Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Infinera Announces Multi-Layer Automation for Intelligent Transport Networks

Infinera introduced a multi-layer automation solution that integrates the efficiency of its digital switching paradigm with the scale of optical switching to create the communication foundation of cloud-based services and the Internet.


Infinera's multi-layer automation includes the industry’s first super-channel FlexROADM (reconfigurable optical add drop multiplexer), the first standards based multi-layer control plane for spectrum switched optical networks (SSON) and the first 500 Gbps flexible-grid super-channels.

By leveraging these components, Infinera said its Intelligent Transport Network makes it easier for operators to automate the digital switching and the optical transport layers of their multi-terabit transport networks.

Some highlights:

  • Super-Channel FlexROADM for Scalable Optical Switching. Infinera’s converged switching capabilities have been enhanced to feature a new, purpose-built super-channel FlexROADM. The FlexROADM is colorless, directionless and contention-less (CDC) and is available in C, CD, and CDC versions up to nine degrees. When combined with the multi-terabit OTN switching of the DTN-X platform, service providers now have a converged multi-layer solution with digital grooming of client services and optical switching of efficiently filled super-channels. Together these enable service providers to respond quickly to changing service and traffic demands while simplifying network operations.
  • Standards Based Control Plane for Multi-Layer Transport Automation. Infinera's widely deployed standards based control plane now extends transport automation beyond super-channels to control the FlexROADM, which is compliant with the Internet Engineering Task Force’s (IETF) SSON framework.  For the first time, the same standards based multi-layer control plane controls the digital OTN switching for point and click service establishment as well as the switching of flexible grid super-channels at the optical layer. This combination uniquely enables service providers to automate everything in the Intelligent Transport Network. 
  • Flexible Grid Super-Channels for Efficient Long-Haul Transmission. Infinera’s third generation of 500 Gb/s super-channels takes full advantage of large scale photonic integrated circuit technology and the FlexCoherent Processor™ to deliver the industry’s first single-card long haul flexible grid super-channels. Infinera customers have deployed almost one petabit per second of Infinera’s first and second generation FlexCoherent super-channels since the introduction of the DTN-X platform in 2012. 

"At Infinera we work closely with our customers to understand when and where to best introduce technology innovations that drive the most value,” said Dr. David Welch, Infinera Co-Founder and President. “Through this collaboration, Infinera is the first to deliver multi-layer automation of transport networks to help our customers deliver services faster while simultaneously lowering operational costs.”

“At Telefonica I+D we continuously explore innovative technologies to help create the communication services of the future,” said Juan Fernandez-Palacios at Telefonica I+D lab.  “Our successful testing of the innovative FlexROADM helped shape the solution Infinera is announcing today. This is one example of how Telefonica I+D collaborates with technology innovators like Infinera to shape the next generation of optical networks.”

http://www.infinera.com/go/automate