Ciena Corp. has integrated a new Ethernet Services Line Module (ESLM) into its CoreDirector multiservice switch. Available immediately, the ESLM has been deployed in BT’s 21st Century Network.
An in-service upgrade for CoreDirector, the ESLM delivers 20gbps of advanced Layer 2 switching functionality, including support for gigabit Ethernet, 10 gigabit Ethernet, VLAN switching, Ethernet link aggregation and traffic management based on Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF) standards.
“The value prop of the ESLM is all about being able to enable a simple packet migration,” said Vinay Rathore, Ciena’s director of marketing. “You have a lot of services out there that are TDM based – OC3 to OC192. As our customers migrate that all over to Ethernet – be it gigE or 10gigE – we want to make it as simple as possible. That’s what the ESLM does.”
The enhancement also enables CoreDirector to function as a gateway switch for high-capacity aggregation and forwarding of both Ethernet and TDM services, eliminating the need for multiple Ethernet switches and MSPPs.
“It simplifies their multiservice networks,” said Rathore, explaining that existing approaches within Ethernet switches and MSPPs require multiple interconnections and protection schemes. “It creates a spaghetti of circuits running between devices from TDM to optical core network.”
Putting all those interfaces on CoreDirector eliminates this problem, he said, “so, your next-gen MSPPs can be replaced by a port on a line card.”
Ciena claims carriers can save 40 percent on the cost of equipment by eliminating several switches, switch ports, routers and MSPPs.
Rathore said the ESLM also goes MSPPs one better by adding traffic management. “The way [MSPPs] approach Ethernet is to make sure it gets from point A to point B, and there is no real traffic management on it,” he said. In contrast, ESLM enables service providers to assign bandwidth profiles to each service, so that they can deliver a committed information rate, committed burst size, excess information rate or excess burst size. “We have traffic management component that controls how services come in and which ones get high priority,” he added.
CoreDirector’s integration with ON-Center, Ciena's network and services management system, enables automated point-and-click Ethernet service provisioning and management with the ability to enforce granular SLAs.
“The way CoreDirector works, once you connect one box to another box, everything is automatically discovered and set up. It’s a simple and automated process,” Rathore said. “We are basically bringing that capability to Ethernet service.”
That means providers can create fully meshed networks wherein they can choose the route; they also have built-in rerouting within 100ms in the event of a disaster. “It’s not quite as fast as 50ms switching [standard with SONET], but it’s pretty damn fast,” he said. “It’s more resiliency than you can get today on Ethernet services.”
Ciena Corp. www.ciena.com
