Alcatel-Lucent unveiled a network architecture that integrates Provider Backbone Bridging (PBB) and Virtual Private LAN Service (VPLS) technologies to increase the scale and reach of Carrier Ethernet VPN services. Whereas many vendors support PBB on Ethernet Switches and others support MPLS on routers, Alcatel-Lucent’s architecture combines the scalability benefits of PBB and the resiliency, traffic engineering and convergence benefits of VPLS and MPLS. The integrated PBB and VPLS solution is especially aimed at enhancing network and service scalability – both in terms of reach and MAC addressing.
These new capabilities are being offered via a software upgrade on Alcatel-Lucent’s IP/MPLS Service Router portfolio. Key elements of the upgrade include:
- IEEE 802.1ah PBB support on the 7750 SR, 7710 SR and 7450 ESS. It includes PBB integration with MPLS and VPLS. This industry-first PBB/VPLS implementation enables market leading service scale while retaining the traffic engineering and resiliency benefits of MPLS and providing inter-operability with currently deployed native Ethernet and VPLS implementations.
- Secure VPN services – The IPSec-Integrated Services Adapter (IPSec-ISA) enables service providers to extend their business VPN services offering to include secure VPN options for remote-access to L3 VPNs, secure site-to-site and secure network infrastructure services.
- PPPoE support for business VPN services — PPPoE is a protocol typically used in many DSL networks that allows a client (PC, routed gateway) to be connected to a B-RAS using a tunnel (PPP session) over an Ethernet path. PPPoE sessions can now be directly terminated on a subscriber interface of a L3 VPN or Internet Service on a 7750 SR, thus eliminating the need for a separate B-RAS when using DSL to deliver VPN services to small or medium business customers.
- IPv6 enhancements – IPv6 addressing support for Layer 3 VPNs (also known as 6VPE). This feature set will enable broader market applicability of the 7750 SR in Asian and other early adopter IPv6 markets and allow service providers to expand their IPv6 based service offerings.
- IEEE 802.1ag Connectivity Fault Management (CFM) — This standards based interoperable OA&M capability enables service providers to proactively monitor and troubleshoot services on an end-to-end basis and thus allow them to offer stricter Service Level Agreements to their customers.
- 5620 SAM and 5650 CPAM provide extensive network & service provisioning and assurance features for deploying and managing L2/L3 VPN services in a uniform manner.
Other capabilities being introduced on the Alcatel-Lucent IP/MPLS Service Router portfolio include broad support for IEEE Carrier Ethernet Operation Assurance and Management (OA&M) standards, which provide service assurance and reduce trouble-shooting time. In addition, Alcatel-Lucent 5620 Service Aware Manager (SAM) and 5650 Control Plane Access Manager (CPAM) enhancements provide extensive network and service provisioning and assurance features for deploying and managing Layer 2 and Layer 3 (L2/L3) VPN services in a uniform manner.
In addition, Alcatel-Lucent introduced support for DSL-based IP VPNs, leveraging support for Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE) and eliminating the need for a separate Broadband Remote Access Server (B-RAS) when using DSL to deliver VPN services to small or medium business customers.
