Huawei is pitching a plan to bring optical connectivity deeper into the network, outlining a target-state spec for all-optical networks.

Its “LIGHTS” concept was unveiled during the Network X event in Austria and contends the network should be fast, self-managing, and secure among other properties to truly take advantage of leaps in optical innovation. The aptly named acronym stands for low latency, intelligent operation, green foundation, high reliability, terabit per second (Tb/s)-level capacity, and security assurance.

The underlying optical architecture central to LIGHTS that Huawei contends could allow operators to take advantage of “AI-driven opportunities” is the “Next Generation OTN” solution.

For data center interconnect, OTN provides between 800 gigabit to 2 terabit high-speed optical connections, allowing operators to pre-deploy capacity in multiple directions. While on the architecture side, the Chinese firm touts an end-to-end optical cross-connect (OXC) for a meshed, one-hop direct architecture, which in practice would reduce the number of switches and cut equipment and power use, though Huawei provided no figures. The solution also includes fine-grained OTN (fgOTN), which offers flexible bandwidth from 10Mb/s to 1Gb/s.

Huawei has also upgraded hardware and software improvements which it claims can “deliver an end-to-end ‘zero-outage network,’” though no concrete details were provided.

Huawei joins a host of networking firms eyeing optics as a means to boost customer speeds and connectivity resiliency. Just last month, it detailed its bet on near-packaged optics (NPO) to scale AI infrastructure interconnects over co-packaged optics, revealing a 7.2 Tb/s (7.2T) module set to scale optical connectivity fornext-gen versions of its SuperPod computing platform.

Huawei said its LIGHTS all-optical network concept would allow infra operators to shift from “bandwidth-only sales model to delivering core capabilities and value-added services.”

“The LIGHTS all-optical network for the AI era is helping operators seize AI-driven opportunities, realize network monetization and achieve business growth,” the vendor said in a statement. “Huawei will collaborate with industry partners to advance technological innovation and business growth, accelerating the optical transport industry’s evolution into the AI era.”