Anritsu Corporation, a global provider of innovative test and measurement analytics solutions, showcases the verification of communication quality of the IOWN APN [*1] using Anritsu’s Network Master Pro (400G tester) MT1040A at the 2025 Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exhibition (OFC 2025). The APN is based on open standards and is built on OFCnet, a state-of-the-art high-speed optical network demonstration environment. The OFC 2025 is the world’s largest optical communications exhibition in San Francisco, USA, from March 30 to April 3, 2025. This exhibition is conducted in collaboration with NTT.
Demands for optical networks to be flexible, scalable, and autonomously operable are on the rise. Therefore, development and verification are underway to achieve an APN based on open standards, while establishing unified technical specifications and interoperability between equipment from multiple vendors. In this exhibition, the ROADM network compliant with OpenROADM MSA [*2] installed at the OpenROADM Demo booth and the data center switch installed at the IOWN Networking Hub booth are established through collaboration between multiple carriers and vendors. In addition, in the APN system, the control system is demonstrated using the OpenROADM YANG model [*3] and the OpenConfig [*4] YANG model, which is a control interface for data center equipment. Anritsu’s MT1040A, which is connected to the data center switch, is used to verify the end-to-end APN communication quality. The MT1040A, also connected to control systems, is utilized to verify the communication quality in real time using the OpenConfig YANG model. The verification using the MT1040A in cooperation with the control system enables efficient testing and monitoring of networks established by multiple carriers and vendors, contributing to the operation efficiency in the APN installation and maintenance by data center operators and communication providers.
The MT1040A is a compact, lightweight handheld test instrument capable of transmitting and receiving 400 Gbps signals simultaneously through two ports. It flexibly supports standards such as Ethernet, OpenZR+, OpenROADM, ITU-T, and OIF and can measure the likes of latency and throughput in real time.
Anritsu will continue to provide test solutions that are effective in detecting network faults and analyzing their causes, as well as automated network verification systems, and will contribute to the development of APN technologies in cooperation with forums such as the IOWN Global Forum, Open ROADM MSA, and OpenZR+ MSA.
This exhibition is presented at the IOWN Networking Hub and OpenROADM Demo, interconnection booths utilizing OFCnet. At the OpenROADM Demo booth, the ROADM network also features communication quality monitoring of data center interconnection supporting multiple vendors using the MT1040A equipped with high-density, high-bandwidth optical transceivers, QSFP-DD, compliant with OpenROADM.
Booth location
IOWN Networking Hub: #5029
OpenROADM Demo: #5128
Anritsu: #3118
Technical Terms
[*1] IOWN APN
Optical networks based on photonics technology, the open architectures of which has been established by the IOWN Global Forum (IOWN GF). By configuring every section as APNs, it provides services with low power consumption, large capacity, and low latency.
[*2] OpenROADM MSA
Specifies the interconnection specifications for optical transmission devices (ROADM), optical transponders, removable optical components, etc., as well as YANG data model specifications, and defines the interface for achieving interconnection and interoperability between each functional part of the optical transmission network in a multi-vendor environment. Anritsu has been a member since May 2024.
[*3] YANG model
YANG stands for Yet Another Next Generation. It is a data modeling language that defines the format and rules for the settings and status of network devices.
[*4] OpenConfig
An open framework and project for standardizing the configuration, operation, and management of multi-vendor network devices.
