“Packet-Optical Deployment Strategies: Global Service Provider Survey
July 2, 2010
TOP TAKEAWAYS
Service providers define packet-optical as the unification of the optical, circuit, and packet layers into one piece of optical hardware. This is a more narrow definition than many vendors use, and it eliminates many vendors’ equipment from this classification.
Service providers that disagree with this definition (or those that claim no need for P-OTS at all) typically have little or no circuit traffic, and de-emphasize the importance of TDM. Cable operators, competitive broadband providers, and operators of IP transit networks are good examples of this type of customer.
There is little agreement on what the primary goal of installing P-OTS equipment should be. Service providers have different objectives when deploying P-OTS equipment, depending on technology decisions made previously and the current traffic mix carried.
We asked respondents which P-OTS features they use or will use for metro aggregation applications and core networks.
P-OTS systems must support 40/100G to be deployed in the core network, and some service providers plan to use these speeds in the metro as well.
OTN switching is a clear requirement for P-OTS equipment; OTN is or will be used by many more respondents than support for legacy TDM, in the metro and the core.
ROADM is still primarily used in core P-OTS for add-drop, ring interconnect, and mesh connections, with more add-drop application in the metro than mesh or ring interconnection.
ODU-flex is or will be used in the metro and core networks of 56% and 67% of respondents, respectively.
Layer 2 switching with a central packet fabric is not used by many; aggregation on a single card is used by more. Service providers de-emphasize the importance of robust L2 features in P-OTS equipment across all categories, including support for MPLS-TP. “