ANDA Networks unveils Ethernet mobile backhaul device with multiservice traffic optimization

NOVEMBER 3, 2009 -- ANDA Networks, a provider of carrier-class fiber and copper-based access network platforms, has launched its new EtherEdge 4300 Ethernet-based mobile backhaul device. Residing directly at mobile base-station towers, the EtherEdge 4300 incorporates ANDA's EtherProbe real-time performance monitoring verification, with new EtherStream subflow monitoring for on-demand WAN optimization and management of high-growth, multiservice mobile data traffic flows. According to the company, this enables the EtherEdge 4300 to load balance, perform WAN optimization, and reallocate bandwidth without the need for additional devices or deep-packet inspection, which can be intrusive and tax the bandwidth of the access links.

"Recently, there has been an explosion of video and other rich-content service traffic over 3G/4G backhaul networks. For example, AT&T has seen its wireless data traffic grow by a factor of 18 during the past two and a half years," explains Stan Hubbard, senior analyst for Heavy Reading. "This creates management problems for mobile operators since data traffic is bursty with large unpredictable increases and decreases of traffic from 'high-bandwidth events' (viral videos, breaking news, etc.) that can adversely impact quality of service. Therefore, mobile carriers need the ability to dynamically allocate the various mobile traffic flows in real time to ensure a uniform quality experience."

Service providers use the EtherEdge 4300 for continuous, dynamic optimization of variable traffic flows to manage network utilization at both the ingress and egress of base stations in real time without causing performance degradation of traffic. Effectively, certain traffic will continue to receive priority based on tiers of service, while traffic for all mobile end users typically will not be denied bandwidth regardless of class of service.

To ensure a uniform quality experience while minimizing management operating expenses, the EtherEdge 4300 incorporates ANDA's EtherProbe real-time performance monitoring software with new EtherStream technology. EtherStream enables the identification of specific mobile end-user flows within typical VLAN-defined classes of service based on source/destination or IP addresses. EtherStream dynamically load balances, shapes, and polices to offload and optimize problematic flows to different paths or ports on the unit in the case of bursts of high-bandwidth events. Based on the EtherEdge 4300's ability to set configurable threshold crossing alerts (TCAs), WAN optimization and protection actions can be taken in real time without operator intervention as unpredictable bandwidth bursts vary by base station location as mobile users move from one cell site to another.

The EtherEdge 4300 is a compact, temperature-hardened, 1-RU (half pizza-box footprint) device optimized for collocation at remote base stations where space and power may be at a premium. It supports pseudowire-based circuit emulation for voice via CESoPSN, SAToP support, and ATM-based 3G GSM traffic, timing and synchronization via traditional BITS clock, and new ITU-T G.8261 Synchronous Ethernet and IEEE 1588 v2 standards. With two modular slots for "pay as you grow" personality card upgrades, the EtherEdge 4300 can be integrated for use with 2G/3G or 4G LTE and WiMAX base stations. Optional cards for Ethernet-over-T1/E1, DS3/E3 or OCx/STMx legacy interface cards, and/or additional high-speed Gigabit and 10-Gigabit Ethernet SFP pluggable cards provide flexibility as operators migrate to higher-speed 4G LTE and WiMAX deployments.

With the EtherEdge 4300, says ANDA, service providers achieve packet network visibility similar to which they were accustomed with TDM-based legacy networks without additional investments in probe or test gear. By capturing real-time and historical data for analysis, operators have granular quality-of-service (QoS) metrics for end-to-end visibility to manage service-level agreements (SLAs) on VLAN flows and subflows of end-user sessions. ANDA is currently working with several mobile base-station equipment providers and will offer royalty-free licensing to selected base station and upstream equipment providers to ensure enhanced end-to-end network visibility.

"Real-time OAM [operations, administration, and maintenance] monitoring capabilities in the EtherEdge 4300 increases mobile network visibility for new converged voice, data, and multimedia traffic flows," notes Greg Gum, chief marketing officer of ANDA Networks. "Using the EtherEdge 4300, mobile operators gain 'pay-as-you-grow' capex savings without a forklift upgrade as different generations of radio backhaul architectures can be accommodated with an easy card insert."

The EtherEdge 4300 is currently in trials with 4G/WiMAX base station equipment partners and will be generally available 1Q10.


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