Routed Optical Networking is an architecture that delivers improved network efficiencies and operational simplicity. It does this by converging IP and optical layers of the network and delivering coherent wavelengths directly from router ports using standardized 400G ZR/ZR+ . This guide delves into the common uses of optical switches, the advantages they bring to each application, and the criteria for selecting the most suitable switch for your specific needs. A key advantage of SFP+ Modules is that they are "hot-swappable", meaning they can be swapped out while the router is still powered on. DWDM = Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing. West to east direction shown only for brevity. What is Digital Coherent Optics (DCO)? Actual.