opticallayer
Opticallayer is a term used in some discussions of optical networks to denote the lowest, physical and optical plane responsible for transmitting data as light over fiber. It is not a formal standard term, but appears in vendor documentation, industry white papers, and academic writings as an alternative naming for the optical transport layer or physical layer of an optical communications network. In this usage, opticallayer encompasses the hardware and functions that directly handle light signals, rather than higher‑level data processes.
The opticallayer typically includes components such as fiber links, optical transmitters and receivers, and optical amplifiers,
Relationship to standards and management frameworks: the opticallayer is closely related to the ITU-T Optical Transport
See also: Optical Transport Network, WDM, ROADMs, EDFA optical amplifiers, ITU-T G.709 and G.872, SDN for optical