a plug-and-play system that is simple and convenient to use.
However, passive DWDM systems also have shortcomings in the following areas:
Scalability: The number of wavelength channels of passive DWDM systems is limited. If you want to expand the network, you must use more passive DWDM devices, which will increase the difficulty of system management.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Active DWDM Systems
Active DWDM systems support a greater number of wavelength channels, resulting in greater bandwidth and higher fiber utilization. In addition, the active DWDM system is easier to manage, the user can adjust the channel wavelength online without shutting down the system, and the expansion of the active DWDM system is easier.
Compared with passive DWDM systems, active DWDM systems have longer transmission distances and higher deployment costs. In addition, active DWDM systems also use optical fiber amplifiers, dispersion compensators and other equipment, and their deployment is more complicated than passive DWDM systems.
