Kalaam Network Optical Transit cable to offer 12.8 Tbps across Middle East

A new Kalaam Network Optical Transit (KNOT) cable system will span over 1,400 km across the Middle East, providing up to 12.8 Tbps and beyond with lowest latency connectivity to the MENA region.

The KNOT cable system is powered by Ciena’s 6500 Packet Optical platform equipped with WaveLogic coherent technology. The whole infrastructure is managed by the state-of-the-art micro-services based Manage, Control and Plan (MCP) SDN domain controller using open APIs, to provide 10G, 100G, 200G services and beyond over an Optical Transport Network (OTN).

Kalaam Telecom is a leading managed solutions provider based in Bahrain.

Veer Passi, Group CEO of Kalaam and Tawasul Telecom said: “Kalaam chose to invest in this multi-million-dollar network expansion project to sustain the ever-growing demand for data connectivity and business applications to and from the MENA region. This new state-of-the-art, upgradeable optical transport network is fully owned and operated by Kalaam Telecom Group.”

“With the launch of KNOT, an open cable system, Kalaam will continue its legacy of being an innovative and disruptive solution provider, which aims to make connectivity in the MENA region more competitive. This will provide a highly scalable alternative to carriers, CDNs, OTTs, Cloud Providers, Data centers and Enterprises to benefit from innovative solutions and enhanced communications experience,” Added Mr. Passi.

Jamie Jefferies, Vice President and General Manager, EMEA at Ciena stated: “Working together with Kalaam Telecom, we will be building a world-class networking infrastructure, based on our WaveLogic coherent technology, that can dynamically scale and adapt to changing customer expectations and unpredictable traffic requirements.”

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LightCounting: Growth in Silicon Photonics

The market for silicon photonic-based products, including optical transceivers, active optical cables (AOCs) and electro-optic modulator (EOM), will increase from 14% in 2018-2019 to 45% by 2025, as the market returns to double digit growth over the next 5 years, according to a new report from LightCounting.

Some highlights from LightCounting’s Integrated Optical Devices Report:

• Massive adoption of optical engines co-packaged with switching ASICs and FPGAs seems to be just around the corner. There are several optical transceivers on the market now, enabled by 2.5D and 3D multi-chip integration. Not all of these co-packaged chips are based on CMOS technology, but the share of CMOS is growing, and this is impacting the optics as well.
• Acacia’s latest version of high-speed coherent DWDM transceivers is a great example. It combines a SiP-based photonic integrated circuit (PIC) with a CMOS-based DSP into a single 3D-stacked assembly, which also includes a modulator driver and TIA chips. The chips are interconnected by vertical copper pillars, to reduce power losses on RF connectors and increase speed. It is powered by an external narrow-linewidth tunable laser, which requires temperature stabilization, but the SiP-based PIC works fine in one stack with the hot ASIC.
• The first 3D stacked design of an Ethernet transceiver was introduced by Luxtera (now Cisco) a few years ago. 2.5D integration combines multiple chips by placing them on a common substrate rather than staking them vertically. This approach is more suitable for integrating chips made of different materials, while offering similar benefits of higher speed and lower power. However, the better performance and reliability of high-speed SiP-based modulators tilts the scale in favor of this technology for both 2.5D and 3D integration.
• The first 400GbE transceivers, sold in 2019-2020, use InP-based devices, but we expect that SiP-based 400GbE products will gain share in 2021-2025. LightCounting’s list of TOP 10 transceiver suppliers included three switch vendors in 2019: Broadcom, Cisco and Intel. All these companies are committed to CMOS and SiP technologies and they will be among the leading suppliers of 400GbE transceivers.
• Some of the first coherent DWDM 400ZR modules will also use InP modulators, but a majority will be based on SiP, as sales of this product will start in 2020. Apart from Acacia, which is becoming part of Cisco now, Ciena, Huawei, Infinera, Nokia and ZTE also plan to manufacture 400ZR and ZR+ modules. Most of these companies are likely to use SiP for 400ZR/ZR+ designs.

LightCounting’sIntegrated Optical Devices Report provides an in-depth analysis of the impact made by integration on the market for optical transceivers and related components in 2010-2019. It also presents a forecast for shipments and sales of discrete and integrated products based on InP, GaAs and SiP technologies for 2020–2025. The forecast is segmented by main applications, including Ethernet, WDM, Active Optical Cables (AOCs) and Embedded Optical Modules (EOMs) and a few others. Products are sorted by data rate, reach, and form factor into more than 150 categories. The report also discusses the supply chain for SiP products and profiles many of the start-up companies developing integrated optical devices. A forecast for the adoption of co-packaged optics in 2023-2028 is also included.

https://www.lightcounting.com/light-trends/adoption-silicon-photonics-reaching-inflection-point/

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Cloudera launches Data Platform Private Cloud

Cloudera launched the culmination of its enterprise data cloud vision.

Cloudera Data Platform Private Cloud (CDP Private Cloud) is designed to seamlessly connect on-premises environments to public clouds with consistent, built-in security and governance.

CDP Private Cloud, built on Red Hat OpenShift and leverages a hybrid architecture, powered by Kubernetes, that separates compute and storage for greater agility, ease of use, and more efficient use of private and public cloud infrastructure. Together, Red Hat OpenShift and CDP Private Cloud help create a hybrid, multi-cloud data architecture, enabling teams to rapidly onboard mission-critical applications and run them anywhere, without disrupting existing ones. Companies can now collect, enrich, report, serve and model enterprise data for any business use case in any cloud.

“Now is the time for IT leaders to choose a data architecture for the next decade and break free from the limitations of legacy data cloud and point provider architectures,” said Arun Murthy, chief product officer, Cloudera. “CDP Private Cloud, running on Red Hat OpenShift, modernizes data platforms leveraging decoupled storage and compute with containers and Kubernetes to accelerate time value by 10x and ensures critical workloads meet their SLAs, realizing the vision of the enterprise data cloud.”

CDP Private Cloud is currently in beta with select customers. It is expected to be generally available later this summer.

https://www.cloudera.com/about/news-and-blogs/press-releases/2020-06-11-the-enterprise-data-cloud-is-here-cloudera-extends-the-data-cloud-experience-everywhere.html

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SpaceX launches 58 more Starlink satellites

SpaceX successfully launched 58 Starlink satellites using a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The launch also carried three Earth-imaging spacecraft for Planet Labs.

It was the third SpaceX launch in two weeks.

SpaceX has launched 538 Starlink satellites, significantly extending its lead as the largest constellation of satellites.

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NTT DATA focuses on IoT, Intelligent Automation, Software Engineering

NTT DATA has established new Centers of Excellence (CoE) for the following three three advanced technology areas:

• IoT  -- by connecting a variety of equipment, mainly in the manufacturing industry, through networks, NTT DATA is undergoing business changes such as the upgrading of factories. Not only in the manufacturing industry, but also in the logistics and service industries, there is an accelerating movement to collect and analyze a large amount of data from goods and people in real time and use it in business. With teams across 10 sites in nine countries, NTT DATA will strive to deploy advanced initiatives in the manufacturing industry and in social infrastructure development in Germany and Italy and on a global basis, starting in Japan.
• Intelligent Automation -- in addition to increasing work efficiency, there is a growing need for "intelligent" decision-making that does not rely solely on the personal knowledge of specific individuals, and for business transformation that results in better outcomes. Intelligent Automation is a technology for executing business processes that are automated through artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and data utilization. In the area of Intelligent Automation, NTT DATA has received orders worth more than 10 billion yen per year. NTT DATA will strive to strengthen the capability of Intelligent Automation globally, starting in eight countries, especially in North America, where demand is particularly high, utilizing assets such as its intelligent enterprise platform, Nucleus.
• Software Engineering Automation -- by 2022, 40% of application development will be AI enabled (Note 3). NTT DATA uses a low-code development platform (LCDP), machine learning, and test automation technology to visually design (modeling) applications such as screens, data, and logic using a graphical user interface (GUI), generate and construct source code from the defined model in an instant, and deploy it in a cloud environment.

The CoEs are part of an initiative that utilizes NTT DATA's global network of talent and advanced digital technologies to contribute to the digital transformation of clients by providing knowledge, training, technical support, and assets across the globe. Four CoEs have already been established in areas of leading-edge technology: Blockchain, Digital Design, Agile/DevOps, and AI.

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Dell'Oro: Cloud data center CAPEX to grow at double digit rate

Cloud data center capex is forecasted to grow double-digits, although growth among Cloud service providers look to be mixed, according to a new report from Dell'Oro Group. Meanwhile, a sharp decline in Enterprise IT spending is expected, as macroeconomic uncertainties will likely curb capital investments.

“Data center capex returned to higher growth in 1Q 2020, as some of the major Cloud service providers had reverted from capacity digestion to expansion phase,” said Baron Fung, Research Director at Dell’Oro Group. “Stay-at-home orders around the world are placing excess burdens on Cloud infrastructure, prompting some Cloud service providers to bolster capacity in critical areas of the network. However, infrastructure appropriated to advertising, which is facing headwinds this year as enterprises slash marketing budgets, will likely be curtailed,” explained Fung.

Additional highlights from the 1Q 2020 Data Center Capex Quarterly Report:

• The Top 10 Cloud service providers spent $15.4 billion, in aggregate, on data centers, a 15 percent year-over-year (Y/Y) increase.
• Worldwide Server revenue grew 1 percent Y/Y, as the Top 4 Cloud service providers expanded server capacity.
• Shipment of white box servers, which are mainly deployed by the major Cloud service providers, grew to a record 1.3 million units.
• Enterprise data center capex is projected to decline double-digits in 2020

https://www.delloro.com/news/cloud-data-center-capex-forecasted-for-growth-to-meet-public-cloud-demand-in-2020/

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Orange reshuffles executive team

Orange announced the following changes to its executive team:

• Ramon Fernandez, Delegate CEO, becomes Executive Director Finance, Performance and Development; in the context of the global economic crisis, he will be responsible for preserving the Group’s financial position while overseeing flagship projects to take Orange into the future.
• Gervais Pellissier, Delegate CEO, becomes Executive Director Human Resources and Group Transformation; his key responsibilities include defining “the company of tomorrow” and tackling the skills challenge.
• Mari-Noëlle Jégo-Laveissière, Deputy CEO, will oversee Orange’s operational activities in Europe (outside France) focused in particular on the roll out of 5G and fibre.
• Michaël Trabbia will join the Executive Committee to in the role of Chief Technology and Innovation Officer for the Group, overseeing the Technology & Global Innovation division. His role will be to seize the opportunities presented by upcoming technologies such as AI, data and 5G and to set-up the Group as a major player in the new innovation ecosystem. A new CEO for Orange Belgium will be appointed by the end of June.   
• Béatrice Mandine will have an expanded role as Executive Director Communications, Engagement and Brand. One of her key priorities will be to accelerate the brand strategy and oversee the Orange purpose.
• Elisabeth Tchoungui will become the new Executive Director CSR, Diversity and Philanthropy. In particular, she will oversee Orange’s Social Responsibility policy in line with the objectives of the Engage2025 strategic plan. She will also take on the role of Deputy Chair for the Orange Foundation.    

Stéphane Richard said: “The global health crisis, which is also becoming a major economic crisis, has demonstrated the Group’s solidarity. Our networks coped well with an unprecedented increase in traffic. We adapted in just a few days, thanks to everyone’s unfailing mobilisation. Our business performance will be impacted but we have preserved our financial position. Following years of careful management and selective investments, we have control over our future.

The months ahead include some uncertainties but also real opportunities, whether that means accelerating digital transformation, making further technological progress (5G, network function virtualisation, cloud, edge) or taking advantage of developments specific to our telecoms sector.

https://www.orange.com/en/Press-Room/press-releases/press-releases-2020/Stephane-Richard-renews-his-leadership-team-to-accelerate-Orange-s-post-crisis-Engage2025-strategy

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Pakistan's PTCL deploys Nokia automation software in contact centers

Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) has deployed Nokia automation, analytics and machine learning software to enhance the customer experience and improve customer service accuracy and efficiency. The rollout includes the Nokia Service Management Platform (SMP), which automates and simplifies the entire customer care process, and significantly reduces the time to resolve customer issues while improving accuracy.

Nokia SMP was deployed across all PTCL Contact Centers in Pakistan.

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