Powering cloud scale networks with DTN-X platforms

Infinera announced two new platforms, the XT-3300 and the XT-3600 meshponders, as well as significant upgrades to the XTC-4 and XTC-10 Packet Optical Transport Node (P-OTN) platforms.

Infinera also announced the MTC-6 FlexILS chassis and 20-port super-channel Flexible Grid Reconfigurable Optical Add-Drop Multiplexer (FlexROADM), a key element within one of the most widely deployed flexible grid open line systems.

New cloud-based applications such as the IoT, NFV, XaaS, video and virtual reality are driving a growing amount of bandwidth across service provider subsea, long-haul, metro and DCI networks.

As cloud infrastructure expands and networks migrate to a new architecture of Layer C (Cloud Services) and Layer T (Intelligent Transport), service providers need their Layer T networks to adapt to new traffic flows and to support smooth scale-out expansion.

These cloud scale networks allow service providers to efficiently address both large N x 100 gigabit Ethernet (GbE) linear connectivity requirements driven by web scale operators as well as the diverse mesh connectivity requirements driven by more traditional telco enterprise and residential customers.

To meet these requirements, service providers need cloud scale networks that are:

• Scalable and sliceable – multi-carrier super-channel technology delivering massive bandwidth per optical engine along with the ability to use software define networking (SDN) control to independently tune, modulate and route each wavelength
• Integrated and disaggregated – integrated dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) and switching platforms working in harmony with disaggregated server-like platforms to build the most cost effective networks possible.
• Secure and open – completely open and programmable solutions while featuring in-flight line-rate encryption and other critical security features

The DTN-X Family platforms now integrate the ground-breaking Infinera Infinite Capacity Engine featuring the Advanced Coherent Toolkit. The new server-like DTN-X XT-3300 and XT-3600 are the industry’s first meshponder platforms, which combine sliceable photonics and muxponder functionality to deliver hyper-scalability up to 2.4 Tb/s along with fine-grained granularity for optical mesh networks.

The server-like small form factor meshponder platforms, developed from experiences in the web scale market, seamlessly interoperate with the chassis-based DTN-X XTC switching platforms.

The Infinera DTN-X XTC-4 and XTC-10 platforms have been upgraded to support 1.2 Tb/s per slot and more than double the switching and transmission capacity through non-disruptive, in-service upgrades.

The new DWDM modules, powered by the Infinera Infinite Capacity Engine, co-exist with the deployed modules thereby offering complete investment protection. The DTN-X XTC now offers up to 12 Tb/s of non-blocking switching capacity and unlike competitive systems, have no tradeoffs between client side tributary capacity and line side capacity.

The Infinera FlexILS open line system, which supports over 50 Tb/s of fiber capacity, takes super-channels from the DTN-X platforms and routes wavelengths to the appropriate destination for flexible optical mesh networking.

The new 20-port super-channel FlexROADM supports flexible grid super-channels with single-channel granularity and full CDC (colorless, directionless, contentionless) functionality while using six times fewer fibers than conventional ROADMs. FlexILS now includes the new compact MTC-6 chassis and is fully open and interoperable with Infinera and third-party terminals.

All of the new capabilities in the FlexILS and DTN-X Family are controlled by the Xceed Software Suite and managed by Infinera’s Digital Network Administrator (DNA). This comprehensive software portfolio enables service providers to simply and easily optimise the network including keeping traffic at the optical layer longer and only grooming and switching when necessary.

By bringing these capabilities into the next generation unified Intelligent Transport Network and supporting the migration to cloud scale networks, service providers can dramatically decrease TCO by over 50% through reduced equipment, power and space consumption.

“Windstream is one of the fastest growing providers of advanced network communications in the US,” said Buddy Bayer, Senior Vice President, Transport Engineering at Windstream.

“As we expand our fiber transport network routes in the US, we rely on networking solutions that can be easily upgraded like the FlexILS which provides an open line system and the new 20 port ROADM capabilities. With an existing DTN-X deployment, we look forward to the new multi-terabit Infinite Capacity Engine based modules and platforms to power Windstream’s cloud scale network.”

“As we expand and build our long-haul and metro networks serving over 1,200 customers in 80 countries, we look to partner with Infinera to operate highly scalable and flexible transport networks,” said Mattias Fridström, Chief Evangelist at Telia Carrier.

“We are delighted with the array of products Infinera has announced. There are excellent solutions that can address the tremendous growth in demand for 100G services driven by our Internet Content Provider customers. In addition, the seamless upgrades to higher capacity in the DTN-X XTC platforms protect the investments we’ve already made in our network.”

“Infinera is transforming transport networks to be open and cloud scale,” said Dr. Dave Welch, Infinera Co-founder and President. “We are bringing the power of web scale to service provider networking with the unified architecture of meshponders and multi-terabit switches managed by a common, open control layer.

The upgraded DTN-X Family and the new CDC FlexROADM deliver a new architecture that enables network operators to cost effectively provide scalable and secure end-user services. This architecture demonstrates Infinera's commitment to innovation to enable our customers to build the next generation cloud scale infrastructure.”

“Infinera continues to innovate in optical networking with industry firsts,” said Tim Doiron, Principal Analyst, Intelligent Networking, at ACG Research. “The Infinite Capacity Engine integrated into the DTN-X Family brings massive multi-terabit capacity in an industry leading footprint to build cloud scale networks.

With fully tunable, programmable, 100 Gigabit bandwidth slices and SDN control, service providers can dynamically and instantly modify their networks to match bandwidth demands with business imperatives. The Infinite Capacity Engine’s multi-terabit wire-speed Layer 1 encryption technology provides an important and scalable layer of network security for service providers.”

The MTC-6 FlexILS open line system chassis is shipping now. The XT-3300 platform is planned for availability in the first quarter of 2017 with the other platforms to follow starting in the second quarter of 2017.