Arelion (formerly Telia Carrier) says it has successfully concluded field trials of Cisco’s Routed Optical Networking approach to IP and optical layer convergence. The trials leveraged Acacia Communications Bright 400ZR+ QSFP-DD coherent modules and Cisco 8000 and NCS 5700 routers to create router-to-router communication links across a live fiber route with existing ROADM infrastructure between Hamburg and Copenhagen. At least some of the links included third-party open optical line systems.
The fiber-optic network services provider said the trials showed performance that significantly exceed that called for in the OpenZR+ specification. Arelion plans to leverage the approach demonstrated in the trials to improve access to its AS1299 internet backbone for its North American and European customers. The move to Routed Optical Networking also will benefit customers of Arelion’s IP Transit, Cloud Connect, Wavelengths, Ethernet, and SD-WAN services.
“Multi-layer architecture has always been challenging to scale and operate due to decades of accumulated complexity. With this latest trial, Arelion demonstrated the possibility to simplify conversion and interoperability, bringing us closer to Routed Optical Networking that evolves cost structures, scalability, and efficiency,” commented Dariusz Solowiej, vice president network technology and customer operations at Arelion. “400G coherent pluggables will help our customers secure high-performance connectivity at the lowest cost and help us grow our networks in scale as we continue to connect the world.”
Arelion was among the first service providers to embrace the use of high-speed coherent pluggable modules to provide router-to-router interconnect and enable IP/optical layer convergence (see, for example, “Telia Carrier to adopt coherent pluggable transceivers for router interconnect”). Routed Optical Networking is Cisco’s enhancement of IP-over-DWDM, the original (and still widely used) name for this concept (see “Cisco revamps IP over DWDM with Routed Optical Networking”).
“The convergence of IP and optical networks provides a revolutionary reduction in network cost and simplifies management of the network,” commented Bill Gartner, senior vice president/general manager of the Optical Systems & Optics Group at Cisco. “This will enable Arelion to cost-effectively scale their network as bandwidth demands increase over time, enabling them to maintain their growth and protect their investment over the next 10-15 years.”
Windstream Wholesale is another early advocate of this architecture and recently announced a milestone on its journey toward deployment (see “Windstream integrates 400ZR+ QSFP-DD transceivers into Nokia routers”). Acacia was an early collaborator in this initiative as well (see, for example, “Windstream Wholesale runs 400G ZR+ transmission more than 1000 km in live network”).
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