As consumer demand increases bandwidth requirements, a new generation of fiberoptic networks is being designed. In contrast to current optical networks, future networks will be able to detect and reconfigure according to network demands. Such networks will be adaptable and self-healing. Key building blocks of such networks will be tunable components including tunable lasers, tunable filters and tunable multiplexers.

GEDC's agile optical testbed focuses on developing and demonstrating new concepts related to wavelength agile networks. New figures of merit to evaluate agile optical networks will be developed and new methods of sensing network load as well as signal impairments will designed.

This testbed will also be instrumental in evaluating competing implementations of optical functionalities, electro-optical integration and end-to-end performance. In addition, this testbed provides the connectivity to interconnect the various testbedsat GEDC through high-speed fiber-optic connectors.