Optical transport systems provider Optelian has introduced FLEXManager, which the company asserts significantly simplifies service creation and management and thus improves time to market and responsiveness.
In creating an approach Optelian has dubbed Service Driven Networking, FLEXManager uses what the company describes as common, standardized service definition attributes and software intelligence to create and turn up new services. The result is that operations personnel no longer need extremely in-depth knowledge of network elements, attributes, and infrastructure to translate requirements and implement end-to-end services, as well as manage these services throughout their lifecycle.
“FLEXManager provides operators with simpler management of their packet optical service delivery network. Our Service Driven Networking approach puts services first as opposed to the technology that enables them,” said David Weymouth, Optelian’s CEO. “It is very different from what other players are doing. Service providers really like the way our solution ties service creation directly to the service sold to a customer. The benefits of this simplicity are the ease and speed at which services are created without requiring extensive technology and product knowledge.”
In an Ethernet services deployment scenario, FLEXManager uses MEF-standardized attributes within a service creation wizard to identify how the network should deliver the service. FLEXManager recommends service paths, configures service endpoints and intermediary points, as well as all attributes of the end-to-end MPLS-TP connection, Optelian says. This approach is superior to technology-based provisioning as it is simpler and less prone to error, and accelerates service creation through pre-defined service templates, the company explains.
Meanwhile, FLEXManager also enables alarms, events, and performance indicators to be traced to a service or a customer’s set of services. It provides visibility into the physical service delivery infrastructure as required, Optelian says.
FLEXManager leverages and enhances Optelian’s Intuitive Packet Optical Networking product portfolio and Optelian FLEX Architecture. These elements include:
- At Layer 2+, Connection-Oriented Ethernet based on MPLS-TP through the PacketFLEX PKX-1640 Packet Networking Card with 200 Gbps of switching capacity with OTN
- At Layer 1, wavelength service delivery through the CircuitFLEX family of WDM transponders and ADM-based muxponders with OTN
- At Layer 0, the LightFLEX family of ROADMs, amplifiers, balancing/conditioning for long-haul, passive elements, and node intelligence.
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