Infinera introduced Instant Network capabilities for delivering software defined capacity (SDC) for cloud scale networks.
The new capabilities extend Infinera Instant Bandwidth, which provides software activation of service-ready optical capacity in a few hours on networks powered by its DTN-X platform and equipped with its unique photonic integrated circuits (PICs). Infinera introduced Instant Bandwidth in 2012 and more than 70 Service Providers are now using it. In 2015, Infinera introduced Time-based Instant Bandwidth in 2015, enabling software activation of bandwidth licenses for a limited duration.
Instant Network adds Bandwidth License Pools, Moveable Licenses and Automated Capacity Engineering (ACE). It also extends SDC to new Infinera platforms, which support flexible grid and sliceable 2.4 terabit super-channels powered by the Infinera Infinite Capacity Engine.
Highlights:
- Bandwidth License Pools: The new Bandwidth License Pool functionality enables service providers to activate capacity at the same time as an invoice is issued for that capacity, reducing capital expenditures for idle capacity. This new capability enables capacity to be deployed in minutes, while previously, service providers would purchase a license before the capacity was software-activated, which resulted in deployment taking a few hours.
- Moveable Licenses: New Movable Licenses enable service providers to use software to move bandwidth licenses across the network as traffic conditions change or fiber cuts occur. Previously, licenses were fixed to a specific line module or platform. Moveable licenses reduce capital expenses by reducing idle capacity provisioned specifically for network resiliency and increase agility when responding to customer demands for new services.
- Automated Capacity Engineering (ACE): The new ACE application takes previously manual offline route and capacity planning processes and implements those algorithms in a microservices-based path computation element (PCE). ACE understands optical impairments and computes optimal Layer 0 routes between nodes across multiple paths, including automatic routing and wavelength assignment with multiple path constraints such as traffic engineering cost, distance and latency.
Infinera Instant Network capabilities are planned across the Infinera DNA software and the Xceed Software Suite. Instant Network Bandwidth License Pool and Moveable Licenses are available now. ACE is planned for 2018.
Infinera said its Instant Network enables service providers to automate optical capacity engineering and scale optical capacity in minutes by using Infinera’s Xceed and Digital Node Administrator (DNA) software. It also sets a foundation for cognitive networking, which includes advanced analytics, machine learning from streams of network telemetry data, autonomous operation of routine tasks, predictive analysis of network problems before they occur and proactive recommendations for network optimization to further reduce operational expense and improve service reliability.
“Infinera is committed to providing our customers with innovative solutions to help them win in the markets they serve,” said Dr. Dave Welch, Infinera co-founder and president. “Software defined capacity is a requirement to realize the benefits envisioned by SDN and network functions virtualization. Infinera Instant Network extends our success with Instant Bandwidth, leading the market for software defined capacity while lighting the way to cognitive networking.”