Jump to Content
Vijay Vusirikala

Vijay Vusirikala

Vijay Vusirikala is currently Director, Network Architecture and Optical Engineering at Google. He is responsible for technology development, design, scaling and optimization of Google's inter-datacenter and user-facing networks. He and his team spurred a number of fundamental optical network innovations such as Open line systems, Data Center Interconnect (DCI), Subsea Open Cables, C+L band line systems, Zero-touch optical networking, and deployed them in a large scale production environment. Prior to Google, Vijay was Director of Marketing at Infinera where he worked with major global network operators to design and deploy PIC based digital optical networks. Prior to joining Infinera, he was at Motorola Access Networks as Director of Market Development for PON, DSL, and IPTV products. Earlier, he was with Sycamore Networks in senior system architecture and product management roles, where he defined architecture for reconfigurable optical networks, and integrated switching and transport systems. Vijay has published extensively and holds 15+ patents in optical components, system design and network architecture. He is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and executive forums. He received an MS in Physics and a Ph.D in EE with a focus on optoelectronic integration from the University of Maryland, College Park and a BSEE from IIT, Madras in India.

Research Areas

Authored Publications
Google Publications
Other Publications
Sort By
  • Title
  • Title, desc
  • Year
  • Year, desc
    Sub-Hertz Spectral Analysis of Polarization of Light in a Transcontinental Submarine Cable
    Matt Newland
    Valey Kamalov
    Zhongwen Zhan
    ECOC 2020; 46th European Conference on Optical Communication, Brussels (2020), pp. 1-3
    Preview abstract We report on a field-trial over the Curie cable connecting USA to Chile. We detected environmental changes through measurements of polarization of light. Seismic waves stemming from moderate-size earthquakes caused perturbations in the 0.5-3Hz range, suggesting that transcontinental cables may be used to detect earthquakes. View details
    Preview abstract Open optical networks present a variety of benefits such as single vendor independence and the opportunity to select best in class devices for each individual role. In this paper we review two degrees of open optical networks, namely ones with transponder-line system and line system-line system interoperability. In this context we discuss Google's experiences with respect to optical link design, software, and controls, deployment, and operation. View details
    Preview abstract Legacy management technologies and concepts are a major blocker to efficiently building and operating a large scale optical network. We provide an overview of new, modern device management technologies and discuss deployment and operational efficiencies that they enable. View details
    Preview abstract Standardized, vendor agnostic data models deliver major operational benefits. OpenConfig has been implemented on multiple platforms and is an ideal data model to take advantage of these benefits. This document provides an overview. View details
    The subsea fiber as a Shannon channel
    Alexei Pilipetskii
    Dmitry Kovsh
    Eduardo Mateo
    Elizabeth Rivera Hartling
    Georg Mohs
    Maxim Bolshtyansky
    Olivier Courtois
    Olivier Gautheron
    Omar Ait Sab
    Pascal Pecci
    Priyanth Mehta
    Stephen Grubb
    Takanori Inoue
    Valey Kamalov
    Vincent Letellier
    Yoshihisa Inada
    SubOptic 2019
    Preview abstract Since many years, the Q-budget table (normalized by the ITU-T G.977) has been widely used to characterize the transmission performance of subsea cables: this table detailed the margin allowance breakdown for any modulated wavelength. The fiber achievable transmission capacity was then deduced from the wavelength spacing and the system operating bandwidth. However, the emergence of coherent detection and Digital Signal Processing (DSP) capabilities has enabled the deployment of a wide range of modulation schemes featuring various bit rate, FEC encoding, constellation and spectral shaping, non-linear effect mitigation, thus leading to a transponder-dependent fiber transmission capacity. Combined to the recent trend of the industry to deploy “open” cables it is now time to define a new method to characterize the subsea fiber performance independently of the transponder type. This is emphasized by the introduction of Space Division Multiplexing (SDM) systems equipped with a high fiber pairs count, bringing the granularity at the fiber level: easy to swap, to sell and to manage. Cable capacity will be evaluated via the sum of fiber capacities deduced from any SLTE (Submarine Line Terminal Equipment) at any time with any margin. The proposed method for non-dispersion-managed undersea systems, relies on the General Signal to Noise ratio (GSNR) to remove the effect of baud rate, which is changing rapidly in each generation of SLTE. These have been metrics already widely debated at conferences/publications. Topics such as accuracy, Gaussian Noise (GN) model, assumptions, and measurability, are discussed to clarify definitions and a methodology. Finally, the paper reviews and discusses fiber capacity based on a given GSNR-based performance budget and various transponder types. View details
    Preview abstract A key area of innovation in optical networking has been enabling modern, vendoragnostic APIs on devices. We provide specifics of how these new capabilities enable deployment and operational efficiencies. View details
    Preview abstract C+L open line systems represent a cost-effective way to scale backbone network capacity. In this article, we review challenges and opportunities for C+L line systems stemming from Google's experience in designing, deploying, and operating a global C+L open optical network. We discuss business, operational, and technical aspects of C+L systems, and describe best practices for designing C+L links. Finally, we compare C and C+L systems, showing how the latter not only conceal capacity penalties but can even increase, depending on the deployed fiber types, the total system capacity with respect to two parallel C-band only systems. View details
    Preview abstract We describe a model-based approach for building a transport SDN platform that uses operator-defined data models to build common APIs for managing multi-vendor optical networks consisting of terminal devices and line systems. View details
    The Prospect of Inter-Data-Center Optical Networks
    Xiaoxue Zhao
    Valey Kamalov
    IEEE Communication Magazine, vol. 51 (2013), pp. 32-38
    Preview abstract Mega data centers and their interconnection networks have drawn great attention in recent years because of the rapid public adoption of cloud-based services. The unprecedented amount of data that needs to be communicated between data centers imposes new requirements and challenges to inter-data-center optical networks. In this article, we discuss the traffic growth trends and capacity demands of Google’s inter-data-center network, and how they drive the network architectures and technologies to scale capacities and operational ease on existing fiber plants. We extensively review recent research findings and emerging technologies, such as digital coherent detection and the flexgrid dense wavelength-division multiplexed channel plan, and propose practical implementations, such as C+L-band transmission, packet and optical layer integration, and a software-defined networking enabled network architecture for both capacity and operational scaling. In addition, we point out a few critical areas that require more attention and research to improve efficiency and flexibility of an inter-data-center optical network: optical regeneration, data rate mismatch between Ethernet and optical transport, and real-time optical performance monitoring. View details
    Demonstration of WDM OSNR performance monitoring and operating guidelines for pol-muxed 200Gbit/s 16-QAM and 100Gbit/s QPSK data channels
    M. Chitgarha
    S. Khaleghi
    W. Daab
    M. Ziyadi
    A. Mohajerin-Ariaei
    D.Rogawski
    M. Tur
    Xiaoxue Zhao
    Alan Willner
    Optical Fiber Communication Conference (2013), OTh3B.6
    Preview
    100GbE and Beyond for Warehouse Scale Computing
    Vijay Gill
    OptoeElectronics and Communications Conference (OECC) Technical Digest (2010), pp. 106-107
    Preview abstract As computation and storage continues to move from desktops to large internet services, computing platforms running such services are transforming into warehouse-scale computers. 100 Gigabit Ethernet and beyond will be instrumental in scaling the interconnection within and between these ubiquitous warehouse-scale computing infrastructures. In this paper, we describe the drivers for such interfaces and some methods of scaling Ethernet interfaces to speeds beyond 100GbE. View details
    No Results Found