There’s more than one way to migrate a metro network from 10Gbit/s aggregated bandwidth to 100Gbit/s. At first, you might consider data center leaf/spine switches, expecting significant cost savings from volume-deployed devices. However, on second thought, there may be some concerns. Those devices are optimized for a very specific application, which doesn’t necessarily makes them the perfect solution for other use cases.

This is why, 18 months ago, we entered into intense discussion with our mobile, fixed, wholesale and cable network customers. They provided us with invaluable insight into their real requirements when migrating their 10Gbit/s metro networks to 100Gbit/s. They explained the need for continuity with operational processes as the 100Gbit/s metro network needs to be operated with the same MEF UNI/NNI and OAM capabilities as their current network. Established zero touch provisioning processes including line-rate service activation testing need to be used at 100Gbit/s as well. And some of their network switches are deployed in very space-restricted areas without air conditioning, creating the need for compact, environmentally hardened solutions. What’s more, the network must be able to support the distribution of timing information.

As we extended this discussion to cloud service providers operating regional data centers, we were confronted with very different preferences. They cared much more about scalability in regard to number of flows, routing tables and buffer size. In addition, they were looking for devices that support a wide range of network protocols for interconnecting their data centers through different transport network technologies as well as through third-party networks. As they want to separate the protocol used within the data center from the protocol used in the transport network, overlay or tunneling technologies are essential requirements for them. Also, as servers and storage devices are mounted in double-deep shelves, the mechanical design of the aggregation switch needs to match this construction practice.

Cutting a long story short, we finally decided to provide our customers with application-optimized 100Gbit/s aggregation products. The recently launched FSP 150-XG480 is a multi-technology 10/25Gbit/s service aggregator for the network edge, which comes with a rich set of CE 2.0/MEF 3.0 capabilities for ease of operation. Its design practice meets stringent environmental requirements in cost-sensitive metro networks, offloading service providers from installing expensive air conditioning at the edge of the network.

This product is complemented by a 100Gbit/s aggregation device specifically designed for regional data centers. Here it connects the servers and storage devices to the connectivity network, as it supports a wide range of network protocols and meets the scalability needs of rapidly growing data centers.

There is a common theme in both applications – with communication networks and at regional data centers. SDN control is required in both domains, driven by different use cases. A cloud service provider is interested in orchestrating any network, server and storage resource through a common orchestrator, which interfaces to the network through standard SDN interfaces. While the service provider is eager to automate manual processes across multiple vendors and multiple network domains. A common SDN control has proven to be the most efficient way to achieve this objective.

With the recently launched FSP 150-XG480 and FSP 150-Z4806, ADVA is taking the lead in application-optimized 100Gbit/s edge networking.