Cisco and Telefónica have teamed up to establish a multi-vendor testing platform which will be located within Telefonica's R&D facilities to jointly explore and capitalize on the benefits of converged IP and optical networks based on Software Defined Networking (SDN). The IETF based Convergence of IP and optical networks unifies the planning, management and engineering of optical network layers and IP network layers, for improvement in efficiency and for cost savings.
According to Cisco, Telefónica will be leveraging its Open Network Architecture comprising the Evolved Services Plaform (ESP) and Evolved Programmable Network (EPN) which combine both hardware and software to deliver innovative capabilities for global carriers. These capabilities include virtual network functions (NfV), software-defined networking (SDN) and advanced orchestration functionality. The testing platform with also be using Cisco nLight, which is a multilayer control technology (GMPLS, Generalized Multiprotocol Label Switching) facilitating the exchange of information between the IP and optical layers to optimize operations and maximize the benefits of a convergent transport network.
- Telefónica will be validating models which help minimize investment cost (by means of redundant and underutilized resources) and achieve a unified network architecture that is more efficient, less complex and easier to upscale, downscale and operate, enabling it to obtain significant savings in operating and capital costs.
"We are delighted to be collaborating with a world leader in networks like Cisco to optimize our core network architecture and respond to the exponential growth of traffic in both capacity and complexity, as well as reducing our costs and contributing to the standardization of the IP Class Optical Convergence technology."
- Enrique Blanco, Global Chief Technology Officer of Grupo Telefónica
"Architectural approaches based on network layers that are constructed and run independently generate inefficiencies of scale, provision and operation that must be resolved as soon as possible. What we need is an innovative focus capable of creating an optimally convergent transport infrastructure, and that's what we, along with Telefónica, are trying to provide leveraging SDN technology benefits."
- Bill Gartner, Vice President of Optical Networking Group at Cisco
