Mobile, video and cloud-based services are driving a transformation of metro packet-optical networks from 10 Gb/s to 100 Gb/s, and industry analysts forecast a surge in demand for metro 100 Gb/s in 2016. The new portfolio unifies Infinera’s long-haul DTN-X platforms with metro packet-optical solutions obtained through the acquisition of Transmode and introduces three new platforms to the DTN-X Family, enabling the company to address the entire wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) market from long-haul to metro access. IHS Research forecasts the end-to-end WDM market will top $15 billion by 2019.
New Unified Packet-Optical Portfolio
Infinera introduced new hardware and software capabilities that unify Infinera’s award winning long-haul DTN-X Family with the Infinera TM-Series metro packet-optical solution. The TM-Series joined the Infinera Intelligent Transport Network portfolio through the company’s acquisition of Transmode, a leading provider of metro packet-optical networks. New hardware modules for the DTN-X XTC Series enable direct 100 Gb/s WDM line-side interworking with the TM-Series. The TM-Series offers packet-optical transport for a rich set of metro applications including mobile fronthaul and backhaul, business Ethernet and triple play aggregation for cable and service provider networks. The new PT-Fabric for the TM-Series is designed to extend these capabilities to terabit switching and metro 100 Gb/s networking. Infinera introduced new capabilities for the Infinera Digital Node Administrator (DNA) network management system, enabling unified control of the DTN-X Family and the TM-Series from metro access to long-haul core. The unified end-to-end portfolio is designed with extensive software defined network (SDN) programmability.
Two New Metro DTN-X Platforms: XTC-2 and XTC-2E
Infinera introduced two new platforms, the DTN-X XTC-2 and XTC-2E, to extend the scale, efficiency and simplicity of the DTN-X Family to metro core and regional network applications. The XTC-2 and XTC-2E converge 100 Gb/s coherent WDM transmission with packet-aware OTN switching in a platform with the small footprint and low power consumption demanded by metro and regional networks. All platforms in the XTC Series support the oPIC-100, Infinera’s next-generation photonic integrated circuit (PIC) to extend the space, performance and reliability benefits of PICs from the long-haul to the metro.
New Long-Haul DTN-X Platform: XT-500
Infinera introduced the XT-500 Platform, a new member of the DTN-X Family, highlighting Infinera’s continued investment in long-haul solutions. The XT-500 is a two rack unit, stackable platform based on Infinera’s PIC-500, delivering 500 Gb/s WDM super-channels and designed for rapid deployment of high bandwidth long-haul datacenter interconnection. The XT-500 seamlessly integrates with the Infinera FlexILS™ Line System to support fixed and flexible grid for extended reach and increased fiber efficiency. Applications for the XT-500 include point-to-point interconnect and within optically switched mesh network topologies using reconfigurable optical add drop multiplexers (ROADMs). Managed as a part of a DTN-X node, the XT-500 supports Infinera’s Instant Bandwidth™ to rapidly deploy additional bandwidth in 100 Gb/s increments with a few clicks of a mouse.
“Infinera can now address the entire WDM market – which we expect to top $15 billion by 2019 – from the edge to the core and across both traditional service provider and internet content provider applications. Infinera and the DTN-X played a major role in the optical reboot from 10 Gb/s to 100 Gb/s in the long-haul core, and the company is well timed to enter the metro portion of the market, which we expect to surge in 2016,” said Andrew Schmitt, senior principal analyst at IHS Technology.
“Our experience with Infinera across our network has been excellent,” said Randy Nicklas, EVP Engineering & CTO at Windstream. “As we continue to scale our network, especially in the metro, we welcome the extension of the Infinera portfolio into the metro core and regional networks where ease of use and reliability are key requirements. I believe this broader portfolio will allow Windstream to provide the high quality solutions our customers expect.”
“Colt has deployed Infinera Intelligent Transport Networks throughout our European backbone,” said Nicolas Fischbach, strategy, architecture and innovation director at Colt Technology Services. “Infinera’s investment in introducing the XTC-2 and XTC-2E to the DTN-X family will provide the granularity and flexibility required at small to medium sites. The products demonstrate Infinera’s commitment to responding to customer requirements and helping drive coherent technologies to the edge.”
“Our vision is to enable an infinite pool of intelligent bandwidth that the next communications infrastructure is built upon. Infinera’s new unified Intelligent Transport Network portfolio is engineered to provide network operators a precise set of tools to scale long-haul, datacenter interconnect and metro networks,” said Tom Fallon, CEO at Infinera. “As network operators transform their networks to 100 Gb/s, Infinera’s unified portfolio offers right-sized, application-specific platforms that scale bandwidth, accelerate service innovation and simplify network operations.”
Availability
The XTC-2, XTC-2E, XT-500, unified portfolio hardware and software features are planned for general availability in Q4 2015.
