The New Teleconomy

As service providers focus on lowering network costs and maximizing revenues more than ever before, metro networks have become the most important segment of the public network. Functioning as the critical bridge between access and long-haul segments, service providers are challenged to adapt to a highly dynamic metro network requirement: build to demand, not to forecast. This transition from pre-provisioned commodity bandwidth to value-added profitable services exposes todayís network inefficiencies and complexities, the impact of which is most prevalent in the metro core.

Infrastructure Challenges

At the heart of the metro network lies the Digital Cross-connect System (DCS) responsible for grooming and switching of revenue-generating services such as voice, private line and leased line. Not only is the DCS one of the most critical elements in the network infrastructure, but it has also become the most expensive and difficult to manage.

Service providers continue to rely on huge overlays of wideband and broadband DCS and racks of SONET Add Drop Mux (ADM) transport rings for their metro transport networks. Consequently, equipment facilities such as tandem offices, points of presence and regional hub sites are congested with these aging, power-hungry systems that occupy huge footprints and are labor-intensive to manage and scale. Considering that up to 70% of overall costs are in the metro network, these systems have become a major operational and economic challenge for service providers.

OMX at a glance

Advanced unified switch architecture
Custom ASIC-based switch fabric for all traffic types, unprecedented performance and pay-as-you grow scalability from 240 Gbps (2,304 protected STS-1 equivalents) to 2 Tbps (18,432 protected STS-1 equivalents).

Extensive bandwidth management granularity
Switching and grooming granularity from VT1.5/DS1 to STS-Nc signals including transmuxing of M13 traffic.

Carrier-class design
Fully redundant, standards-based platform providing 99.999% reliability.

Comprehensive range of optical and electrical interfaces
Support of DS3/EC1, SONET OC-3 to OC-192 and Gigabit Ethernet interfaces.

Extensive OAM&P
Designed for ease of integration into the Present Method of Operation (PMO) with open management interfaces, full OSMINE and NEBS Level 3 support.

Intelligent networking
GMPLS-based control plane and OIF UNI support for increased automation of provisioning and seamless multi-vendor interoperability.

Network Versatility
Designed for easy integration and interoperability with existing OSI and IP-based SONET networks and a smooth migration to mesh-based topologies.

OMX™ Optical Transport Switch

Unlocking network simplicity means simplifying the current metro network to a more consolidated, easy to manage architecture that allows service providers to respond rapidly and cost-effectively to market demands.

The OMX combines the functions of a SONET ADM with a Wideband, Broadband and Super-broadband DCS, managed via an open interface and GMPLS-based networking.

• Lower network costs

• Reduce equipment footprint

• Cut power consumption

• Improve scalability

• Increase switching flexibility

• Enhance overall serviceability and manageability

The OMX is a carrier-class platform based on a Terabit-scalable architecture designed for the native support of TDM, cell and packet traffic using a single, high-performance switching fabric. This enables service providers to cost-effectively simplify their existing TDM-based infrastructures, flexibly scale their networks and benefit from a software-driven migration to new generation broadband services.

IntelliOp at a glance

Carrier-class, management solution
Provides 7x24x365 management in the most severe operational environments.

Highly scalable, end-to-end management
Supports the largest, high performance networks using a fully distributed, client-server architecture featuring multi-user, multi-platform access.

Rapid provisioning to accelerate service rollout
Allows service set-up and reconfiguration in a fraction of the time compared to current solutions.

Detect problems before network impact
Evaluate and report on the performance of the OMX network, ensuring quality of service.

Quick resolution of network problems
Optimized to facilitate remote resolution of problems occurring anywhere in an OMX network.

Open standards-based architecture
Designed to TMN standards, with Java, CORBA and XML-based interfaces.

IntelliOp™ Management Solution

Transitioning to simplicity requires an advanced management solution designed for easy integration into existing environments to increase operational efficiencies, particularly those relating to service creation and provisioning. IntelliOp is a comprehensive management solution engineered specifically for large service provider networks. Combined with the OMX, IntelliOp enables service providers to deliver a high performance, fully managed network.

IntelliOp Center-a powerful Element Management System (EMS) designed to manage the OMX network. Based on a highly scalable architecture, IntelliOp Center provides a comprehensive suite of advanced management capabilities:
ï Network configuration

• Service provisioning

• Fault management

• Performance management

• Security management

IntelliOp Gateway-a flexible TMF814-compliant CORBA gateway enabling easy integration into any higher-level OSS. IntelliOp Gateway provides full support of all IntelliOp Center functionality.

IntelliOp Planner-an integral part of the management solution, IntelliOp Planner automates the planning and design of OMX networks. This application software allows network designers and operations staff to quickly and efficiently

• Assess current network capacity

• Optimize and validate network and circuit designs

• Plan for changes to the network

• Enhance the network for the introduction of new services.

Revenue-building Platform

Unlocking additional revenue in the metro network is a continuing challenge for service providers. Supporting the growth and accelerating time-to-market of current revenue-generating services, as well as new broadband services, are the keys to maximizing profitability.

The Polaris solution not only allows service providers to increase the revenue potential of existing services, but also provides a non-disruptive, software-driven path to multiservice intelligence.

This service versatility, coupled with the ability to be fully compatible with the service providerís present method of operation, clearly positions the Polaris solution as the leading new generation metro transport switch solution.

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The Polaris Advantage

Service providers are faced with a number of challenges as they look to lower network costs and maximize profitability in the metro network. Existing networks are difficult and expensive to scale and offer little versatility to respond quickly to new market demands.
New generation solutions must simplify the network infrastructure and provide versatility, scalability and manageability. The Polaris solution addresses these requirements and opens the door for new revenue-generating broadband services. It is the key to unlocking network simplicity.