May 15, 2006 Linthicum, MD -- Ciena today introduced the CN 4200 MC, a compact version of its CN 4200 FlexSelect Advanced Services Platform that extends its FlexSelect Architecture to the network edge. Designed for deployment at enterprises and carrier locations with space restrictions, the CN 4200 MC reduces the cost to deliver a variety of service backhaul and metro transport applications, say company representatives, including business services, managed wavelength services, video distribution, and wireless infrastructure.
Ciena's CN 4200 family of platforms, with FlexiPort optical interfaces, offers individual, remotely-programmable ports that support any optical service type and can function as either client or network interface. The CN 4200 MC, specifically, extends this value in an edge-optimized platform that network operators and large enterprises can deploy as far out as the wiring closet with full service-management capabilities, contends the company.
Operational in point-to-point, linear add/drop or ring topologies, the CN 4200 MC supports Ciena's family of CN 4200 line cards and DWDM/CWDM channel plans and can even sit on the same network as the standard CN 4200 with management across both platforms. In addition, the compact WDM platform combines full support for ITU G.709, also known as optical transport network (OTN), with an intelligent switch architecture that enables multiple optical services to be groomed onto any wavelength, improving bandwidth utilization by as much as 78%, says Ciena.
The CN 4200 MC features FlexSelect management enabled by ON-Center, the vendor's network management system that combines point-and-click ease of use and automation with service management tools, including service level agreements (SLAs), user-defined thresholds, and sophisticated reporting. Combined with ON-Center, the CN 4200 MC simplifies the operational complexity of the service edge and reduces on-going costs associated with service and customer churn and the strenuous requirements of manual provisioning processes, contend Ciena representatives.
"Any service on any port has long been the holy grail for service providers and large enterprises that want to eliminate the need for constant equipment upgrades, which is especially important as they migrate toward more packet-based services," explains Steve Alexander, chief technology officer of Ciena. "Our FlexSelect Architecture and CN 4200 platform have proven to be significant milestones in offering any service on any port flexibility, and the addition of the CN 4200 MC enables customers to extend that FlexiPort technology to the network edge."