Ciena is collaborating with CANARIE, Internet2 and StarLight to build a software-defined wide-area network that leverages OpenFlow across both the packet and transport layers. The network features an open architecture carrier-scale controller and intrinsic multi-layer operation.
The network initially connects Ciena’s corporate headquarters in Hanover, Maryland, USA with Ciena’s largest R&D center in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. International connectivity is achieved with Internet2 through the StarLight International/National Communications Exchange in Chicago and CANARIE, Canada’s national optical fiber based advanced R&E network.
Ciena solutions included in the testbed:
- OpenFlow v1.3-enabled 4Tb/s core switches, featuring 400G packet blades;
- Transport – Layer 0 and Layer 1 OTN – network elements from Ciena’s industry-leading 6500 and 5400 converged packet-optical product families, configurable under extended OpenFlow protocol control;
- A prototype open, modular and modifiable control software system that leverages open source components and is suitable for large-scale and geographically-distributed network control;
- Multi-layer provisioning and control, driven by an abstracted northbound API;
- Real-time analytics software designed to enable multi-layer resource optimization and dynamic network service pricing for revenue optimization.
“Going above and beyond a simple testbed, this live, fully functional network will drive continued innovation and demonstrate how a truly OPn network architecture can unleash the full power of SDN in the WAN. By building the industry’s first fully-featured, fully-open and fully-operational, end-to-end and multi-layer SDN-powered WAN, we can offer a real-world experience for customers and researchers to trial, refine and prove SDN concepts and technologies in both the network and the back office – without having to build a unique infrastructure for every use case,” stated Steve Alexander, senior vice president and chief technology officer at Ciena.