Hughes Introduces WAN Optimization and Application Acceleration Technology

Hughes Network Systems has added new WAN optimization and application acceleration capabilities to its suite of HughesNet Managed Network Services. Unlike competing solutions which typically require an additional acceleration appliance at every location or are limited to a single broadband access technology, the new capabilities are integrated into access routers at each location. Enterprise customers can set application level prioritization, a capability normally associated with leased-line MPLS networks, on more cost-effective broadband IP VPN networks.


The new HughesNet capability improves network utilization and performance of TCP applications by addressing common latency issues such as slow-start and window scaling. Sophisticated pre-fetch technology is employed to improve performance of accessing Web content while improving network bandwidth utilization through transparent data reduction, intelligent compression and multiple application prioritization levels.


Hughes said its solution is ideal for enterprises that are experiencing poor application performance on their current broadband networks, or for customers on legacy networks seeking to migrate to IP networks.
http://www.hns.com/

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Juniper Debuts Control Plane Scaling Platform

Juniper Networks unveiled its JCS 1200 high-performance Control Plane Scaling Platform aimed at solving a fundamental problem of scaling core networks.


As service providers seek to deliver multiple services concurrently across a converged IP infrastructure, each service must contend for a fixed amount of control plane capacity in the underlying routing infrastructure. The Juniper Networks JCS 1200 addresses this challenge by providing a standalone, dedicated platform for control plane resources (hosting multiple Routing Engines). This introduces a new paradigm--the ability to scale the control plane independently in a separate, interconnected platform.


Juniper pioneered the separation of control and forwarding planes in 1998 with the introduction of the M40 core router, which distributed the control and forwarding functions to different processors within the physical router chassis without the intervention of software. Juniper said that since then, the forwarding and control planes of routers have each scaled dramatically to keep pace with network traffic growth and service provider demand; however, individual routers are designed with a fixed amount of control plane resources, leaving providers with few options when faced with adding control plane capacity without sacrificing forwarding capacity.


The JCS 1200 is a 12 rack unit (RU) chassis that provides 12 Routing Engine slots and connects to Juniper Networks T-series routers via redundant Ethernet connections. It leverages JUNOS software and works with deployed T-series routers, enabling service providers to achieve this separation through service-specific virtualization --- the secure, flexible allocation of a single physical routing platform to multiple virtual routing instances.


Juniper lists several advantages for the JCS 1200

• Maximum Scale: The dedicated RE chassis eliminates the need to compromise expensive, revenue-generating router slots for control plane scaling--all 40G and 100G slots on the routers are preserved for forwarding. When used in conjunction with a T1600 router, JCS 1200 can create hardware-virtualized routers while delivering as much as three times the forwarding capacity of competitive systems--while using 25 percent less rack space.



• Increased Efficiency and Investment Protection: JCS 1200 integrates seamlessly with existing T-series router deployments, helping to protect customers' capital investment. By enabling service-specific virtualization, the JCS 1200 can improve network efficiency by consolidating equipment--studies have shown that using virtualization to maximize resource utilization can deliver substantial efficiency gains.



• Greater Control for Rapid Service Roll Out: New services can be planned, tested, and deployed quickly, with far fewer resources and with a greatly accelerated time to market. By simplifying and shortening the pre-deployment testing process, the JCS can allow service providers to reduce time-to-market by several weeks or months, resulting in enhanced potential for accelerated revenue and customer growth.

The JCS 1200 Control Plane Scaling Platform is expected to be generally available for deployment in Q2 2008.


"Enabling the control plane to scale independently of the forwarding plane is the next logical evolution of routing technologies, and we believe it will help providers accelerate the monetization of their networks by delivering innovative, quality, scalable services which set them apart from the crowd," said Kim Perdikou, executive vice president and general manager, Infrastructure Products Group, Juniper Networks. "Juniper is once again advancing the economics of networking by delivering the industry's first control plane scaling platform, which delivers significantly enhanced capacity, efficiency and control, while reducing the costs and complexities associated with managing today's converged IP infrastructures."http://www.juniper.net

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OIF's UNI 2.0 Implementation Agreement Delivers to Emerging Carrier Ethernet Market

The Optical Internetworking Forum has ratified the UNI (User-Network Interface) 2.0 Implementation Agreement (IA), enabling users to signal for enhanced transport services from an optical network service provider. UNI 2.0 complies with the ITU-T ASON architecture, and supports all UNI 1.0 signaling with additional protocol extensions for the following new UNI 2.0 features:

• Support for Ethernet clients, providing both Ethernet Private Line (EPL) and Ethernet Virtual Private Line (EVPL) services


• Dynamic bandwidth modification, without service disruption


• G.709 connection services for ODU and OTU switching layers


• Low order SONET/SDH connection services

For network users, these improvements deliver more responsive and flexible services plus right-sized bandwidth for their dynamic traffic.


The OIF said these Improvements were gleaned from the OIF's Worldwide Interoperability Demonstration - On-Demand Ethernet Services held last summer between 7 carriers and 8 equipment vendors.http://www.oiforum.com

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Cisco Announces 40-Core "QuantumFlow" Processor

Cisco disclosed plans for a programmable processor that packs 40 cores on a single chip and can perform up to 160 simultaneous processes.


The forthcoming Cisco QuantumFlow Processor, which the company said has been more than half a decade in the making, was designed by a team of more than 100 Cisco engineers and has led to more than 40 patent submissions. Many of the same engineers who developed the Cisco Silicon Packet Processor (SPP) for the Cisco Carrier Routing System (CRS-1), which debuted in 2004, also worked on the Cisco QuantumFlow Processor. The new device will boast more than 800 million transistors compared to the 185 million on the Cisco SPP.http://www.cisco.com

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Google Joins Global Consortium Planning New Pacific Cable System

A consortium of six international companies, including Bharti Airtel, Global Transit, Google, KDDI Corporation, Pacnet and SingTel, have executed agreements to build a high--bandwidth subsea fiber optic cable linking the United States and Japan.


Construction of the new Trans--Pacific cable system -- dubbed "Unity" -- will cost an estimated US$300 million. Unity is expected to initially increase Trans--Pacific lit cable capacity by about 20 percent, with the potential to add up to 7.68 Tbps of bandwidth across the Pacific. The new five fiber pair cable system can be expanded up to eight fiber pairs, with each fiber pair capable of carrying up to 960 Gbps.


The Unity consortium selected NEC Corporation and Tyco Telecommunications to construct and install the system during a signing ceremony held in Tokyo on February 23, 2008. Construction will begin immediately, with initial capacity targeted to be available in the first quarter of 2010.


"While Google is the first non-telecom company to take an active role in ownership of a submarine cable, it's not likely that this is the beginning of a new trend," commented TeleGeography Research Director Alan Mauldin. "Although many non-telecom companies have high bandwidth requirements, few will venture into owning submarine cables anytime soon."http://www.google.com/intl/en/press/pressrel/20080225_newcablesystem.htmlhttp://www.telegeography.com

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Verizon's Wholesale Unit Offers ROADM-based Integrated Optical Service

The Verizon Partner Solutions group, Verizon's wholesale business unit, is now offering Verizon Integrated Optical Service using reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexers (ROADMs) to create nodes, or access points, where data from virtually any transport feed -- from DS1s to SONET at speeds up to OC-192, and from 10 Mbps up to 10 Gbps for Ethernet -- are merged onto a dedicated optical network custom-built for each customer.

The complexity of billing to support multiple technologies can now be replaced by billing for an Integrated Optical Service network, which may be as simple as one node charge per location, one total ring mileage charge, and the respective rider charges. The backbone service employs DWDM with a ring topology for the most versatile and secure transport possible.


"The economies are tremendous, based on the network design," Lew said. "The need to manage multiple networks, bills, technologies and equipment is eliminated, making this an extraordinary solution for our customers... Interexchange carriers, wireless providers, CLECs, ISPs -- virtually anyone who deploys multiple technologies and requires bandwidth-intensive transport services -- will find economies and efficiencies never before offered. Integrated Optical Service provides true next-generation multiservice delivery capabilities for our customers today," said Quintin Lew, senior vice president, Verizon Partner Solutions.


Verizon Partner Solutions is selling Integrated Optical Service within Verizon's operating territory as well as in some select near out-of-franchise locations.





http://www.verizon.net

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FCC Debates Broadband Management and Net Neutrality

The FCC hosted an open meeting at Harvard Law School to considered the issue of Net Neutrality, network management, and, in particular, Comcast's role in limiting and/or slowing BitTorrent traffic from its subscribers. Panelists presenting their views included FCC Commissioners, Comcast's David L. Cohen, Verizon's Tom Tauke, BitTorrent's Eric Klinker, Sony's Scott Smyers, and noted speakers from Harvard Law School, Columbia Law School, University of Pennsylvania Law School, and M.I.T..


A archived webcast of the event will be posted on the FCC site shortly.


Some opening comments from the FCC.


Kevin Martin, FCC Commissioner: "Obviously network operators can take reasonable steps to manage traffic, but they cannot arbitrarily block access. This raises several issues in my mind. First, its seems important that they do so in a reasonable, open, and transparent way. consumers need to know if and how network management practices distinguish between different applications, so that consumers can configure their own applications and systems properly. And it means providing transparency to broadband consumers - in the promises to deliver increased speeds, services, and pricing."


Michael J. Copps, FCC Commissioner: "In the 1950s and ‘60s, the government was told that the entire phone network could be compromised if innovations like Hush-a-Phone and Carterfone where attached to the end of the telephone line. In the early ‘80s, the Department of Justice was told that breaking up Ma Bell would leave the United States literally unable to respond to a nuclear threat. More recently, we were told that forcing telecom carriers to accept enforceable network neutrality rules would jeopardize their financial future as they reconsolidated. And late last year we were told that wireless carriers couldn't make an open access model work-- until these very carriers changed their mind and came out in favor of just such a model."


Jonathan Adelstein, FCC Commissioner: "Just as it took the establishment of a constitution to secure Americans' freedom from government intrusion, now is the time to establish enduring principles to protect our citizens from losing their freedom on-line. We need to establish an effective Internet Bill of Rights that can secure Internet freedom for generations to come."http://www.fcc.gov

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Nokia Unveils "Morph" Nanotech Material Prototypes

Nokia Research Center (NRC)

and the University of Cambridge (UK) unveiled "Morph", a joint nanotechnology concept that demonstrates how future mobile devices might be stretchable and flexible, allowing the user to transform their mobile device into radically different shapes.


The joint research is focused on flexible materials, transparent electronics and self-cleaning surfaces. Nokia believes that certain elements of Morph might be available to integrate into handheld devices within 7 years, though initially only at the high-end. However, nanotechnology may one day lead to low cost manufacturing solutions, and offers the possibility of integrating complex functionality at a low price.


The partnership between Nokia and the University of Cambridge was announced in March, 2007 - an agreement to work together on an extensive and long term program of joint research projects. NRC has established a research facility at the University's West Cambridge site and collaborates with several departments - initially the Nanoscience Center and Electrical Division of the Engineering Department - on projects that, to begin with, are centered on nanotechnology.http://www.nokia.com

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Riverbed's RiOS 5.0 Update Adds Performance, Virtualization and Visibility Features

Riverbed Technology released version 5.0 of its Riverbed Optimization System (RiOS), enabling its Steelhead product line to provide application-level protocol optimization for Microsoft Exchange 2007. The upgrade also adds new scale, simplicity and security features, including the new RiOS Services Platform (RSP) for delivering virtualized edge services without the need to deploy additional branch office servers.



In the area of application-level acceleration, RiOS 5.0 adds to the existing HTTP and HTTPS acceleration capabilities by further improving the performance of enterprise Web applications, including SAP NetWeaver, Oracle, PeopleSoft/JD Edwards, Microsoft and Siebel CRM, SharePoint, and Outlook Web Access (OWA). The gains are achieved by further reducing the chattiness and delay often associated with enterprise Web-based applications. Riverbed said users of RiOS 5.0 will see additional performance improvements of up to 10X for their Web applications.


RiOS 5.0 also delivers acceleration capabilities for Oracle 11i applications running in HTTP mode. The improvements target the Oracle E-Business suite of applications, particularly Oracle forms traffic and reporting, as well as other application operations. Riverbed is the only vendor that provides application-level optimization for Oracle 11i.


Riverbed said its RiOS Services Platform (RSP) enables the delivery of virtualized edge services without the need to deploy additional physical servers at remote or branch offices. The RSP allows businesses to deploy best-of-breed services from their choice of vendors on Steelhead appliances in a self-contained partition to minimize the hardware infrastructure footprint at the branch office. In a typical RSP deployment, IT infrastructure at the remote site is simplified to include the RSP and a router.


Riverbed said it also now provides flexibility for organizations that want to enable end-to-end transparency of WAN traffic by IP address and port or by port only. Steelhead appliances enable full IP or port-only address visibility on the WAN for optimized connections in addition to their default correct addressing mode.


In RiOS 5.0, Riverbed is adding to its QoS classification of traffic based on both bandwidth and priority with the launch of hierarchical QoS. Hierarchical QoS allows customers to assign different QoS specifications on a per site basis in addition to setting application or protocol priorities. Riverbed's QoS capability not only provides granularity, but also simplified management for complex environments.http://www.riverbed.com

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JDSU Introduces 10 Gbps Stressed Receiver Sensitivity (SRS)

JDSU introduced stressed receiver sensitivity (SRS) functionality to its TestPoint 10Gbps product line. Stressed receiver sensitivity is IEEE's requirement for 10 GigE receivers to function properly in the presence of optical signals that contain impairment such as vertical eye closure and jitter.

The JDSU TestPoint 10Gbps with SRS tests a receiver's compliance to the standard, supporting both unframed and framed test patterns (with SRS it provides transponder testing in unframed environments and system and line card testing in framed protocol environments).

JDSU noted that additional features of its TestPoint 10Gbps include support for nine line rates, including 10 GigE LAN/WAN, 10 Gigabit Fibre Channel, and six OTN line rates; a factory-calibrated, one-box solution with a built-in self-test procedure, simplifying test setup and enabling users to focus on running tests as opposed to calibrating the equipment; and adjustable signal parameters and impairment parameters for in-depth analysis of the device under test (DUT). http://www.jdsu.com

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Brightstar to Distribute Huawei's Terminal Products

Brightstar, which provides customized distribution and supply chain solutions for the wireless industry, will distribute Huawei's terminal products in key regions around the world. This deal covers the sale of Huawei's wireless terminal products in all leading regions worldwide. Brightstar will collaborate closely with Huawei to explore key markets, deliver Huawei products to leading mobile operators and help Huawei to promote its products in the marketplace.http://www.huawei.com

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Brasil Telecom Selects Alcatel-Lucent

Brasil Telecom awarded a major contract to Alcatel-Lucent to provide Operations and Maintenance (O&M) services for the carrier internal plant (including wireless, wireline and data networks), as well as their outside plant.

Based on the agreement Alcatel-Lucent will take care of 100 percent of Brasil Telecom infrastructure, including detailed O&M for the operator's wireless network (voice, data and core); switches and transmission (for fixed land line); data communications and ADSL (core and access); satellite platform; infrastructure (building, AC/DC energy, air conditioning, towers and poles); network management systems; and technical support for all levels. Financial terms were not disclosed.


Alcatel-Lucent said the contract represents a milestone in Latin America as no other company in the region is responsible for the whole infrastructure of an operator.http://www.alcatel-lucent.com

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Tellabs Offers 40 Gbps Transponder

Tellabs announced a 40 Gbps transponder module for its Tellabs 7100 Optical Transport System (OTS). With the new plug-in module, the Tellabs 7100 OTS delivers an increase in bandwidth from 440 Gbps to 1.76 Tbps. The new 40 Gbps transponder module is expected to be commercially available in June 2008.http://www.tellabs.com

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Motorola Acquires Digital Cable Set-Top Box Manufacturer in China

Motorola acquired the assets related to digital cable set-top products of Zhejiang Dahua Digital Technology and Hangzhou Image Silicon (collectively, Dahua Digital). Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.


Dahua Digital is a privately held, developer, manufacturer, and marketer of cable set-tops and related low cost integrated circuits for the emerging Chinese cable business. Its product line includes basic set-tops, two-way interactive set-tops and the high-end media-center class of products. Dahua Digital also has a substantial China cable operator customer base.


Motorola said the deal will expand its digital set-top box offerings in China and significantly improve time to market in the region. Further, Dahua Digital's low-cost chipset solution, designed specifically for the Chinese set top business, will enhance Motorola's product line.


Dahua Digital will be integrated into Motorola's Home & Networks Mobility business. Motorola intends to maintain Dahua Digital in Hangzhou, which will be an integral component of Motorola's China digital cable market operations.
http://www.motorola.com

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NEC Introduces "Light IMS" for Next Generation Network Service Convergence

NEC Corporation of America (NEC) introduced its Service Convergence Integrated Platform (SCI-P), a new converged multimedia and SIP-based solution for mid-tier North America telecom carriers.



The SCI-P is intended as a "starter" framework for IMS. The platform consolidates NEC's carrier-grade call processing quality, an HP blade-server architecture, an Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)-based SIP server, an operations, maintenance, billing and provisioning server and service enablers into a compact, yet highly scalable all-in-one "light-IMS" platform. Applications for the platform include both basic and advanced VoIP and value-added multimedia services, including presence, personalized services, interactive gaming and IP messaging.


NEC said its SCI-P ensures a clear migration path to the full IMS platform through a simple software upgrade of the SIP server at the services layer of the network. The software platforms are critical to NEC's IMS ecosystem; which incorporates NEC and third party hardware and software components to support IMS signaling, call control, and enhanced applications.


NEC offers a full line up of software solutions for its IMS product suite.

• NC7000-software product series - At the services layer, NEC's Service Delivery Platform (SDP) provides multimedia services (beyond legacy telephone services) to generate new carrier revenue streams. Examples include: IP Messaging, Web-Phone book with Presence, among other services.



• NC9000-software product series - Also at the services layer, the NC9000 series houses the core IMS database functions, including the Home Subscriber Server (HSS), Serving Call Session Control Function (S-CSCF), Proxy Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF) and/or the Interrogating Call Session Control Function (I-CSCF), among other key IMS functions.



• NC5000-software product series - At the transport layer, the NC5000-series offers Quality of Service (QoS) Control and Access Authentication, including the Resource and Admission Control Subsystem (RACS) and Network Attachment Subsystem (NASS) functions.

For large carriers that have already deployed IMS-ready/compliant core call processing functionality, NEC will offer its NC7000-software series as a standalone, standards interface-based SDP to deliver new value-added, revenue-generating services to market, immediately.


With the NC7000-series, carriers can simplify procedures for rapid service creation and fast service provisioning by providing network service function as an open API (application programming interface); based on Java/XML and standard Parlay X.http://www.necam.com

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Verizon Business Implements Optical Mesh for Pacific Undersea Cable System

Verizon Business has implemented an optical mesh with five paths on the trans-Pacific portion of its global network to provide more diverse routes to benefit large business and government customers.


This network architecture provides route diversity across the five paths in the event of a cable cut or other network disruption. Previously, the trans-Pacific transport network used a ring configuration to provide redundant paths. However, that architecture provided protection against only a single failure within any network ring, and service restoration on the alternate path usually increased the latency of the transmission. Additionally, in the event of a service interruption on two or more segments of the same network system, physical restoration of the cable may not be available until a cable ship is deployed to make repairs.


Each of the five paths operates with 10 Gbps capacity, offering automatic restoration and real-time management of voice and data traffic on the Pacific undersea cable routes. The Pacific mesh is currently deployed on two major submarine cable network systems in the Pacific called Japan-US and China-US. With completion of the Trans-Pacific Express (TPE) cable in the third quarter of this year, the company will expand meshing to include Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan. By year-end, Verizon Business will have seven-way mesh diversity deployed on the trans-Pacific network.


"We have seen a dramatic improvement in our overall network performance in the Atlantic since we introduced meshing," said Yali Liu, director of Asia-Pacific network planning for Verizon Business. "We're now extending this same benefit into the Asia-Pacific region, and we will continue to expand the enhanced diversity and reliability of a meshed network to meet the growing demands of our global customers."http://www.verizon.com

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