The Role of OTN in Scaling Internet Backbones

Abstract

Optical Transport Network (OTN) technology has emerged as the invisible foundation supporting global Internet Protocol (IP) connectivity and the exponential growth of data traffic worldwide. As internet backbones face unprecedented demands from cloud computing, video streaming, 5G networks, and Internet of Things (IoT) applications, OTN provides the scalable, efficient, and reliable transport infrastructure required to meet these challenges. This article surveys the critical role of OTN in scaling internet backbones, examining its architecture, multiplexing hierarchy, key advantages, and deployment strategies. I explored how OTN enables service providers to manage multi-terabit traffic flows while ensuring quality of service, protection mechanisms, and operational efficiency. Through comprehensive analysis of OTN standards, implementation scenarios, and emerging trends, this work demonstrates why OTN has become indispensable for modern telecommunications infrastructure. The findings reveal that OTN's ability to transparently transport diverse client signals, provide hierarchical multiplexing up to 400G and beyond, and offer robust operations, administration, and maintenance (OAM) capabilities makes it the preferred choice for carrier networks globally. This survey is valuable for both technical professionals seeking to understand OTN implementation details and business decisionmakers evaluating infrastructure investment strategies.