AUGUST 22, 2007 -- Eight global equipment vendors have answered the call of the Optical Internetworking Forum (search for Optical Internetworking Forum) to showcase interoperability in a multicarrier environment during the OIF's Worldwide Interoperability Demonstration - On-Demand Ethernet Services. Participating vendors include Alcatel-Lucent, Ciena Corp., Ericsson, Huawei Technologies, Marben Products, Sycamore Networks, Tellabs, and ZTE. Participating OIF carrier members include AT&T, China Telecom, Deutsche Telekom, France Telecom Group, KDDI, Telecom Italia, and Verizon.
The test phase of the event has been underway in carrier labs since June. Interoperability testing of heterogeneous network equipment includes multiservice provisioning platforms (MSPPs), routers, Ethernet switches, crossconnects, optical add/drop multiplexers (OADMs) in the data plane, and both embedded and proxy controllers in the control plane.
"The multivendor aspect of the interoperability testing gives carriers confidence that different vendor and technology domains can work together," says Jim Jones of Alcatel-Lucent and OIF Technical Committee chair. "This type of interoperability testing is essential for transitioning new technology from labs to carrier networks."
OIF participating members are demonstrating end-to-end provisioning of dynamic switched Ethernet services over multiple, control-plane-enabled intelligent optical core networks through the use of OIF implementation agreements UNI 2.0 and E-NNI including:
- Ethernet Private Line -- allowing carriers to leverage existing TDM infrastructure to carry Ethernet.
- Neighbor discovery -- automating what is currently a manual provision process between neighbors.
- Control plane failure recovery -- an important carrier-class reliability feature
- Non-disruptive bandwidth modification -- optimizes network operation and resources by adapting to bursty data traffic flows.
"The OIF's demo is a truly global effort, requiring vendors to commit to installing their products in carrier labs and supporting round-the-clock testing of the functionality and reliability of their optical equipment," says Lyndon Ong of Ciena and OIF Technical Committee vice chair. "Participating vendors demonstrate support of mature, stable, interoperable specifications from the OIF and participate in leading-edge prototyping of the use of the control plane to open new avenues for carriers to deliver services through their optical networks."
Combining service provider private testing and a public demonstration, OIF's demo is based upon intra-lab testing among each of the participating carrier sites. The test sites are linked via virtual or real E-NNI connections, forming a global test network topology. The event enables testing with more vendor implementations, allowing carriers to access additional network resources beyond the boundaries of their existing networks on a global scale. The 2007 OIF Worldwide Interoperability Demonstration - On-Demand Ethernet Services will culminate in a public demonstration of the results at ECOC 2007, September 17-19, 2007 in Berlin at the OIF booth, #17075 in Hall 17.
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