Optical Internetworking Forum Conducts Global Interoperability Event

The Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF) confirmed the participation of 13 leading equipment vendors in its second OIF Worldwide Interoperability Demonstration. This year's optical interoperability event began last month at seven carrier host locations. Preliminary testing of a wide spectrum of devices includes routers, multi-service provisioning platforms, SONET/SDH cross-connects, optical switches, optical add-drop multiplexers (OADMs) and reconfigurable OADMs (ROADMs).





The seven carrier members hosting the OIF Worldwide Interoperability Demonstration include AT&T, China Telecom, Deutsche Telekom, France Telecom, NTT Laboratories, Telecom Italia and Verizon. The carrier hosts are providing test facilities, engineering staff and real-world network connectivity continuously from mid-April through mid-June. The vendors are on-site at the carrier lab locations establishing connections and building regional networks. When regional connectivity is complete and evaluated the event will culminate in a live, global real-time network test.


The testing is focused on the integration of a distributed optical control plane with Ethernet over SONET/SDH adaptation using GFP-F, VCAT and LCAS. The test of a distributed control plane marks the first test of its kind that explores the technical issues of multi-layer signaling and routing in such a network.






"This test is significant because it validates the work taking place in the OIF," said Jonathan Sadler of Tellabs, and OIF Architecture and Signaling Working Group chair. "Ethernet is important, the service providers have the SONET/SDH core; they want to offer Ethernet using the fiber/network already in place. This capability will enable them to offer more services and keep costs down."


Participating companies include Alcatel, Avici Systems, Ciena, Cisco Systems, Fujitsu, Huawei, Lambda OpticalSystems, Lucent Technologies, Mahi Networks, Marconi, Nortel, Sycamore Networks and Tellabs.


Navtel Communications is supplying test equipment for the test.
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