Cisco revamps IOS XR network operating system, adds Network Convergence Systems

Cisco says it has enhanced its IOS XR network operating system to enable faster and simpler evolution to cloud networking. The company also has added three new platforms to its Network Convergence System (NCS) Series routing portfolio, including a system that will support 250-Gbps wavelengths via integrated optics.

The new IOS XR operating systems enhancements include:

• Software modularity and extensibility via granular software packaging and automated upgrade; IT and network automation convergence with third-party application hosting, such as industry-standard DevOps tools, Chef, or Puppet; and support of open innovation with the IOS XR Software Development Kit (SDK) and Cisco DevNet Developer Program.
• Large-scale automation, through support of predictable network programmability via data-model-driven APIs (YANG/OpenConfig) and improved flexibility to adapt to customers' operational environment.
• Improved visibility and control, via support of actionable and contextual network insight due to data-model-driven access to operational state data and near real-time network programmability with enhancements to the Application Engineered Routing solution – WAN Automation Engine (WAE) support for Telemetry and Segment Routing Traffic Engineering.
  

Meanwhile, the new Cisco NCS Series platforms include the Cisco NCS 5000 Series, which features up to 80 ports of 10 Gigabit Ethernet and four 100 Gigabit Ethernet ports; the Cisco NCS 5500 Series which supports up to 288 routed 100 Gigabit Ethernet ports for WAN aggregation applications; and the Cisco NCS 1000 Series which can support software-programmable 100/200/250-Gbps wavelength options over greater than 3,000 km of existing fiber. This last 2 RU platform has a total systems capacity of 2 Tbps and will support grid-less tuning for flex-grid DWDM applications.

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