| 摘要 |
An optical fiber ring network (100) includes a plurality of interconnected nodes (104-1, 104-2, 104-3, 104-4), each pair of neighboring nodes being interconnected by a pair of optical links. Using coarse wavelength division multiplexing, data is transmitted in both directions over each link, using a first wavelength M to transmit data in a first direction over the link and a second wavelength .lambda.2 to transmit data in a second, opposite direction over the link. The two wavelengths .lambda.1 and .lambda.2 differ by at least 10nm. Each of the data streams transmitted over the optical link (102) has a bandwidth of at least 2.5 Gbps. Further, each data stream has at least two logical stream embedded therein. A link multiplexer (106) at each node of the network (100) includes one or more link cards (140-1, 140-2) for coupling the link multiplexer (106) to client devices (159), and one or more multiplexer units (142-1, 142-2) for coupling the link multiplexer (106) to the optical links. Each link card (140) includes frame buffers (152) capable of storing numerous Fibre Channel frames that are being transmitted to and from the client devices (159) coupled to that link card (140).
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