Certified Optical Network Associate (CONA) Training - August

Schedule

Mon, 10 Aug, 2026 at 09:00 am to Thu, 13 Aug, 2026 at 05:00 pm

UTC-04:00

Location

Regus - Charlotte - Piedmont Southpark | Charlotte, NC

Advertisement
5-day training workshop
About this Event

What do you get from the registration fees?

  • 5-days of intense and interactive training on the fundamentals of optical networking
  • 550+ pages of course manual to be downloaded from the OTT resources page
  • Access to OTT CONA online resources
  • OTT theory evaluation at the end of the training
  • OTT CONA certificate ( subject to passing the evaluation)

What you will learn in this optical network training:

CONA is a vendor neutral intense 5-day optical network training courses from Optical Technology Training (OTT). CONA is designed to offer prospective optical network engineers the ins and outs of optical networking. It covers simple networks that use single channel or multiple channels using DWDM or CWDM. These include metro networks, 5G transport,  fiber to the antenna, data center interconnects,, long haul networks and other WANs. Delegates learn what is required for satisfactory system performance of such networks, how CD and PMD affect network performance and how they are mitigated.

Delegates should pass an examination and a network design assignment to be CONA certified. Successful delegates qualify to enroll in the Certified Optical Network Engineer (CONE) course.

COURSE SYLLABUS

Key outcomes:

  • Design optical links that provide high capacity, typically up to10 or 25Gb/s per channel and up to 80 channels per fiber
  • Specify the components that are required to build a transmission link and describe how they should be configured
  • Design links for performance and testability
  • Determine the optical power budget of different transmission systems
  • Calculate the optical loss budget for a transmission link
  • Assess the quality of existing fiber infrastructure and its suitability for different systems
  • Decide when and where optical amplifiers are needed and identify suitable products
  • Calculate whether chromatic dispersion compensation is required for a link, and if so specify an appropriate DCM
  • Verify that a link design is viable in terms of power levels, chromatic dispersion limits and PMD levels

Section 1: Becoming a CONA

  • What are optical networks?
  • The different generations
  • The role of standards
  • The week ahead

Section 2: Understanding light and light in communications

  • Light as a wave
  • Wavelengths & frequencies used in fiber optics
  • Single mode fiber as a waveguide
  • Using light to transfer information
  • Chromatic dispersion
  • Polarization mode dispersion
  • Using passive components to manage light
  • Managing power levels
  • Directing light
  • Multiplexing light
  • Managing different wavelengths of light
  • Electronic TDM
  • WDM
  • SWDM
  • CWDM
  • DWDM
  • How fibers work
  • Multimode fiber
  • Single mode fiber
  • Launch conditions
  • Attenuation
  • Bend loss performance
  • Dispersion

Section 3: Infrastructure

  • Fibers for datacomms
  • Fibers for telecoms
  • Standards
  • Sourcing cable links
  • External and internal cable performance issues
  • Typical constructions
  • Cables for different environments
  • The challenges of jointing cable
  • Cable jointing scenarios
  • Cable installation issues
  • Splice closures
  • Cable termination challenges
  • Cable termination scenarios
  • Termination location components
  • Specifying an ODF
  • Connector styles
  • Connector performance
  • Pre-terminated assemblies
  • Connector inspection and cleaning
  • Connector inspection standards
  • Performance requirements for joining fibers
  • Why test infrastructure?
  • What tests are needed?
  • Analysis and extracting relevant information
  • Monitoring systems

Section 4: Systems

  • Requirements for good system performance
  • Potential causes of performance problems
  • Designing for performance and testability
  • Target distances
  • Loss budgets
  • Transmitter power levels
  • Receiver power levels
  • Interface definitions
  • Benefits & drawbacks of optical amplifiers
  • EDFAs
  • Raman amplifiers
  • Other optical Amplifier types
  • Optical amplifier specification
  • Optical amplified configurations
  • Optical amplifier performance
  • Optical amplifier implementation checklist
  • Light sources & transmitters
  • Receivers & detectors
  • Transceiver modules
  • Transceiver performance comparisons
  • Key transceiver parameters

Section 5: Dispersion

  • What is chromatic dispersion?
  • What causes chromatic dispersion?
  • Dispersion slope
  • CD characteristics of common fiber types
  • Dispersion limited systems
  • Optical versus electronic dispersion compensation
  • Strategic dispersion issues
  • Dispersion compensating fiber
  • DCM performance examples
  • Bragg grating DCMs
  • Dispersion managed links
  • What is PMD?
  • Polarized light
  • Polarization in fibers
  • PMD and system performance

Section 6: Optical networking

  • Photonic network topologies
  • Multiplexers
  • Add drop technologies
  • ROADMs
  • Equipment configurations
  • What do I need?
  • What type of module, component or fiber?
  • Where does it go?
  • Rules and constraints
  • Testing required at each project stage
  • Test limits and acceptance criteria

Section 7: Network simulation software

  • Why network simulation
  • Introduction to OptiSystem from Optiwave
  • How to sign up for a free 30 day account
  • How to access simulation examples and technical support

Section 8: Evaluation

  • Case study assignment
  • Theory assessment

Advertisement

Where is it happening?

Regus - Charlotte - Piedmont Southpark, 6201 Fairview Road, Charlotte, United States

Event Location & Nearby Stays:

Tickets

USD 3275.06 to USD 3721.39

Icon
Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.
FiberGuide

Host or Publisher FiberGuide

Ask AI if this event suits you:

Discover More Events in Charlotte

Parking & Juliet - Charlotte
Tue, 11 Aug at 11:30 pm Parking & Juliet - Charlotte

Belk Theater at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center

PERFORMANCES ENTERTAINMENT
Digital Noir - With special guest TBA - 8\/15\/26
Sat, 15 Aug at 08:00 pm Digital Noir - With special guest TBA - 8/15/26

The Milestone Club

5 Seconds of Summer: EVERYONE'S A STAR! World Tour
Sat, 15 Aug at 08:00 pm 5 Seconds of Summer: EVERYONE'S A STAR! World Tour

PNC Music Pavilion

MUSIC
5 Seconds of Summer at PNC Music Pavilion
Sat, 15 Aug at 08:00 pm 5 Seconds of Summer at PNC Music Pavilion

PNC Music Pavilion

CONTESTS TRIPS-ADVENTURES
Charlotte - Intro to Generational Wealth thru Real Estate Investing
Wed, 15 Apr at 08:45 pm Charlotte - Intro to Generational Wealth thru Real Estate Investing

Charlotte - Link will be sent just prior to the event start

MEETUPS VIRTUAL
MINDSHOP| AI FOR NON TECHIES
Wed, 30 Mar at 07:00 pm MINDSHOP| AI FOR NON TECHIES

Virtual

MakerSpace Charlotte Open House
Wed, 10 Jul at 07:00 pm MakerSpace Charlotte Open House

1003 Louise Ave suite a

NONPROFIT
Play an Epic City Scavenger Hunt in Charlotte with Operation City Quest
Fri, 20 Dec at 09:00 am Play an Epic City Scavenger Hunt in Charlotte with Operation City Quest

Founders Hall

CONTESTS
MakerSpace Charlotte Open House
Wed, 22 Jan at 07:00 pm MakerSpace Charlotte Open House

1003 Louise Ave suite a

NONPROFIT
Vinyl Application Workshop
Tue, 28 Jan at 07:00 pm Vinyl Application Workshop

1003 Louise Ave Suite A

WORKSHOPS
Sticker Making Workshop
Wed, 29 Jan at 07:00 pm Sticker Making Workshop

1003 Louise Ave Suite A

WORKSHOPS
Copy of Free Co-Working Days!! Spaces South Tryon Location.
Fri, 23 May at 08:30 am Copy of Free Co-Working Days!! Spaces South Tryon Location.

128 S Tryon St

BUSINESS
FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) After School Program - 2025
Wed, 10 Sep at 05:30 pm FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) After School Program - 2025

Queen City Robotics Alliance

WORKSHOPS IT
Mon, 05 Jan at 09:30 am Tech Made Simple: Computers & Phones for Seniors

ArchWell Health

WORKSHOPS
Nerd Nite Charlotte
Fri, 09 Jan at 07:00 pm Nerd Nite Charlotte

1800 Central Ave Ste. A-1, Charlotte, NT, Australia, Northern Territory 28205

ART FIRST-FRIDAY
Dynamics 365 Foundation Skills: 1 Day Workshop in Charlotte, NC
Thu, 15 Jan at 09:00 am Dynamics 365 Foundation Skills: 1 Day Workshop in Charlotte, NC

regus NC, Charlotte - Charlotte City Center (HQ)

WORKSHOPS
CLT Ultimate Marketing & Sales Summit
Fri, 16 Jan at 09:00 am CLT Ultimate Marketing & Sales Summit

301 E 9th St, Charlotte, NC 28202-2561, United States

BUSINESS
Digital Dollar Day Workshop
Sat, 17 Jan at 01:00 pm Digital Dollar Day Workshop

Business 911

WORKSHOPS VIRTUAL
D.O.D
Thu, 22 Jan D.O.D

Blackbox Theater

CONTESTS TRIPS-ADVENTURES
Certified Optical Network Associate (CONA)
Mon, 26 Jan at 09:00 am Certified Optical Network Associate (CONA)

6801 Fairview Rd

NONPROFIT WORKSHOPS

What's Happening Next in Charlotte?

Discover Charlotte Events