Download an Overview of the Optelian FLEX architecture™

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™
An Overview of the
Optelian FLEX Architecture™
Enabling Intuitive Packet Optical Networking
January 2014
Keeping up with bandwidth demand is not just a matter of boosting
capacity: next generation networks also need flexibility so they can
accommodate new services and applications while keeping costs low.
The Optelian FLEX Architecture™ provides an adaptive, modular networking
approach - delivering extensive capabilities - to address a broad range of
applications and delivering the optimal foundation for service delivery.
W h i t e Pa p e r
Beyond the data explosion
It is hardly news that today’s networks are under some fairly intense
pressure. Not only do they have to handle massive data volumes,
but they also need new levels of flexibility and intelligence to
efficiently manage the continuous and dramatic growth.
Video services
The dominant driver of global IP traffic growth is video. Video already
comprises more than 60% of all IP traffic today, and, when combined
with peer-to-peer video distribution, is anticipated to represent as
much as 90% of total Internet traffic by 2017. This includes not only
streaming services, such as Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime, which
are expected to triple in traffic, but also user generated content, business video conferencing and VoD television services. Compounding
this growth is a significant increase in high definition content which is
typically about four times the size of standard definition video.
The emergence of video as the dominant form of IP traffic has also
changed network usage patterns. Where other forms of internet traffic
(eg. Web browsing or file sharing) are evenly distributed throughout
the day, video more closely follows traditional television usage patterns,
which are characterized by “prime-time” periods where usage spikes.
In addition, the majority of this traffic is highly asymmetric, with very
little upstream data. Together, these asymmetric, lumpy traffic patterns
put even more stress on the underlying data networks, since network
planners must plan for peak volumes.
Next generation network
requirements
• Provide an agile and adaptive
optical infrastructure
• Address all service
requirements with multiprotocol support and L1/L2
capabilities
• Enable optimized service
delivery through aggregation
and deterministic performance
• Ensure SONET/SDH-like high
reliability and availability for
equipment and services
• Provide intuitive service
and network management
for visibility and control
across all layers
Cloud services
Storing data in the cloud is a fairly recent trend but it is one that is expected to grow by five times to reach 36%
of traffic by 2016. Analysts predict that cloud services will become a US$127B industry by 2017, driven by
enterprise mobility, business continuity, and increased adoption by small and medium enterprises. Of course,
storing and retrieving data from the cloud requires increased network infrastructure to handle the load and faster
transfer speeds to ensure that the information is readily available. If there is a significant delay, users will revert to
internal hard drives for faster access.
Wireless services
Mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones are proliferating at an amazing rate. In 2012, for the first time
ever, more smartphones were sold than computers, driven by decreasing price points and an increase in
consumer appetite for mobile web browsing, streaming video, and apps. While improved graphics and faster
processors enhance the experience, increased usage is primarily facilitated by the growing availability of high
speed data connections over LTE/4G and Wi-Fi networks. In fact, the average mobile connection speed in 2012
was just 526 kb/s, but is projected to rise to 3.9 Mb/s by 2017, driven by increased deployment of 4G infrastructure.
Nearly 31% of mobile devices in North America will be on 4G networks by 2017 (10% globally) which will
account for 45% of all mobile traffic.
The rapid evolution of Internet traffic, both in terms of overall volumes of data as well as ever-changing usage
trends, puts increasing emphasis on network scalability, efficiency and flexibility. Any network installed today
must be capable of cost effectively delivering increased bandwidth, with the flexibility to quickly and easily
accommodate the unforeseen changes in traffic patterns that are bound to emerge.
The Optelian FLEX Architecture is purpose-built to meet these next generation network requirements, providing
an adaptable platform that supports application innovation.
An Overview of the Optelian FLEX Architecture™2
W h i t e Pa p e r
Introducing the Optelian FLEX Architecture
The Optelian FLEX Architecture is specifically designed to meet service provider’s next generation packet
optical network requirements. Efficient, effective, and modular, it supports a wide range of solutions, from access
to core, passive to packet and 100M to 100G. These include applications such as simple point-to-point
architectures to full mesh networks with multi-degree ROADMs.
Its scope covers the breadth of functionality of packet optical network layers 0, 1, and 2, corresponding to
LightFLEX, CircuitFLEX, and PacketFLEX respectively, together with intuitive management (FLEXManager)
and modular Platforms that can be configured to support any combination. It enables both pure packet or
circuit-centric transport, to best suit the needs of a specific application, or a combination of both on the same
platform to address the specific need of each service at each point of presence. The modular nature of the
Optelian FLEX Architecture ensures optimal “first-in” costs with affordable scalability, avoiding expensive
upgrades. Network operators, whether they be MSOs, wireless operators, wholesale/carriers, data center
operators, utilities, research & education network operators, or any other kind of enterprise, can easily establish
a solid yet cost-effective next generation network foundation, and add functionality as their business grows
and evolves.
PacketFLEX
FLEXManager
CircuitFLEX
Platforms
LightFLEX
LightMUX
FLEX Architecture - The Optelian FLEX Architecture defines the Optelian network
solution and break it out into six interoperable components:
• FLEXManager - intuitive SDN-based service-centric management
• PacketFLEX - packet service networking and aggregation
• CircuitFLEX - multi-protocol, low latency, and deterministic service delivery
• LightFLEX - agile WDM networking foundation
• Platforms - modular Packet Optical Transport systems
• LightMUX - FTTx passive solutions
The components of the FLEX Architecture integrate seamlessly to effectively deliver a complete solution that
address infrastructure and service delivery applications. All together, the Optelian portfolio allows network
operators to deploy, adapt and scale the network to address wavelength- and packet-based service delivery
for a wide range of applications in wireless backhaul, data center interconnect, research and education,
business service and residential service networks.
An Overview of the Optelian FLEX Architecture™3
PacketFLEX
FLEXManager
Platforms
CircuitFLEX
FlexManager
W h i t e Pa p e r
LightFLEX
LightMUX
FLEXManager - Streamline operations with Intuitive service-centric management
Operators continue to replace legacy SONET/SDH infrastructure with next generation Packet Optical
systems to reduce capital expenditure and offer more flexible, value added services. As a result, creation and
management of services is technology-centric and operations staff need in-depth understanding of the various
technologies used to deliver services from access to core. Optelian’s FLEXManager leverages Service Driven
Networking to eliminate the technology from the creation and management of services, reducing the cost and
complexity of operations.
Enhance visibility - FLEXManager provides a comprehensive
view of the network through a graphical management interface that
intuitively presents details on services, inventory, software upgrades
and equipment configuration, all stored in a centralized management
system. Node locations, topology awareness, port availability,
connectivity status and shelf-level configuration details paint a
complete picture of network operations and service connectivity.
Maintain control - FLEXManager unlocks the capabilities of
network solutions, simplifying provisioning and ongoing management
of the network and services. The ability to manage all aspects of the
network, from QoS attributes to OTN encapsulation, makes it easier
to use the full set of the network’s functional capabilities and
provision services for optimum performance.
Respond rapidly - With a complete view of alarms, events
and key performance indicators, FLEXManager enables rapid
troubleshooting. Comprehensive monitoring of equipment,
connectivity and services allows operators to address issues
before they affect service.
Key capabilities of
FLEXManager
• Deliver services the way
they are sold
• Customizable network and
service details at a glance
• Simplified operations with
template based workflow for
pre-defined service offerings
• Quickly identify,
troubleshoot and resolve
issues on a single screen
Ethernet Service Manager
An Overview of the Optelian FLEX Architecture™4
PacketFLEX
FLEXManager
Platforms
CircuitFLEX
PacketFlex
W h i t e Pa p e r
LightFLEX
LightMUX
PacketFLEX - Packet service networking and aggregation with tight integration
to the optical layer
The PacketFLEX networking solution combines the advantages of TDM transport and packet networks.
With connection-oriented service delivery, OAM, and rapid (sub-50 ms) protection switching, it provides flexible
service architectures and enables the efficiency of statistical multiplexing with private and virtual service flows.
Streamline delivery - Managed as integrated components,
PacketFLEX service cards simplify the operation, management,
and provisioning of residential, wireless backhaul, and Ethernet
business services. Combining packet with optical means that
single-screen management to define a service and implement
end-to-end connectivity is possible which simplifies operations
and speeds service time to market.
Connect flexibly - PacketFLEX network cards can be connected
in point-to-point, linear, mesh, and ring topologies for a suite of
MEF services with both private and virtual service constructs.
Full service engineering, support for high availability protection
strategies, and the use of pluggable client- and line-side interfaces
make PacketFLEX a flexible and adaptive solution for a diverse
range of service networking needs. Software-selectable OTN line
encapsulation provides extended reach and enhanced throughput
where and when needed.
Key capabilities of
PacketFLEX
• E-Line and E-LAN services
with flexible bandwidth
provisioning
• Carrier Ethernet for scalability,
service management,
and resiliency
• Packet-centric transport
with Layer 2 aggregation and
switching efficiency, and OTN
line-side connections
Path labels - Multiprotocol Label Switching Transport Profile (MPLS-TP)
provides carrier grade transport for true layer 2 networking solutions.
It allows for easier network configuration by directing data transfer
between nodes based on short path labels rather than long network
strings, enabling SONET-like services. This creates virtual links between
nodes rather than endpoints by looking at labels rather than the content
of the packet itself.
Detect and recover - PacketFLEX network cards can rapidly detect,
respond to and recover from network events - without affecting enduser connectivity - and do so in a manner (and timeframe) that
companies are accustomed to based on previous SONET/SDH
network technologies.
PKX-1640 & MPX-81-EXO
An Overview of the Optelian FLEX Architecture™5
PacketFLEX
FLEXManager
Platforms
CircuitFLEX
CircuitFlex
W h i t e Pa p e r
LightFLEX
LightMUX
CircuitFLEX - Multi-protocol networking with low latency bandwidth,
efficient aggregation, and dynamic interconnect capabilities
Many of today’s services require dedicated bandwidth with deterministic low latency, especially mission-critical
services with stringent performance requirements. These networks require true Layer 1 circuits, and Optelian’s
CircuitFLEX delivers them.
Accommodate any protocol - CircuitFLEX offers transparent and
OTN-based transponders and muxponders, accommodating any
protocol at a wide range of speeds from 100M to 100G.
Transponder service cards offer fully transparent, private line
transmission optimized for low latency. Muxponder service cards
map any service protocol into TDM or OTN circuit flows, providing a
guaranteed bandwidth with network capacity efficiency, and enabling
transition of legacy networks to packet services.
MPX-9110
Key capabilities of
CircuitFLEX
• Addresses a comprehensive
set of network protocols
• Provides high capacity,
true private line connectivity,
with sub-wavelength
aggregation and networking
• Offers OTN wrapping on
network trunk connections
for error-free services with
extended reach
Harmonize technology - CircuitFLEX service cards offer pluggableand tunable-based interfaces, providing approaches that best meet
your deployment strategy. Pluggable interfaces provide simplified
sparing and allow connecting to customer equipment via any type
of physical interface. These make it easy to integrate CircuitFLEX
service cards into existing network systems, limiting sparing infrastructure requirements,
and streamlining deployment.
Boost efficiency - Lower rate wavelengths do not make effective use of available bandwidth.
CircuitFLEX service cards can aggregate lower data-rate services into 10 Gb/s or 100 Gb/s
wavelengths, improving spectral efficiency versus transponder-only approaches.
Connect dynamically - Traditional WDM networks are limited by the point-to-point nature
of wavelength connectivity, forcing service providers to deploy costly, centralized Layer 1
switch fabrics to boost efficiency and enable cross-connect capabilities. CircuitFLEX offers a
modular alternative, eliminating the need to build the entire network around a TDM-only
networking platform. It allows sub-wavelength services to be added, dropped or passed
through nodes along linear ADM chains or around rings with OTN line-side transport.
These service cards map clients efficiently to maximize line bandwidth while offering
error-free services with superior reach and per-service protection capabilities.
FLX-1610
An Overview of the Optelian FLEX Architecture™6
PacketFLEX
FLEXManager
Platforms
CircuitFLEX
LightFlex
W h i t e Pa p e r
LightFLEX
LightMUX
LightFLEX - A WDM network foundation that maximizes fiber capacity while
providing agile wavelength connections across any network footprint
Accelerating time to market while keeping costs low demands a dynamic, reconfigurable network foundation one that can scale fast and roll out new applications and services quickly. LightFLEX is specifically designed to
provide the capacity, agility and reach required.
Maximize capacity - LightFLEX supports up to 80 wavelengths
on a single fiber pair. It supports service cards that address the full
complement of protocols that are the common currency of today’s
service delivery networks and can be added to incrementally as
demand rises.
Increase agility - ROADM elements make a network more flexible
and minimize the need for pre-planning. They make it easy to add
wavelengths and services, especially compared to conventional
DWDM networks with fixed OADMs and banded architectures.
LightFLEX stands out for its ability to deploy ROADM elements when
and where they are needed instead of requiring an all-or-nothing
approach, helping control capital costs. Optelian’s ROADM elements
offer flexible bandwidth to support future bit rates with full-spectrum
access for both 40 and 80-channel DWDM systems.
Key capabilities of
LightFLEX
• Network scalability with
CWDM, and DWDM
wavelength plans
• Agile network foundation
empowered by multi-degree
ROADM capabilities
• Extensive link engineering
capabilities to address
diverse network footprints
Scale faster - Optical channel management functionality makes it
quick and easy to add wavelengths and services to a network, without
extensive re-engineering or service disruption. Using sophisticated and
robust control algorithms, power levels at every node are dynamically
controlled for the life of the network. LightFLEX networks can be
expanded and grown with no downtime or alteration to existing
network segments.
Reach farther - LightFLEX includes amplification capabilities to
optimize reach in metro, regional, and long-haul networks. Dispersion
compensation strategies address chromatic dispersion while eliminating
high insertion loss, latency and non-linear degradation. Fiber Bragg
Grating (FBG) compensators are compatible with coherent transceiver
technology, allowing networks to support today’s common connection
rates and are also 100 Gb/s ready.
RDM-4100, OCM-8400 & OFA-1730
An Overview of the Optelian FLEX Architecture™7
PacketFLEX
FLEXManager
Platforms
CircuitFLEX
Platforms
W h i t e Pa p e r
LightFLEX
LightMUX
Platforms - Modular configuration capabilities for Ethernet and wavelength service
delivery and WDM network infrastructure
Whether it is a stand-alone solution that has integrated functionality from other layers of the FLEX Architecture
in an enclosed platform, or a multi-service shelf unit that service cards are placed into, Optelian Platforms flexibly
address access, aggregation, and ring interconnect deployments, a broad range of service density requirements
and provide integrated management, cooling, and Optical Supervisory Channel (OSC) connectivity.
Install now for future deployment - When setting up a network it
often makes sense to install a shelf that will accommodate future
expansion without requiring hardware changes which can temporarily
shut down a network. Optelian offers a variety of shelf sizes, ranging
from 1RU to 7RU for service card flexibility and optimal initial cost.
Managed or Unmanaged - Depending on the network,
you may need a passive optical network or a powered packet
optical service delivery platform. Optelian has solutions for both
deployment schemes.
MPX-9110
Integrated Functionality - In addition to multi-service shelf units,
Optelian also offers stand-alone managed Platforms. These units are
powered and cooled with integrated management capabilities for fast
network deployment to alleviate the concerns of system planning due
to the flexible functionality and intuitive network management
provisioning software.
Key capabilities of
Platforms
• Platforms offer configuration
flexibility and universal slot
densities to address a broad
range of network applications
• A low ‘first-in’ cost simplifies
deployment with capacity and
functionality growing with
network demand
• Portfolio capabilities to
address customer premise
through core/regional
networking
• Options for environmentally
hardened deployments
OMS-7190, OMS-2190
& OMS-119
An Overview of the Optelian FLEX Architecture™8
PacketFLEX
FLEXManager
Platforms
CircuitFLEX
LightMUX
W h i t e Pa p e r
LightFLEX
LightMUX
LightMUX - Passive elements to address terminal and add-drop requirements for
the full CWDM and DWDM wavelength plans
Optelian’s LightMUX portfolio offers standardized passive multiplexing capabilities to address CWDM and
DWDM applications. The modules provide service wavelength add/drop at Central Office (CO) facilities and
along a linear path or ring for business services, FTTx connectivity, or residential broadband service distribution.
Broad portfolio - LightMUX addresses the full 16-channel CWDM
and 40-channel DWDM wavelength plans offering multiple options to
meet any network design or passive application requirements.
High availability - The components provide East/West separation
which helps with ease of maintenance to distinguish between the
traffic flow direction.
Adjacent wavelength - Multi-channel optical add-drop multiplexers
(OADMs) provide full add drop capabilities across any adjacent
channels (i.e. channel 1/2, 2/3, …) to enable a flexible network
structure where a subset of channels from the composite (line) in
from one direction while allowing untargeted wavelengths to
express through.
Key capabilities of
LightMUX
• Addresses terminal and
add-drop requirements
• Supports 16-channel CWDM
and 40-channel DWDM
• Includes OADMs, Mux-Demux
pairs, Terminal Mux-Demux
and Band OADMs
Flexible Packaging - Deployed using standardized packaging for easy installation and temperature
hardened for outside plant deployment from -40°C to 65°C (-40°F to 149°F).
CMS Series Mounting Solutions
An Overview of the Optelian FLEX Architecture™9
W h i t e Pa p e r
About Optelian
Optelian provides Intuitive Packet Optical Networking™ to deliver next generation services. Our solutions are
powered by the modular Optelian FLEX Architecture™ to deliver services from access to core, passive to packet,
and 100M to 100G. Intuitive Packet Optical Networking enables Service Driven Networking, allowing operators
to rapidly deliver services while optimizing network capacity. We empower intuitive service management through
a simplified infrastructure that virtualizes network and technology complexity.
With agile design capabilities and North American manufacturing, Optelian can meet custom requirements to suit
any network. Combined with professional services to ensure your network is optimally planned and deployed,
along with world-class customer support, Optelian delivers the technology and services that enable intuitive next
generation networks.
Glossary
ADM chain - A series of add/drop multiplexers used for service delivery along a network path
CWDM - Coarse wavelength division multiplexing
DWDM - Dense wavelength division multiplexing
E-LAN - Ethernet local area network
E-Line - Ethernet virtual private line
© Optelian. All rights reserved | Optelian-FLEXArchitecture-WP-0114
MEF - Metro Ethernet Forum
MPLS-TP - Multi-protocol label switching transport profile
MSPP - Multi-service provisioning platform
OADM - Optical add-drop multiplexer
OAM - Operations, administration and management
OSC - Optical Supervisory Channel
OTN - Optical transport network
ROADM - Reconfigurable OADM
SDN - Software Defined Network
SONET/SDH - Synchronous Optical Networking (SONET) and Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH)
TDM - Time-division multiplexing
TL1 - Transaction Language 1, a widely used management protocol in telecommunications
WDM - Wavelength division multiplexing
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