MURRAY HILL, N.J., Feb. 11, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- A study by
Bell Labs, the industrial research arm of Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext
Paris and NYSE: ALU), has identified that network operators who use
converged IP and optical transport technologies can significantly
ease the burden being placed on their infrastructure by demands for
capacity caused by the explosion of bandwidth-hungry
applications.
The study, which is published today, looked to determine if and
how converged IP/optical control integration could reduce network
resource requirements without compromising service availability.
This was done by comparing the relative cost of integrating and
coordinating resiliency methods in both the IP routing and optical
transport network. Resilience is the network's ability to resume
normal operations if a failure occurs and is an essential component
of an operator's highly reliable network.
The results show that by converging routing and optical
transport technologies operators can meet the same requirements for
service availability while using up to 40% less network resources,
such as 100G router ports and optical transponders.
Through the study, researchers successfully uncovered the
potential cost benefits using a converged operation of routing and
optical transport in an integrated multilayer network model. The
study shows that:
- An integrated resiliency strategy saves costs while still
guaranteeing network and service availability
- Introducing protection for the optical layer based on GMPLS
(Generalized Multiprotocol Label Switching) allows service
providers to meet the same availability levels achieved by routing
protection methods based on MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching),
with total savings up to 40% on router ports and optical
transponders over a five year period.
- The combination of IP and optical transport layer protection
with a GMPLS user network interface (UNI) allows service providers
to accelerate these savings by freeing up a third of deployed
network capacity and provide headroom for two years of traffic
growth.
Furthermore, by establishing an integrated multi-layer control
plane now, a cloud-optimized network can easily be achieved down
the line. To do this, service providers can do the following:
- Introduce an Agile Optical Network with a dynamic GMPLS control
plane
- Extend optical transport layer control to the IP routing layer
with GMPLS UNI
- Provide open, programmable Software Defined Network (SDN)
interfaces based on open standards
The result is an integrated multi-layer network with a unified
control plane, with immediate cost benefits from better network
utilization and operational efficiencies. Total cost of ownership
savings may vary based on the topology size, connectivity and
traffic mix.
A summary of this study, entitled "Quantifying IP/optical
integration synergies", can be found here.
Quotes:
Marcus Weldon, President of Bell
Labs & CTO of Alcatel-Lucent said: "We are always looking for
ways to help our customers maximize their network infrastructure in
order to prepare for the growing demand for the digital delivery of
everything, as well as to deliver the best possible experience for
users and their multiple connected devices. This research
underscores the innovative thinking for which Bell Labs is
world-renowned, as well as how Alcatel-Lucent is uniquely
positioned to serve the needs of service providers and enterprise
customers."
Ben Tang, a Distinguished Member
of Technical Staff at Bell Labs said: "There is no better time than
now to begin the converging of IP and optical transport. We know
network traffic continues to increase exponentially, especially
with new Cloud applications and 'the rise of the machines' on the
horizon. This study provides the foundation for what will be a deep
look into new optimized, network architectures and
infrastructure."
Additional Resources
- TechZine article: "Quantifying IP/optical integration
synergies" -
http://www2.alcatel-lucent.com/techzine/quantifying-ipoptical-integration-synergies/
- Infographic: The Road to a Better Return on Network
Investments:
https://resources.alcatel-lucent.com/asset/184703
- Podcast: "Quantifying IP/optical integration synergies" -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jD6J3JVaFn8&index=91&list=PL36CDE5139980E576
- Related article: "Capitalizing on IP/optical integration" -
http://www2.alcatel-lucent.com/techzine/capitalizing-ipoptical-integration/
- Blog: "IP and optics: Time to make nice" -
http://www2.alcatel-lucent.com/techzine/ip-and-optics-time-make-nice/
About Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE:
ALU)
Alcatel-Lucent is the leading IP networking,
ultra-broadband access and cloud technology specialist. We are
dedicated to making global communications more innovative,
sustainable and accessible for people, businesses and governments
worldwide. Our mission is to invent and deliver trusted networks to
help our customers unleash their value. Every success has its
network.
For more information, visit Alcatel-Lucent on:
http://www.alcatel-lucent.com, read the latest posts on the
Alcatel-Lucent blog http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/blog and follow
the Company on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/Alcatel_Lucent.
Photo -
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150210/174812-INFO
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SOURCE Alcatel-Lucent