6–7 Jul 2026
The Brewery
Europe/London timezone

Understanding and optimising transceiver efficiency using internal metrics for improved power savings

Not scheduled
30m
The Porter Tun (1st Floor) (The Brewery)

The Porter Tun (1st Floor)

The Brewery

52 Chiswell Street London EC1Y 4SA What3Words: ///guilty.rabble.books
Standard Presentation Main Session NetUK3 Plenary

Speaker

Gerhard Stein (Lead Research Engineer)

Description

In high-performance optical communication systems transceiver health and efficiency are critical to network reliability and energy consumption. This presentation explores the powerful capabilities of Versatile Diagnostics Monitoring (VDM) features found in modern optical transceivers (beyond the speed of 100G) with a particular focus on the Thermoelectric Cooler (TEC) current metrics. By analysing TEC current alongside temperature and cable length data we should be able to identify the optimal operating conditions that will minimise power consumption while maintaining performance. In order to prove this thesis we developed a couple of software prototypes to perform the data analysis. Using real-world VDM data this talk will demonstrate how to evaluate and visualise transceiver efficiency in terms of Watts, uncovering practical insights for engineers aiming to design or operate greener, more efficient optical networks and finally save energy.

Summary

The goal is to identify optimal operating parameters for optical transceivers and switches reducing power consumption (measured in Watts) without compromising system performance.

Leveraging VDM: The research utilizes Versatile Diagnostics Monitoring (VDM) to gather granular hardware metrics.

A focus is placed on Thermoelectric Cooler (TEC) and Laser current, analysing how they correlate with temperature and total power consumption.

Talk Duration 25 Minutes Presentation (+5 Minutes Q&A)
Can your presentation be broadcast live on our webcast, which will be accessible via Youtube? Yes
Can your presentation slides be published publicly on our Indico instance and the NetUK website? Yes
Can a recording of your presentation be published publicly on our website? Yes
Can a recording of your presentation be uploaded to our public YouTube channel? Yes
Do you consent for us to publish your name and affiliation as a Speaker on the NetUK website and Social Media? Yes

Author

Gerhard Stein (Lead Research Engineer)

Presentation materials