NetPlane expands optical signaling extensions to carrier-class MPLS software
NetPlane Systems, the protocol software business of Mindspeed Technologies, announced it is adding to its LTCS-Optical software the O-UNI protocol based upon the Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF) User-to-Network Interface (UNI) specifications. Announced at OPTICON 2001, the company also said that it has several key customers who are working with it to define specific functional applications.
The O-UNI specification is important as it offers a level of reliability that carriers require while enabling them to implement more cost-effective optical applications. For example, O-UNI will enable carriers to develop new flexible services, such as user-initiated service provisioning and bandwidth trading, by providing a standard set of control plane mechanisms across all types of optical networks, supporting rapid connection, teardown and restoration capabilities.
In June, NetPlane introduced LTCS-Optical with support for the G-MPLS (Generalized Multi-Protocol Label Switching) standard being developed by the IETF (International Engineering Task Force). Future planned releases will support emerging standards for optical NNI as they are defined by the IETF, OIF and the ITU-T. NetPlane is actively providing input into these organizations.
The new O-UNI option provides additional optical extensions to NetPlane's MPLS-LTCS (Label Traffic Control System) software, an IETF standards-based MPLS solution. LTCS-Optical supports the signaling requirements of photonic networks including access to those networks by traditional IP equipment using LTCS-Classical. NetPlane's recent launch of LTCS-Optical marked the beginning of its strategy for integrated signaling and routing, both for classical and optical IP networking. Its LTCS-Optical software is designed for carrier-class optical core devices and applications where packetized MPLS and optical MPLS signaling converge.
The portable NetPlane software is highly scalable, designed for centralized and distributed environments and is processor independent. Like all NetPlane carrier-class products, LTCS-Optical has a redundant architecture in conjunction with a re-entrant implementation to enable pre-emptive, high-availability systems to be created.
NetPlane introduced its MPLS-LTCS software in 1999. The company's MPLS customers range from global manufacturers to emerging next-generation OEMs.
About NetPlane Systems:
NetPlane Systems, Inc., a business of Mindspeed Technologies(tm), the Internet infrastructure business of Conexant Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CNXT), is a developer of portable, networking protocol software and systems for the control plane. For more information, visit www.netplane.com.