Facebook's new networking techenology: 'Voyager'

Facebook Voyager

Facebook released its open source telecom/ networking hardware designed to link data centers using a high-speed optical networking system that can connect between large geographical distances.
The new facebook voyager  is an open source optical networking technology
The new device is called "Voyager", and it is a network switch which can connect optical fiber cables. The technology is considered as the first "white box" transponder for Open Packet DWDM optical networks. Unlike traditional copper-cable-based networks, optical networks (also known as optical fiber networks) use light pulses to transfer data.

Voyager technology is developed as a part of Facebook's  Telecom Infra Project (TIP).

Facebook describes its approach to optical networking in the following quote from their blog post announcing the Voyager entitled "An open approach for switching, routing, and transport":

Meeting the demands of increasing global internet usage requires a combination of wireless connectivity and scalable, cost-effective backhaul infrastructure. The highest-performing bandwidth and reach technologies are still fiber-based — particularly switching, routing, and transport DWDM technologies.

Facebook is working on a new approach to these challenges called Open Packet DWDM. Open Packet DWDM uses combined packet and dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) technology for metro and long-haul fiber optic transport networks. It enables a clean separation of software and hardware, and it's based on open specifications so anyone can contribute packet or DWDM systems, components, or software. Facebook will contribute Open Packet DWDM to the Telecom Infra Project (TIP).

Facebook has used Open Packet DWDM to develop a new transponder platform called Voyager. Facebook is working with the community to develop and test this new open optical packet transport architecture.