Colt Technology Services is transforming its global IQ Packet Network through the deployment of Cisco’s Silicon One hardware alongside 400G OpenZR+ pluggable technology and Segment Routing MPLS software throughout the network. As part of this initiative, Colt is looking to Acacia’s 400G OpenZR+ technology for long-haul inter-metro connections greater than 200 km.
Colt’s IQ Network, which launched in 2016, currently connects over 900 data centers across Europe, Asia and North America’s largest business hubs, with over 29,000 on net buildings and growing.
Cisco’s Silicon One hardware converges IP and optical networking layers for a simpler and more scalable architecture that delivers cost efficiency and reduces space and power usage in data centers and colocations. Segment Routing MPLS offers software capabilities which further simplify the network and provide fine-grained control for guaranteeing stringent SLAs. Combined with pluggable 400G OpenZR+ technology within the IQ Network, Colt will deliver high-bandwidth and software-defined networking that meets connectivity demands of today and the future.
“Colt is committed to ensuring its network is at the forefront of technological innovation, and this latest investment is the next step in our network optimisation strategy, as we continue to leverage next- generation optical and packet technologies”, says Vivek Gaur, Vice President – Network Engineering, for Colt. “Over the last couple of years, Colt and Cisco have built a strategic relationship centered on innovation, and we’re excited to continue to push boundaries for our customers and the industry. We know the requirement for ultra-high bandwidth services is increasing. With Cisco’s technology in specific layers of our network, we’ll have a scalable and efficient packet core network that fulfils the connectivity demands of our customers across the globe.”
“The internet is now an integral part of critical national infrastructure and must be continually reimagined to help transform the way we live. Colt is helping accelerate this as one of the first network providers to leverage the full capability of 400G OpenZR+ coherent pluggable optics in data center interconnect for metro and long-haul applications,” said Adam MacHale, Vice President of EMEAR Service Provider, Cisco. “We look forward to continuing our exciting journey together with Colt and unleashing the full power of Routed Optical Networking technologies.”
