Slovenian utility deploys Ciena's WAN optical platform

September 21, 2005 Linthicum, MD -- HSE&DEM, the Republic of Slovenia's largest electric utility, has selected Ciena's next-generation optical multiservice switches, optical multiplexers, storage extension platforms, and network management systems to interconnect its locations throughout that country with the company's Adaptive wide area network (WAN) technology. The network will deliver IT services used in the production and delivery of electrical energy to the utility's customers.

Holding Slovenske elektrarne (HSE) and Dravske elektrarne Maribor (DEM), governing eight hydropower plants under HSE, will deploy the company's CN 3620 and CN 2100 metro transport and switching platforms. The company says its CN 3620 Optical Multiservice Switch and the CN 2100 Passive Optical Multiplexer will provide provisioning, multiplexing, and transport of TDM and Ethernet/IP-based services over HSE&DEM's optical infrastructure. According to the company, the combined platforms will allow the utility to deliver a wide array of services, while maximizing the use of their leased fiber and lowering opex costs.

The utility will also deploy the company's CN 2000 Storage Extension Platform, a storage-over-SONET/SDH and LAN extension platform for connecting data centers across distances. The company says these platforms can reduce recurring bandwidth charges up to 70% through hardware compression and Dynamic Bandwidth Assignment. The company says the utility will employ the CN 2000's flexible support for Fibre Channel, ESCON, FICON, and Gigabit Ethernet protocols for storage area networking, disaster recovery applications, and next-generation SDH transport. The utility will also deploy the company's ON-Center 3600 Management System, and ON-Center CN 2000 Manager.

Based on its network requirements, including support for TDM, Ethernet, and storage extension services, as well as carrier-grade reliability and the flexibility to add capacity and support new services over time, the utility says it recognized Ciena's Adaptive WAN platform as the most suitable for its telecommunications networking environment.

According to a press release, Smart Com, a provider of integrated communications and IT management services headquartered in Slovenia, is working closely with Ciena to complete installation and testing of the utility's network. A certified reseller of Ciena platforms, Smart Com is to provide system implementation and engineering services.

"Our partnership with Smart Com is an excellent example of how Ciena is combining our network specialist approach with the customer's processes and market knowledge of local channel partners to enable us to tap into new markets around the world," concludes Francois Locoh-Donou, vice president of international sales at Ciena.