MAY 7, 2010 -- Ciena Corp., the network specialist, announced that VERNet Pty Ltd has completed a trial of Ciena’s 40G and 100G optical networking platforms on its live DWDM network.
Spanning two separate fiber routes, the trial demonstrated VERNet’s ability to integrate cutting-edge optical transport technology into its Victorian Education and Research Network (VERN).
“VERNet’s high-performance network must keep pace with the increasingly large volumes of data traffic generated by Victoria’s advanced research and education facilities such as the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) and leading higher education institutions,” says Roger Tanton, chief executive officer at VERNet.
VERNet’s network spans 1872 km across Victoria. The VERN delivers more than 180 network services to its 10 member institutions, which rely on the fast, reliable connectivity that is critical for leading research and higher education.
Conducted over two weeks in April 2010, the trial leveraged VERNet’s existing network based on Ciena’s Optical Multiservice Edge (OME) 6500 and Common Photonic Layer (CPL) platforms, and added 40G and 100G wavelengths alongside existing live 10G wavelength services. The trial demonstrated the ability to upgrade to 40G and 100G transport speeds with no interruption of existing services.
“This trial validates the original selection of Ciena’s photonic layer as the underlying infrastructure for VERNet. As a platform with a long-term economic lifecycle, bolstered by the ability to instantly add 40G and 100G capabilities to existing line systems, Ciena’s solutions enable research networks to respond immediately to unpredictable capacity demands and deliver services unforeseen when the network was originally constructed,” says Anthony Mclachlan, Ciena’s vice president and general manager, Asia Pacific.