ADTRAN Broadens Packet Optical Solution

HUNTSVILLE, AL - Telecom equipment vendor ADTRAN announced a major expansion of its Optical Networking Edge (ONE) portfolio with new capabilities that enable all optical multi-ring and mesh topologies required in metro and middle-mile networks.

A new four-degree, scalable, compact Reconfigurable Optical Add/Drop Multiplexer (mini-ROADM) system-on-a-blade enables service providers to respond quickly to shifts in traffic and capacity demands in their residential, business, wholesale and mobile backhaul networks. The ONE portfolio also now doubles capacity with up to 88 wavelengths of 10 Gbps and allows for future upgrade to 100 Gbps networking and services.

As service providers seek to increase flexibility, reduce network complexity and simplify operations, ADTRAN’s ONE platform supports applications deeper into the network from the access and edge to the metro and middle-mile. The flexibility of the mini-ROADM design reduces complexity in the network compared with ROADM architectures that typically require a multiblade implementation and separate service delivery platforms. The mini-ROADM design also simplifies deployments by integrating into a single card elements that are typically distributed, such as amplifiers to adjust for optical losses. These new features allow service providers to rapidly respond to customer requirements in fast-changing markets.

“Historically, ADTRAN has been very focused on optimizing its optical product line to support access applications at the network’s edge. That is, until now,” says Ron Kline, principal analyst for network infrastructure at Ovum. “The new four-degree, gridless ROADM for ADTRAN’s ONE converged packet optical product supports both 100GHz and 50GHz designs, extending ONE’s network role to support metro mesh-centric and middle-mile applications. The ROADM technology also gives operators a bridge between edge and core networks and provides the flexibility to evolve channel plans over time as higher speed wavelengths are deployed in the metro: 100G and ultimately even 400G.”

Key features of ADTRAN’s ONE agile photonics solution:

Wavelength Capacity and Service Delivery On-Demand:
- Up to 88 10 Gbps wavelengths (scalable to 100 Gbps) provide quick network response to difficult-to-forecast services growth.

Flexible, Multi-ring and Mesh Topologies:
- Right-sized, four-degree ROADM system-on-a-blade provides cost-effective and easy-to-operate solution for multi-ring and mesh optical networks required to support various services and traffic patterns.

Access and Metro Ring Interoperability:
- Gridless ready architecture allows interworking of different sized network ring implementations without the need for complex and costly optical adaption and compatibility procedures. This architecture also enables fiber bandwidth scalability and efficiency for future services.

Integrated Multi-Service Delivery with Transport:
- Integrated mobile backhaul, wholesale, residential broadband, business broadband and incumbent services delivery within a single packet optical platform benefiting from a common operational model.

Service Aware Network Management:
- Transport network provisioning and capacity planning leverage intrinsic knowledge of services running at the higher network layers.

Any-Service, Any-Port, Anywhere:
- Leverages unique mix of remotely configurable tunable optics, integrated agile photonics and differentiated OTN (G.709) switchponding functionality for extreme architectural flexibility and network transformation capabilities.

Compact, Mini-ROADM Integration:
- Integrated Wavelength Selective Switch (WSS), EDFA amplifiers, optical monitoring and auto power balancing reduces network complexity and total cost of ownership.

“ADTRAN has been working closely with customers to deliver a solution that allows them to merge multi-service access, aggregation and packet optical transport for increased network flexibility and scalability,” said Mano Nachum, packet optical networking product line manager, ADTRAN’s Carrier Networks Division. “The new ONE capabilities allow service providers to take full advantage of the benefits of agile photonics in response to the ever growing traffic and capacity demands on their metro, middle-mile and access edge networks.”