The Everything Feed - All Packet Pushers Pods NAN097: Automating Optical Networks
Aug 6, 2025
Join Michal Pecek, a consultant and teacher in optical communication whose expertise has transformed giants like Google and Nokia, as he dives into the world of optical networks. Discover how these networks are essential for efficient data transport and the exciting role of automation in overcoming industry challenges. Pecek shares his journey from dropout to tech innovator and discusses pivotal advancements like dense wavelength division multiplexing. He emphasizes the need for collaboration between engineers and developers in this ever-evolving field.
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Michal Pecek's Career Journey
- Michal Pecek started his optical networking career testing software at Alcatel Lucent and later contributed to Google's optical network automation tools.
- A small initial project to automate network planning grew into a multi-year, ongoing tool still in use today.
Basics of Optical Networking and DWDM
- Optical networks transport data as light signals over fiber, converting to electrical signals at endpoints.
- DWDM multiplexes many wavelengths of light, allowing parallel data streams in one fiber, improving capacity and efficiency.
Optical Networks' Analog Nature
- Optical networks behave analogously, needing delicate tuning of amplifier gain and spectrum shaping.
- This analog nature causes changes in one part of the network to affect others, complicating management and automation.