Partners of the TransportPCE project deliver open source software code to facilitate and speed up the adoption of interoperable optical transponders.
Optical transport networks will have to face two main challenges: traffic growth with 5G and evolution towards openness/interoperability. Current optical transport networks suffer from a lack of interoperability.
At the data plane level, WDM equipment from different suppliers cannot be mixed. Most of management plane protocols and models are still proprietary, and control plane implementation remains heterogeneous. This leads to operational complexity and puts a brake on automation in a multi-domain (access-metro-core) environment.
Several open initiatives (OpenROADM, OpenConfig…), led by operators, tend to solve this problem by defining vendor-neutral models. In addition, Software Defined Networking (SDN) technology takes advantage of Open Source models to enhance the manageability of operators’ networks. To reach this goal, the Open Source model offers a tremendous opportunity to share developments relying on the extensive knowledge of the developer community.
TransportPCE, an OpenDaylight incubation project, was initiated by Orange in 2016 with the aim of building a Controller of open optical transport infrastructure. The choice was made to focus on the control of optical equipment which complies with OpenROADM Multi-Service-Agreement (MSA), defining not only common models for devices, network and services but also some optical specifications.
Service creation and deletion were tested successfully using TransportPCE software code to configure an end-to-end path crossing network elements from different suppliers on a Proof of Concept (PoC) Platform in Orange Labs. This demonstrates the level of interoperability introduced by the OpenROADM initiative.
Several interoperability use cases were tested, mixing transponders and ROADM from Ciena and Fujitsu in any possible configuration. Interoperability was achieved between Ekinops transponders implementing proprietary high Soft Decision FEC and Ciena/Fujitsu OpenROADM infrastructure, following an Open Line System (OLS) approach.
Thanks to the contribution of these suppliers, this PoC also shows that OpenROADM equipment can be built according to several strategies: using specific either Software (Fujitsu) or Firmware (Ciena) in the equipment, or by using a gateway to interconnect with legacy equipment and make them compliant with OpenROADM (Ekinops).
A smooth migration towards further network programmability in a brownfield environment can in this way be envisaged, upgrading pre-deployed equipment to make them compliant with the latest open standards.
At the NGON & DCI event in Nice, France, this week, the partners of this project shared the results of this Proof of Concept and provided details regarding the functions of the Open Source software code that was developed.
“Thanks to the contributions of AT&T, Orange and others to this project, TransportPCE now provides software code for reference implementation that will facilitate evolution towards openness and interoperability in optical transport networks,” said Christian Gacon, vice president, Wireline Networks and Infrastructure at Orange.
“As a founding member of the OpenROADM MSA, Fujitsu shares our customers’ vision for optical network interoperability,” said Rod Naphan, senior vice president and chief technology officer at Fujitsu Network Communications, Inc. “This successful proof of concept brings the industry one step closer to making this vision a reality.”
“Tackling interoperability is a challenge that we have been taking head-on for a long time now. Helping Orange prove the viability of multiple use cases alongside other major players of the optical transport industry is an important step forward and we are extremely pleased to have demonstrated the achievable evolution of optical networks towards SDN,” said François Xavier Ollivier, co-Founder & COO of Ekinops.
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