ANAHEIM, Calif. -- OFC 2002 -- Proximion Fiber Optics AB, a supplier of Optical Layer Monitoring(tm) for safeguarding and enhancing the performance of optical networks, disclosed a record-breaking scan time for its optical layer monitor, WISTOM(r). WISTOM is the only subsystem that scans the whole C-band in 0.1 milliseconds and reports channel specific problems with a response time of less than 10 milliseconds, while simultaneously measuring wavelength, power, and Optical Signal/Noise Ratio (OSNR). By quickly identifying network faults and initiating protection methods to preserve critical data, operators minimize network downtime and associated operational costs using WISTOM. By leveraging fiber Bragg gratings and the patented ability to embed functionality directly into the fiber layer, WISTOM combines performance and speed into one single, versatile product. Until now, system vendors needed to buy two separate units focused on either speed or accuracy, one for optical performance monitoring and another for channel monitoring, which leads to increased operational cost. By opening up a very narrow transmission window of an otherwise very broadband, highly reflective fiber Bragg grating, Proximion's scanning filter makes it possible to provide both high detail and unprecedented scanning speed without using any moving parts. WISTOM's high-performance filter continuously scans the optical network layer at over 300 million bits per second (or 8 times faster than the super sonic speed of an F16 fighter jet), making it possible to perform protection switching in under 10 milliseconds, while generating a precise depiction of the optical layer in the form of a data stream. Proximion's real-time hardware and software platform then retrieves and processes the data stream on the fly, providing instantaneous monitoring of all necessary optical performance parameters. Thus, two parallel and independent processes provide simultaneous optical performance and channel monitoring. Proximion Fiber Optics ABFor more information on OFC 2002, please visit: www.nottheofc.com