Why OSAs are a better choice for spectral analysis than optical channel monitors

Why OSAs are a better choice for spectral analysis than optical channel monitors

Spectral analysis encompasses measurements like channel power, channel central wavelength and optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR). These are key performance indicators (KPIs) of network performance and critical to manage in order to prevent network outages.

There are two categories of instruments that perform spectral analysis: portable devices like optical spectrum analysers (OSAs) and spectral analysis capabilities embedded in transport systems and accessible through the element management system (EMS) that are also called optical channel monitors (OCMs) or optical performance monitors (OPMs).

These two categories of devices present important differences in terms of performance (accuracy, range of measured values, etc.) and in terms of how they measure power, wavelength and OSNR. This White Paper highlights these differences and their impact on assessing network performance.