Networking trends for 2018

1,081 Comments

1. January 29, 2018 at 9:54 am

   Tomi Engdahl says:

   HomeFTTXVodafone, Huawei test Fixed Access Network Slicing
   Vodafone, Huawei test Fixed Access Network Slicing
   http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2018/01/vodafone-huawei-test-fixed-access-network-slicing.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwave_friday_5_2018-01-26&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=1986588

   Huawei says it has partnered with Vodafone to complete successfully a field trial of its Fixed Access Network Slicing technology, which virtually partitions fiber to the home (FTTH) network bandwidth. The technology enables operators to divide and control different “slices” of the bandwidth separately, either for those operators’ various services or to better enable use by multiple entities in applications such as open access FTTH networks.

   Vodafone Ireland teamed with Huawei on the trials, which used the Huawei MA5800 optical line terminal (OLT). The service provider used partitioned bandwidth to separate residential and business services.

   “The introduction of the access virtualization technology is an important step for our commitment to be at the forefront of technological innovation. This will translate into a better network experience offered to our fixed customers,”

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2. January 29, 2018 at 1:15 pm

   Tomi Engdahl says:

   The legendary over 30-year-old Finnish network accelerates

   The Funet telecommunications network in Finland’s higher education institutions and research institutes is being updated more closely to the requirements of time. DNA has been selected as the supplier of its new telecommunications connections.

   A couple of weeks ago, we wrote that the Funet network, which has been operating since 1984, is being updated. Now is the project called Funet 2020, which is projected to be completed in 2021. It is intended to increase the speeds of end-users up to 100 gigabits per second.

   The network CSC – Center for Information Technology and DNA have agreed to provide network connectivity.

   The installation of new fiber connections will be started immediately and the first connections will be introduced early in 2018.

   Source: https://www.tivi.fi/Kaikki_uutiset/legendaarinen-yli-30-vuotias-suomalaisverkko-nopeutuu-dna-n-valokuidulla-6698669

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3. January 30, 2018 at 10:16 am

   Tomi Engdahl says:

   Deutsche Telekom rolls out 1 Gbps fiber-optic line to 7,600 enterprises
   http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2018/01/deutsche-telekom-rolls-out-1-gbps-fiber-optic-line-to-7-600-enterprises.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwave_service_providers_2018-01-29&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=1988090

   German operator Deutsche Telekom says it will begin the second phase of rolling out a fiber-optic line in business parks, bringing internet connections with speeds of up to 1 Gbps to 7,600 enterprises.

   Deutsche Telekom’s project will include laying almost 500 km of fiber-optic cables and connecting company locations directly to the fiber-optic network in 33 additional German towns and cities.

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4. January 30, 2018 at 10:17 am

   Tomi Engdahl says:

   Telstra teams with Ciena, Ericsson on high spectral efficiency 400 Gbps transmission test
   http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2018/01/telstra-teams-with-ciena-ericsson-on-high-spectral-efficiency-400-gbps-transmission-test.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwave_service_providers_2018-01-29&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=1988090

   Ciena (NYSE:CIEN) says that together with Telstra and Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) it has succeeded in demonstrating 400-Gbps speeds over 61.5 GHz spectrum. The company asserts this figure represents the highest spectral efficiency per fiber pair ever attained in a live environment, enabling up to 30.4 Tbps bandwidth on Telstra’s Melbourne transmission network. Previously, the highest capacity on record was 25.6 Tbps.

   Ciena asserts the demonstration recorded the highest capacity achieved to date, up to 30.4 Tbps per fiber pair. The trail used what the company claims is the world’s first fully programmable coherent modem, which can deliver as much as a three times improvement in data capacity. Telstra has deployed this WaveLogic AI modem in its network, which Ciena says also enables up to a 60% reduction in power per bit versus the modem technology Telstra currently deploys.

   Telstra is completing an upgrade across its long haul, metro, and regional fiber-optic network under the Networks for the Future program to offer optimized capacity, improved resiliency, and completely programmable capabilities, of which this technology will be a part, says Ciena.

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5. January 31, 2018 at 5:53 am

   Tomi Engdahl says:

   There’s no way the government is building its own 5G network
   https://techcrunch.com/2018/01/29/theres-no-way-the-government-is-building-its-own-5g-network/?ncid=rss&utm_source=tcfbpage&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29&utm_content=FaceBook&sr_share=facebook

   In brief, the report cited by Axios suggested that the only way to truly secure the next generation of wireless networks, on which critical infrastructure like self-driving cars will rely, against snooping by China and others, would be for the government to build that network itself.

   There are several things wrong with this idea.

   Perhaps the most obvious problem is that the government would probably have to contract or at least work closely alongside the very companies it would effectively replace, such as AT&T and Verizon, in order to build a new 5G network. They are, of course, the ones who know how to do it.

   That would be awkward

   Even if it was attempted, there’s just no way that the U.S. government, even at its best and most efficient, and if it started bipartisan work on this tomorrow, could be in any way competitive in the timing and scale of such a deployment.

   Reply
6. January 31, 2018 at 10:03 am

   Tomi Engdahl says:

   U.S. Floats Idea Nationalizing High-Speed Networks, Drawing Rebukes
   http://www.securityweek.com/us-floats-idea-nationalizing-high-speed-networks-drawing-rebukes

   US officials have launched a debate on a proposal to nationalize the newest generation of high-speed wireless internet networks in the name of national security, provoking sharp criticism from across the political spectrum.

   One official familiar with the proposal but not authorized to speak publicly told AFP the idea “has been discussed over the past couple of weeks” at the request of US national security officials.

   The proposal was first reported by the news website Axios, citing a memo proposing government control of the newest and fastest part of the nation’s mobile network — the fifth generation, or 5G — to guard against China’s growing online capabilities.

   Axios cited a memo by a senior official as contending that the US need to quickly deploy 5G because China is in a top position with the technology and “is the dominant malicious actor” online.

   But the proposal — which would run counter to the longstanding US policy of relying on private telecom networks — drew immediate rebukes from the industry and even from US regulatory officials.

   The official familiar with the proposal noted that “it’s not hard to find people who think it’s a dumb idea.”

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7. January 31, 2018 at 12:42 pm

   Tomi Engdahl says:

   Did you know? By 2020, the average smartphone will create 4.4GB of network traffic per month (a 5X increase over 5 years). And by 2021, smartphone traffic will exceed PC traffic.

   http://marketing.berktek.us/acton/fs/blocks/showLandingPage/a/2338/p/p-0045/t/page/fm/0/r/l-01db:15f8/s/l-01db?aoRefEmail=s-0141-

   1801&sid=TV2:JTHpE7KvL

   Are you ready for an evolution of wireless?

   Cisco projects that by 2020, the average smartphone will generate 4.4GB of network traffic every month (up from less than 1GB per month in 2015). The skyrocketing number of wireless devices, along with increasing amount of data that each is capable of sending and receiving, is causing an explosion in the amount of bandwidth being transmitted over IP networks. As the industry standards entities continue to take steps to enable faster data transmission, new developments in BASE-T, combined with Power over Ethernet, will further stress the copper infrastructure that supports wireless access points. In order to prepare for this tremendous demand on your network, you first need to understand what to prepare for.

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8. January 31, 2018 at 3:50 pm

   Tomi Engdahl says:

   DOCSIS 3.1 noise mitigation: Check your grounds
   http://www.broadbandtechreport.com/articles/2018/01/docsis-3-1-noise-mitigation-check-your-grounds.html?cmpid=enl_btr_weekly_2018-01-30&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24

   Since the dawn of time, individuals have known that they need to protect themselves from lightning. In the beginning, humans were only concerned with protecting themselves. As time went on and infrastructures were constructed, it became evident that those things needed to be protected, too. Through trial and error, society figured out how to design and construct lightning rods that could take the energy generated from lightning and harmlessly return it to the earth.

   Protection from electricity that ranged from lightning, with its mega-voltages and current, to the micro-current of a small static charge was now needed.

   A balancing act

   With the advent of DOCSIS 3.1, companies not only have to be concerned that the grounds in hubs and headends are adequate in the sense that they meet the absolute ohm specification of the ground for safety of people and protection of property, but also that the various elements of that ground are balanced. That means that they must make sure that each of the various metallic “runs” that make up the ground have the same resistance.

   There are various elements that make up the hub and headend ground, including shelves that are bonded to racks with screws and wires, racks that are bonded together to make aisles, as well as aisles that are bonded to bus bars.

   It is difficult to get these elements balanced, to make sure that each has the same resistance.

   Each place that these elements are bonded is an ingress point for noise. There are thousands of them. If there is a loose fit, a bad connector, scrape on a shield or anything that compromises the connection, the chance of ingress is better.

   What balances or unbalances the elements?

   Assume that the grounds are connected to one another. Assume again that they are effective and meet all safety specifications. However, sometimes there are aspects that can cause bonds to possess slightly different resistances from like bonds, including paint, torque, washers, length of cable, and the makeup of ground wires and cables.

   Balancing the elements of a ground is always important because of the antennas that imbalances create for RF.

   Because of potential energy coming into the plant, when we go from 64-QAM (quadrature amplitude modulation) to 256-QAM channels, we need to lower our noise floor by 3 dB just to stay even with MER (modulation error rate) and BER (bit error rate). Bonding up to 32 of these channels adds to the potential for interference, for noise.

   What can be done to reduce noise?

   We want to keep the noise floor as low as possible. However, with advanced digital technologies, we need to have less noise just to stay even. By balancing the ground circuits, noise is reduced. Lab experiments and tests in actual hubs confirmed that if an unbalance of 0.8 ohms in the ground circuits can be reduced to 0.3 ohms, the noise floor in the 5 MHz to 50 MHz spectrum can be reduced by 8 dBmV.

   However, the resistance of these daisy-chained grounds varied by 1.0 ohm from rack No. 1 on the left to rack No. 5 on the right. In other words, those grounds were unbalanced.

   How to determine if grounds are balanced

   We cannot measure the resistance value of a ground at a shelf or similar place in a hub or headend. We can, however, easily measure and compare the continuity and balance of the various ground circuits of a hub or headend.

   To measure ground balance in a hub or headend, a clamp-around ground tester that measures to a tenth of an ohm is required. All clamp-around testers use Ohm’s Law to calculate resistance.

   If the path of least resistance is all metal (does not involve any soil), the resistance measurement is not the resistance of a ground, but rather of the continuity of the metal circuit. When looking for unbalanced ground circuits in hubs and headends, that is what is done.

   Fixing the balance

   Daisy-chained ground circuits can be changed to home runs if the headend and hub grounds are not balanced.

   Other environmental factors also need to be considered. All kinds of noise generators, like air-conditioners and impulse motors, are being installed. Are they grounded and are the grounds tested? These noise sources make it more urgent that grounds be balanced to reduce potential points of ingress for noise.

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9. January 31, 2018 at 3:58 pm

   Tomi Engdahl says:

   Another look at splice-on connectors
   http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/print/volume-25/issue-12/departments/to-the-editor/another-look-at-splice-on-connectors.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cim_data_center_newsletter_2018-01-30&pwhid=e8db06ed14609698465f1047e5984b63cb4378bd1778b17304d68673fe5cbd2798aa8300d050a73d96d04d9ea94e73adc417b4d6e8392599eabc952675516bc0&eid=293591077&bid=1988611

   SOCs require a fusion splicer. While the price of the splicers has dropped considerably in the past 10 years, for many installers, the price is significant. Is the use of a fusion splicer and SOCs the best choice?

   The answer is my favorite: It depends on the total installed cost (TIC). To be a logical business decision, the TIC of using SOCs should be lower than the cost of alternative connector installation methods. If the TIC of the SOCs method is lower than that of alternative methods, the savings pay for the splicer.

   This analysis is more complicated than it may appear, as it requires several steps. The first step is consideration of: connector cost, process yield, labor cost, and labor utilization.

   At this time, there are splicer and SOC combinations that have TICs that are both higher and lower than alternative methods.

   Of course, there are situations in which other factors predominate the decision to use SOCs.

   is critical in data centers, in which the links are established, but not necessarily permanent. Low loss provides the maximum flexibility for future rearrangement of links without resulting in excessive link loss.

   the installation organization intends to perform midspan splicing. Thus, it will have a splicer. In this situation, several activities justify purchase of a splicer capable of installing SOCs.

   However, for initial installations, there is an alternative that can result in TIC lower than that of SOCs: pigtail splicing. There are several factors that favor pigtail splicing. The first is cost; pigtails range in cost from approximately $5 to $10 per end, while SOCs range in cost from approximately $7 to $18. Even adding the cost of a splice tray, at <$1/end, the TIC for pigtail splicing can be lower than that of SOCs.

   The second factor is the yield of pigtail splicing, which is 100 percent. If the first splice is unacceptable, the installer can re-splice the pigtail. Conversations I have had indicate that SOCs have acceptable yield, but not 100 percent.

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10. January 31, 2018 at 3:59 pm

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    Google to expand cloud network with new data centers, subsea cables
    http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/pt/2018/01/google-to-expand-cloud-network-with-new-data-centers-subsea-cables.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cim_data_center_newsletter_2018-01-30&pwhid=e8db06ed14609698465f1047e5984b63cb4378bd1778b17304d68673fe5cbd2798aa8300d050a73d96d04d9ea94e73adc417b4d6e8392599eabc952675516bc0&eid=293591077&bid=1988611

    Google is reportedly expanding its existing cloud network with new data centers this year and new subsea cables in 2019. It will further add data centers to five regions in 2018, including Montreal and the Netherlands in Q1, followed by Los Angeles, Finland and Hong Kong later in the year.

    Google expands network with new data centers, subsea cables
    https://www.cnet.com/news/google-expands-network-with-new-data-centers-subsea-cables/

    Google will build five new regional data centers in 2018 and three subsea cables in 2019 to further grow its worldwide network.

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11. January 31, 2018 at 4:05 pm

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    Standards are everywhere (and that’s a good thing)
    http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/print/volume-25/issue-12/departments/editorial/standards-are-everywhere-and-that-s-a-good-thing.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cim_data_center_newsletter_2018-01-30&pwhid=e8db06ed14609698465f1047e5984b63cb4378bd1778b17304d68673fe5cbd2798aa8300d050a73d96d04d9ea94e73adc417b4d6e8392599eabc952675516bc0&eid=293591077&bid=1988611

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12. January 31, 2018 at 4:05 pm

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    OIF advances CEI technology for 56 Gbps data centers, networking, telecoms
    http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/2018/01/oif-cei-dc.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cim_data_center_newsletter_2018-01-30&pwhid=e8db06ed14609698465f1047e5984b63cb4378bd1778b17304d68673fe5cbd2798aa8300d050a73d96d04d9ea94e73adc417b4d6e8392599eabc952675516bc0&eid=293591077&bid=1988611

    The Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF) began technology advancement for 56 Gbps networking in 2012 by developing a Next Generation Framework white paper documenting the multiple challenges including: increasing power consumption, higher losses and advanced modulation schemes that all had to be successfully addressed. The formal development projects began in 2013, when the diverse OIF membership made of component suppliers, subassembly suppliers, equipment suppliers and Network Operator members, began the process of sharing detailed technical analysis, measured data and use case inputs with the members.

    The OIF is now announcing the next round and level of CEI technology for the data center, networking and telecoms industries. The OIF announced today the publication of the “Common Electrical (I/O) CEI 4.0” with a focus on Serdes standards for 56 Gbps. This is the first completion of Serdes standards for the CEI generation of 56 Gbps I/O devices and adds PAM-4 and Ensemble NRZ as additional advanced modulation schemes to NRZ.

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13. January 31, 2018 at 4:09 pm

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    Extending Uptime Through Single Department Ownership of Network and Power Cabling
    http://www.datacenterknowledge.com/data-center-world/extending-uptime-through-single-department-ownership-network-and-power-cabling

    By conducting work with a single department utilizing consistent procedures and training methods, risk is further diminished.

    If your data center operation is like most, you involve multiple departments in the installation and removal of computer hardware. This practice originated largely because vendors were initially used to perform the work. Companies providing network cabling services generally do not employ electricians nor offer electrical services. As data center owners increasingly moved cabling functions in-house, they continued to view power and network cabling as separate entities and structured departments accordingly.

    A few organizations have chosen to break from this tradition, recognizing the majority of downtime events within a data center occur as a result of people working within computer rooms. They acknowledge errors are greatly reduced when the number of people involved in change activity is minimized. By conducting this work with a single department utilizing consistent procedures and training methods, risk is further diminished.

    Error potential is high in the typical organization model employed for managing the data center operation. In general, written agreements defining which department is responsible for specific cabling related tasks are absent. The line where one department’s ownership of cabling tasks ends and another’s begins is usually blurred.

    Facilities operations commonly owns power cable installation from the UPS to the power distribution unit (PDU) or wall panel and to the remote power panel (RPP).

    It is frequently unclear whether the facilities group, Information Technology group, or network group is responsible for connecting the power whip to the cabinet or mainframe.

    Information Technology and Network Operations departments most often perform installation of network cabling in a data center, from the telecom rooms through patch panels and out to server cabinets.

    One Fortune 100 company with multiple data centers chose to break from the traditional model for cabling work following a server downtime event they correctly attributed to the risks of multi-department cabling ownership.

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14. February 2, 2018 at 1:27 pm

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    POET Technologies optical interposer platform for electronic and optical component co-packaging in single MCM unveiled
    http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2018/02/poet-technologies-optical-interposer-platform-for-electronic-and-optical-component-co-packaging-in-single-mcm-unveiled.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwave_enabling_technologies_2018-02-01&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=1992131

    POET Technologies Inc. (OTCQX:POETF) (TSX-V:PTK) said it has unveiled an optical interposer platform for the co-packaging of electronics and optics in a single multi-chip module (MCM). The optoelectronic device designer, developer, and manufacturer’s optical interposer delivers the capability to run electrical and optical interconnections side-by-side on one interposer chip at a micrometer scale.

    POET’s optical interposer represents a crucial component of its combined integrated optical engines. Based on its previously announced Dielectric Waveguide technology, the optical interposer leverages the Dielectric Waveguides capabilities, as well as the manufacturing processes.

    According to POET, optics will continue to move closer to the data source, whether a processor, application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or field programmable gate array (FPGA), as the demand for higher data transfer speeds at greater baud rates and lower power levels grows.

    POET’s optical interposer platform facilitates an optoelectronic interconnect fabric to directly interface with the data source, supporting high-speed optical data transfer from within the MCM. POET also expects this technology to make component reduction possible, deliver affordable optical interconnects, and minimize test and assembly steps for reduced manufacturing costs.

    POET’s platform is aimed at 100G transceiver applications, and is scalable to 200G and 400G transceiver products. The company says its optical interposer is applicable in high-performance computing, networking, optical transceivers and transponders, and automotive LIDAR systems, and an array of additional high-growth markets. The platform technology can be applied to both GaAs and InP-based optical components.

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15. February 2, 2018 at 1:28 pm

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    SFP-DD releases updated specification for pluggable interface
    http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2018/02/sfp-dd-releases-updated-specification-for-pluggable-interface.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwave_enabling_technologies_2018-02-01&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=1992131

    The Small Form Factor Pluggable Double Density (SFP-DD) Multi Source Agreement (MSA) Group says it has released an updated specification for its pluggable interface. The MSA consortium initially released the SFP-DD specification (version 1.0) in September 2017 (see “SFP-DD MSA releases first module specifications”).

    The SFP-DD version 1.1 specification demonstrates improvements to the mechanicals and drawings of the high-density SFP-DD electrical interface consisting of a module, and cage and connector system aimed at supporting as much as 3.5 W optical modules in an enterprise setting.

    Meeting the technical demands of achieving a double-density interface, the SFP-DD form factor assures mechanical interoperability for module components produced by different manufacturers. The SFP-DD has a two-lane electrical interface, with each lane supporting up to 25 Gbps with NRZ or 56 Gbps via PAM4 to enable aggregate bandwidth of 56 Gbps or 112 Gbps with signal integrity, the MSA members assert.

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16. February 2, 2018 at 1:29 pm

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    Data Center Summit: Data Center Optical Interconnect – Technologies and Markets
    https://www.ofcconference.org/en-us/home/exhibit-hall/show-floor-programs/data-center-summit/

    Panelists will be invited from industry experts and debate the following with specific focus on technology, applications, deployment scenarios for data centers:

    What are the different types of data centers and how do they connect to each other?
    How is the cloud data center driving new generations of optical interconnects?
    What are the current technologies and equipment being used to address this market
    – Layer 2 – Ethernet over DWDM
    – Open Optical Line Systems (OOLS)
    – Packet Optical
    – Carrier Ethernet
    – Pluggables – 100G for DCI
    – Coherent – CFP-DCO, CFP2-ACO and CFP2-DCO
    What are the new technologies being developed for higher data rates?
    – 400G and beyond – will the equipment be the same, just upgraded to 400G or do we need a new ecosystem?
    – CDFP, CFP8, OSFP, QSFP-DD – will all have markets and if so, where?
    – 400G ZR challenges and roadmap
    What are the potential architecture and roadmap after 400G?

    Reply
17. February 2, 2018 at 1:31 pm

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    APAT OE develops transceiver enabling hybrid access for 10G PON applications
    http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2018/02/apat-oe-develops-transceiver-enabling-hybrid-access-for-10g-pon-applications.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwave_enabling_technologies_2018-02-01&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=1992131

    APAT Optoelectronics Components Co., Ltd. (APAT OE) says it has successfully developed the XGS-PON/XG-PON+GPON Combo OLT transceiver to deliver a solution for hybrid access for 10G PON applications. This approach will enable carriers to attain a seamless upgrade from GPON to XG-PON or XGS-PON.

    A carrier can offer 10G broadband service and the existing GPON service concurrently in the same network by replacing GPON OLT line cards with Combo PON line cards, according to APAT OE.

    The XGS PON/XG PON/GPON Combo OLT transceiver has a 29dB link budget in D1/N1-B+ class

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18. February 2, 2018 at 1:32 pm

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    Verizon supports customer traffic using Cisco’s high-capacity circuit emulation capability
    http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2018/02/verizon-supports-customer-traffic-using-cisco-s-high-capacity-circuit-emulation-capability.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwave_enabling_technologies_2018-02-01&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=1992131

    Verizon says it is now supporting customer traffic on part of its transport network using Cisco’s high-capacity circuit emulation capability. This approach will enhance customer experience and increase efficiency on its Intelligent Edge Network, says the company.

    Cisco’s new platform carries speeds up to OC-192, as compared to previous circuit emulation equipment speeds up to OC-12. Circuit emulation enables transport of traditional digital and optical signal rates over a packet-based MPLS network, while eliminating customer traffic impact, says Verizon. This, in turn, establishes a seamless migration of legacy services to next-generation infrastructure, and advances overall reliability.

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19. February 2, 2018 at 1:33 pm

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    Leading the Way to Open Optical Networking
    https://www.infinera.com/leading-way-open-optical-networking/

    The momentum toward open optical networking continues to build. Network operators, led by hyperscale internet cloud/content providers (ICPs), are asking for open optical line systems, open transponders and even fully disaggregated optical systems. Suppliers are responding with a range of “open” claims and new strategies for succeeding in an open world.

    This trend begs two questions: Why is “open” so hot right now? And how open are today’s optical networks in reality?

    There are at least three good reasons for the “open” hype.

    Consider the case of the open line system (OLS), which allow transponders from many different suppliers to share a single line system

    OLS deployment is widely seen as a concrete, realistic first step on the way toward greater optical network disaggregation, yet very few deployed line systems actually meet the requirements of an OLS. The biggest stumbling blocks that have not yet been addressed by many vendors are:

    Lack of flexible grid support: Most existing line systems are fixed-grid, making them inefficient users of optical spectrum and incapable of accepting the variable channels that are increasingly needed to optimize capacity, performance and cost using techniques such as advanced encoding, increased baud rate and multi-carrier channels.
    Proprietary controls: Many existing line systems use proprietary techniques for power measurement and balancing that effectively prohibit insertion of “alien wavelengths” from other suppliers’ transponders.
    Lack of management support: OLS management requires careful consideration of how to plan, commission, monitor and restore alien wavelengths, but many line system suppliers have not implemented the necessary features for full manageability.

    What’s the Big Deal About Open Optical Line Systems?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vX0bOiFWTtk

    Why should you consider an open optical line system? What benefits will it bring to your network? Will it impact your equipment lifecycle? Niall Robinson has the answers.

    Reply
20. February 2, 2018 at 1:34 pm

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    Coriant Metro Optical Layer Solutions
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTXNdFFDvLI

    This video discusses Coriant’s unique and innovative solutions for building optical transport networks.

    Coriant – Advanced ROADMs
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqj81E_RyAU

    Brianna Montgomery, Coriant’s Head of Customer Team – Enterprise Sell Through, discusses ROADMs and advanced ROADM configurations.

    Reply
21. February 2, 2018 at 1:35 pm

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    Sweden’s SUNET deploys 100-Gbps fiber network with open optical line systems from ADVA
    http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2017/04/sweden-s-sunet-deploys-100-gbps-fiber-network-with-open-optical-line-systems-from-adva.html

    The Swedish University Network (SUNET) has deployed 100-Gbps core fiber-optic network technology from ADVA Optical Networking in a new nationwide fiber-optic transport network. The deployment includes use of the ADVA FSP 3000 to provide both ROADM functionality as well as open optical line system (OOLS) capabilities to work efficiently with the tunable DWDM router interfaces on the Juniper Networks MX2000 Universal Edge Routers used in the network.

    Reply
22. February 2, 2018 at 3:22 pm

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    Ethernet Architected For The Future
    https://semiengineering.com/capturing-automotive-ethernet-specs/

    With automotive Ethernet coming on strong, it helps to implement as much as possible in the hardware.

    Reply
23. February 2, 2018 at 3:35 pm

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    45 TB data spike predicted for Super Bowl LII
    http://www.broadbandtechreport.com/articles/2018/01/45-tb-data-spike-predicted-for-super-bowl-lii.html?cmpid=enl_btr_weekly_2018-02-01&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24

    In the leadup to Super Bowl LII, NETSCOUT estimates that the top four mobile networks across the country will carry a combined total of 45 TB of data on Super Bowl Sunday, driven by sports fans using mobile devices to follow the event live and share their experiences from in and around the U.S. Bank Stadium. The 45 TB figure is the equivalent of 45,000 hours of video streaming or 14 million photos being taken and uploaded to social media sites.

    Reply
24. February 2, 2018 at 3:51 pm

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    Ericsson dropped out of the Nokia speed

    Nokia today announced the fourth quarter of last year and its full year results, the day after Ericsson. Companies go in different directions. Ericsson’s sales fall and the result is grossly unprofitable, Nokia surprised many with its growth.

    Still in the second year, Nokia and Ericsson were network companies of the same size. Both turnover was approximately EUR 23 billion annually. Last year, Nokia cracked its rival with a clear distinction, as Nokia succeeded even to grow slightly when Ericsson’s business volume dropped to close to EUR 20 billion.

    For the results, the difference is even clearer. Last year, Ericsson made 35 billion kroons, or about 3.6 billion euros loss, when Nokia made last year a EUR 2.5 billion operating profit.

    Director-General Rajeev Suri sees the follow-up positively for Nokia. The company already supplies “large volumes” of AirScale base stations in 5G networks. The newly introduced 5G Future X architecture with its Reefshark processor gives Nokia a strong competitive advantage when it comes to delivering the 5G network.

    Source: http://www.etn.fi/index.php/13-news/7489-ericsson-putosi-nokian-kelkasta

    Reply
25. February 2, 2018 at 3:58 pm

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    Improving upgradability, updatability and configurability in OPNFV
    https://www.enea.com/resources/blog/improving-upgradability-updatability-and-configurability-in-opnfv/

    Fuel@OPNFV is an open source project of Fuel (a tool which deploys and manages OpenStack, developed by Mirantis), integrated on the OPNFV platform. It is supported by the open source comunity and is the first OPNFV installer that was ported on aarch64 architecture. The aarch64 support in OPNFV is driven by the „Armband” project, initiated by Arm and delivered by Enea.

    The project in OPNFV remained under the ”Fuel” name, but has a completly different backend.

    https://www.enea.com/globalassets/downloads/nfv/whitepaper-maximizing-agility-at-the-network-edge.pdf

    Reply
26. February 2, 2018 at 4:15 pm

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    85% Of Imported Category 6 Patch Cords Fail Electrical Testing

    78% fail by more than 3db…..45% Fail by more than 6db

    These failure rates can have a dramatic effect on your networks performance.

    Nowhere in the industry is there a bigger problem than with the selection of Category 6 and 6A Patch Cords that meet BOTH Electrical Performance Testing AND Mechanical/Material Specifications. For example, FLUKE NETWORKS Application Note entitled “The Weakest Link in High-Performance Cabling Systems”

    Similarly, the Communications Cable and Connectivity Association (CCCA) has concluded a research study that indicated an 85% Failure Rate in Category 6 patch cords produced offshore by companies who are largely unknown in North America.

    Source: https://rj45s.com/RJ-45_Cable_Assemblies.html

    Reply
27. February 2, 2018 at 4:18 pm

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    Reducing Time-Delay Interference in Mission-Critical Situations
    http://www.mwrf.com/systems/reducing-time-delay-interference-mission-critical-situations?NL=MWRF-001&Issue=MWRF-001_20180201_MWRF-001_932&sfvc4enews=42&cl=article_2_b&utm_rid=CPG05000002750211&utm_campaign=15175&utm_medium=email&elq2=b28da0c9826c4adcbf8026cbb8c49b37

    While time-delay interference (TDI) is a necessary evil when it comes to public safety communications, its effects can be reduced by utilizing several best practices. This article first explains what TDI is before presenting some approaches that can help to overcome it.

    Critical as voice communications are for first responders, time-delay interference (TDI) is a technical effect that could potentially disrupt this vital link. Reducing the effects of TDI should therefore be a priority for all system integrators and design engineers who want to achieve maximum reliability for voice communications systems used in emergencies. In a distributed antenna system (DAS) for in-building wireless networks, there are several ways to reduce TDI to make sure first responders have a clear voice channel in any situation.

    Antenna isolation, system delay, and DAS “dominance” are some of the more important ways of mitigating TDI effects. Those will be explored further, but first, a review of the TDI causes will enable a greater capacity for problem solving.

    Reply
28. February 5, 2018 at 4:40 pm

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    DesignCon: SI, PI, EMI Have a Future Together
    https://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1332927

    Our insatiable appetite for more data drives engineers to develop ever-faster links. Each speed increase brings with it a new set of engineering problems to solve. In the early 2000s, 1 Gbps was fast. Today, engineers are developing connections that will run at 112 Gbps. Some even have an eye on the next speed jump.

    Each speed increase results in new issues in signal integrity (SI), power integrity (PI), and electromagnetic interference (EMI). No longer can engineers designing high-speed digital systems specialize in one discipline without some knowledge of the other two.

    It’s impossible to get through this kind of technical talk without hearing about IoT. Bogatin sees it as the fusion of technology and the internet, but it’s not just engineers getting into IoT. “Don’t forget about makers and enthusiasts,” he said. “They’re generally not engineers, but they are building things with technology. I love the maker movement.”

    As for the future of power integrity, Novak sees DC/DC converters being mounted directly on IC packages. This minimizes impedance and minimizes losses in power delivery. Such development might actually lead to the elimination of bypass capacitors.

    EMI engineering consultant Kenneth Wyatt said that we can no longer think of signal integrity, power integrity, and EMI as separate engineering specialties, at least with regard to design: “You can’t partition SI, PI, and EMI anymore. Power and signal return paths affect EMI, and many digital designers don’t understand that. Return current kills sensitivity in receivers, leading to ‘platform interference’ in systems.” He cited how vehicles have sensors, radar, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth, all of which must not interfere with each other or with other vehicle systems.

    “I don’t like gadgets,” said Alfred Neves of Wild River Technologies. “They complicate things.”

    Neves focused on today’s signal-integrity issues, claiming that signal integrity needs to be simplified for engineers to solve SI problems. A 50-Ω system can’t deviate by more than 2 Ω and still be viable. Many engineers don’t understand that. “Engineers need to learn electromagnetics and how to make measurements,” he claimed. “Instead of leaving work early on Friday afternoons, stay and teach yourself how to make measurements. That’s how I learned to use a vector-network analyzer (VNA).”

    Reply
29. February 6, 2018 at 9:56 am

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    Jisc to deploy Ciena 6500 Packet-Optical Platform for 400G wavelength connectivity
    http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2018/02/jisc-to-deploy-ciena-6500-packet-optical-platform-for-400g-wavelength-connectivity.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwave_service_providers_2018-02-05&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=1994789

    Ciena (NYSE: CIEN) says Jisc is deploying its WaveLogic Ai technology on the 6500 Packet-Optical Platform to deliver 400G wavelength connectivity. Jisc operates the Janet research and education network that supports approximately 18 million UK college and university users

    “Working with Ciena, the Janet Network was the first NREN to provide 100G for users and, as demand has grown, is now the first to provide 400G,” said Jeremy Sharp, Jisc network infrastructure director.

    Reply
30. February 6, 2018 at 3:53 pm

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    LGS to provide ground-to-space laser communications system for the International Space Station
    http://www.laserfocusworld.com/articles/2018/01/lgs-to-provide-ground-to-space-laser-communications-system-for-the-international-space-station.html?cmpid=enl_lfw_lfw_enewsletter_2018-02-06&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=1995324

    LGS Innovations (Herndon, VA) has been selected to support the NASA Integrated Laser Communication Relay Demonstration (LCRD) Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) User Modem and Amplifier (ILLUMA) project. For this pathfinder program, LGS will develop a free-space optical modem that will fly aboard the International Space Station as the first demonstration of a fully operational, end-to-end optical communications system. The ILLUMA modem will incorporate free-space laser communications and fiber laser technology from LGS.

    The ILLUMA program will use lasers to encode and transmit data at rates 10 to 100 times faster than today’s communications equipment, requiring significantly less mass and power than equivalent RF communications systems. The LGS Innovations optical modem will communicate data from the ISS to ground and back via the NASA LCRD satellite, which will fly in a geosynchronous orbit. This new capability will greatly increase the amount of scientific data transferred from the ISS, while supporting multiple channels of ultra-high-definition video to and from space.

    LGS Innovations Develops Free Space Optical Modem for NASA Satellite Communications
    https://www.lgsinnovations.com/lgs-innovations-develops-free-space-optical-modem-for-nasa-satellite-communications/

    The ILLUMA program will use lasers to encode and transmit data at rates 10 to 100 times faster than today’s communications equipment, requiring significantly less mass and power than equivalent RF communications systems. The LGS Innovations optical modem will communicate data from the ISS to ground and back via the NASA LCRD satellite, which will fly in a geosynchronous orbit.

    Reply
31. February 6, 2018 at 3:55 pm

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    Miniature optical frequency comb for integrated photonics can be used for quantum data encryption
    http://www.laserfocusworld.com/articles/2018/01/miniature-optical-frequency-comb-for-integrated-photonics-can-be-used-for-quantum-data-encryption.html?cmpid=enl_lfw_lfw_enewsletter_2018-02-06&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=1995324

    Researchers at the University of Southern California (USC; Los Angeles, CA ) Viterbi School of Engineering have invented a new method to create an optical frequency comb, a tool that increases the potential applications of lasers by converting a single wavelength into multiple wavelengths, effectively creating tens to hundreds of lasers from a single laser.1 The new frequency-comb generator consists of optical microcavities covered with monomolecular layers of highly nonlinear small organic molecules. The new device requires 1000x less power to operate than a conventional frequency-comb generator, allowing for mobile applications.

    The first applications of frequency combs focused on detecting trace amounts of chemicals and high-precision timekeeping; however, recently, a new application of great significance to society has emerged: quantum cryptography.

    Reply
32. February 7, 2018 at 12:28 pm

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    Carriers Step Away from ASICs
    Cavium, Mellanox support P4
    https://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1332932

    A group of telecom carriers will demonstrate at Mobile World Congress progress moving their networks off proprietary systems and on to open source software. The Open Networking Foundation (ONF) will show its latest code based on the P4 programming language running on systems using chips from Barefoot Networks, Cavium and Mellanox.

    The demo marks a significant change for ONF that initially based its work on its OpenFlow protocol. The group shifted last year to P4, an open source project launched by Barefoot, after vendors hit limits with OpenFlow.

    The group’s goal now is to evangelize support for P4 among networking leaders. Broadcom, the dominant vendor of merchant switch chips, is said to be showing interest in P4.

    So far Cisco, the leading provider of ASIC-based networking systems is not showing interest P4. ONF aims to cultivate an ecosystem of so-called white-box networking OEMs such as Quanta and Delta using its open source software.

    It’s still early days for ONF’s open source code for the style of edge-cloud networks carriers want to deploy. The so-called edge clouds aim to be more open, lower cost alternatives to the central offices carriers use today based largely on systems running a complex mix of ASICs and proprietary protocols.

    With the shift to P4, ONF has code for access networks in field trials but software for mobile core nets is still in the lab with trials a year or two away.

    “We learned a ton from OpenFlow, but it has limitations, so the community strategically shifted to P4 and the P4 runtime to solve problems in a more comprehensive way,” said Sloane, adding ONF is no longer actively developing the protocol.

    OpenFlow has been used by Google, China Mobile and others to access the data forwarding pipeline of networking ASICs. However, it cannot access all their functions and, unlike P4, it doesn’t enable programming that pipeline.

    “OpenFlow turned out to be non-deterministic with nuanced differences between systems so tiny adjustments were needed for different ASICs. That hampered the ability to bring on multiple suppliers. P4 is more deterministic and allows a complete definition of the forwarding pipeline,” he said.

    https://p4.org/

    Protocol Independent

    P4 programs specify how a switch processes packets.
    Target Independent

    P4 is suitable for describing everything from high- performance forwarding ASICs to software switches.
    Field Reconfigurable

    P4 allows network engineers to change the way their switches process packets after they are deployed.

    Reply
33. February 7, 2018 at 8:53 pm

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    IEEE 802.11ay
    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_802.11ay

    IEEE 802.11ay is a proposed enhancement to the current technical standards for wireless networks. It is the follow-up of 802.11ad adding four times the bandwidth and adding MIMO up to 4 streams.

    Reply
34. February 7, 2018 at 8:58 pm

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    NRZ is dead, but not everywhere
    https://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/rowe-s-and-columns/4460291/NRZ-is-dead–but-not-everywhere?utm_source=Aspencore&utm_medium=EDN&utm_campaign=social

    ,”NRZ is done. It’s over. Move on,” declared Ransom Stephens on January 30, the opening day of DesignCon 2018. For the 14th year, “The Case of the Closed Eye” panel convened on Santa Clara, CA.

    “Five years ago, PAM4 was a concept,” said Chris Loberg of Textronix as he opened the panel. “PAM4 is being deployed everywhere except in short-reach links.” Indeed, four-level pulse amplitude modulation (PAM4) has overtaken non-return-to-zero (NRZ, also called PAM2) modulation in all but the shortest distances over copper connections. PAM4 has become the standard, particularly in medium-haul and long-haul serial data links that run over fiber where each link transmits 50 to 56 Gbps per lane.

    “NRZ is not dead,” declared Intel’s Mike Li. “At 56 Gbps, NRZ is still good for ultra-short reach applications. You could use PAM4, but it’s expensive. NRZ circuits are much simpler.

    Broadcom’s Cathy Liu explained why PAM4 seems to be the modulations of choice, but that it has issues at 112 Gbps. “We ran experiments on PAM4, PAM8, and PAM16,” she said. “At PAM8 and PAM16, the eyes are simply too small and thus PAM4 took over when the industry moved to 56 Gbps.”

    “DSP is enabling PAM4 optical channels,” he said. “Reaches for 10 km, 40 km, and 80 km are enabled with DSP. We can also combine as many as 80 wavelengths on a fiber today. NRZ is dead in fiber. PAM4 and FEC are in.”

    Having established that PAM4 has won the battle in fiber-optic and other medium and long-reach applications

    Reply
35. February 9, 2018 at 9:06 am

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    Optowiz taps Terraphotonics Systems to bring ‘double density’ SFP/SFP+ optical transceivers to U.S.
    http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2018/02/optowiz-taps-terraphotonics-system-to-bring-double-density-sfp-sfp-optical-transceivers-to-u-s.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwave_enabling_technologies_2018-02-08&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=1999231

    Korean optical transceiver developer Optowiz has named Terraphotonics Systems Corp. as a sales and distribution agent in the U.S. for its double-density SFP/SFP+ optical transceivers. The transceivers split typical CWDM spectrum into two bands, enabling a single optical module to operate with the capacity of two transceivers.

    “The high density in general or specifically double-density HD-SFP products in two wavelengths (2WL) at the 1-Gbps up to 6-Gbps rates have been already developed and marketed in Korea but with virtually no exposure to Americas,” explains Adib Sharif, an international marketing executive with Terraphotonics. “Our business agreement with Optowiz in high-density optical transceiver products, including the newly released 10G HD-SFP+, will enable telecommunication service providers to increase their customers through doubling their fiber capacity by simply replacing their old conventional 10G 1WL SFP+ TRx with this new 10G 2WL HD-SFP+ TRx without any additional change in device or equipment on their present optical communication operations architecture.”

    Conventional 18-channel CWDM optical transceivers transmit or receive signals within a standard spectrum range, with each channel separated by 20 nm. Optowiz says it has developed a novel way of transmitting or receiving data on each of the 18 common CWDM channels by dividing each channel into high-band and low-band sub-channels. Thus, the 2WL transceivers can transmit on one sub-band (low-band) of each CWDM wavelength while receiving the data on the other sub-band (high-band).

    Reply
36. February 9, 2018 at 9:08 am

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    AI-Driven Virtual Assistant for Next-Generation Wireless Networks
    https://www.eeweb.com/profile/max-maxfield/articles/ai-driven-virtual-assistant-for-next-generation-wireless-networks

    Mist’s AI-driven virtual network assistant makes IT smarter and faster, thereby ensuring the best experience for wireless users.

    Although the company was only founded in 2014, the folks at Mist are making a big splash, most recently by introducing the wireless network industry’s first artificial intelligence (AI)-driven virtual network assistant (VNA).

    All of this underlying technology supports Mist’s latest breakthrough — the world’s first AI-driven VNA for wireless operations and integrated helpdesk. Powered by Mist’s AI engine, Marvis, Mist’s virtual network assistant is a new cloud-based micro-service that uses natural language processing (NLP) to make it easy to query the Mist global cloud for real-time monitoring of mobile client activity.

    In a nutshell, Mist’s AI-driven virtual network assistant uses data science to easily identify Wi-Fi issues, to understand the impact of wireless problems, to correlate events across the wireless/wired/mobile device/IoT domains, and to automatically generate alerts when it detects any anomalies.

    Reply
37. February 9, 2018 at 9:24 am

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    Affinegy intros vendor-agnostic managed WiFi
    http://www.broadbandtechreport.com/articles/2018/02/affinegy-intros-vendor-agnostic-managed-wifi.html?cmpid=enl_btr_weekly_2018-02-08&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24

    Affinegy says its CHARIOT release v6.5 delivers whole-home managed WiFi without locking broadband providers into single vendor or proprietary hardware. It features a patent-pending method of abstracting the proprietary features of WiFi gateways and access points.

    The CHARIOT Platform is designed to let providers choose any brand and model TR-069 CPE. It onboards new devices via the CHARIOT ACS that systematically neutralizes vendor-specific parameters and replaces them with CHARIOT Care/Home/WiFi user interfaces.

    Reply
38. February 9, 2018 at 9:55 am

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    Carriers Step Away from ASICs
    Cavium, Mellanox support P4
    https://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1332932

    A group of telecom carriers will demonstrate at Mobile World Congress progress moving their networks off proprietary systems and on to open source software. The Open Networking Foundation (ONF) will show its latest code based on the P4 programming language running on systems using chips from Barefoot Networks, Cavium and Mellanox.

    https://p4.org/

    Reply
39. February 9, 2018 at 10:14 am

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    World’s first WLAN signaling tester for IEEE 802.11ax
    https://www.eeweb.com/profile/eeweb/news/worlds-first-wlan-signaling-tester-for-ieee-802-11ax

    The R&S CMW270 wireless connectivity tester is the world’s first tester to emulate all IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac standards, including 802.11ax. In signaling mode, users can test the RF properties of WLAN stations under real-world conditions.

    Before now, the RF properties of WLAN stations (STA) were mainly tested in an artificial remote control operation, the non-signaling mode. For IEEE 802.11ax, this is only possible to a certain extent. IEEE 802.11ax uses OFDMA technology to significantly increase the efficiency of WLAN networks. The available bandwidth is shared between multiple STAs that simultaneously transmit to the access point. This requires precisely coordinated timing among all STAs, and power levels need to be individually controlled. The innovative IEEE 802.11ax presents new challenges for all those involved with testing WLAN components – from development to production.

    Rohde & Schwarz now presents a solution based on the well-established R&S CMW270 wireless connectivity tester, which has a newly extended bandwidth of 160 MHz. Users also need the new hardware option, the R&S CMW-B100H advanced measurement unit, which allows them to emulate an 802.11ax access point to test the RF properties and performance of a STA under realistic conditions. The R&S CMW270 can also simultaneously and comprehensively test other devices, e.g. Bluetooth® devices.

    Reply
40. February 9, 2018 at 3:53 pm

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    CommScope and Fluke Networks collaborate to optimize fiber optic cabling performance
    http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2018/02/commscope-and-fluke-networks-collaborate-to-optimize-fiber-optic-cabling-performance.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwave_datacom_2018-02-06&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=1996213

    CommScope (NASDAQ: COMM) says it has collaborated with test and measurement specialists Fluke Networks to optimize fiber-optic cabling performance. CommScope’s SYSTIMAX link loss calculator will be integrated into Fluke Networks’ Certifiber Pro optical loss test set and LinkWare Live cloud service.

    The CommScope SYSTIMAX calculator is a tool that computes total link loss performance for SYSTIMAX low and ultra-low loss systems. Performance targets determined by the proprietary test requirements surpass the industry standards, delivering support for high-speed data network applications and architectures, the company says.

    Reply
41. February 9, 2018 at 3:54 pm

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    Oclaro: Out with QSFP28 CWDM4, in with coherent DCO, 400G modules
    http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2018/02/oclaro-out-with-qsfp28-cwdm4-in-with-coherent-dco-400g-modules.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwave_datacom_2018-02-06&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=1996213

    Reply
42. February 13, 2018 at 5:06 pm

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    Cloud to be dominant form of data center traffic by 2021: Cisco
    http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/pt/2018/02/cloud-to-be-dominant-form-of-data-center-traffic-by-2021-cisco.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cim_data_center_newsletter_2018-02-13&pwhid=e8db06ed14609698465f1047e5984b63cb4378bd1778b17304d68673fe5cbd2798aa8300d050a73d96d04d9ea94e73adc417b4d6e8392599eabc952675516bc0&eid=293591077&bid=2002276

    The cloud, which already has had a dramatic impact on data traffic, will account for 95 percent of all data center traffic by 2021, according to a new report from Cisco.

    The Cisco Global Cloud Index (2016-2021) was released on Feb. 5, providing insight into cloud trends and data patterns. Cisco forecasts that global cloud data center traffic will grow from 6.0 zettabytes in 2016 to 18.9ZB per year by 2021.

    Reply
43. February 14, 2018 at 2:14 pm

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    Designing, manufacturing, and installing fiber connectivity solutions for future-readiness
    http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/print/volume-26/issue-1/features/technology/designing-manufacturing-and-installing-fiber-connectivity-solutions-for-future-readiness.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cim_data_center_newsletter_2018-02-13&pwhid=e8db06ed14609698465f1047e5984b63cb4378bd1778b17304d68673fe5cbd2798aa8300d050a73d96d04d9ea94e73adc417b4d6e8392599eabc952675516bc0&eid=293591077&bid=2002276

    How DCS guided a global energy company through a headquarters and data center installation project.

    “Our plan was to design for the future,” said Don Mokry, technical account manager for DCS. “Also, manageability—we not only design our products with a logical cable management infrastructure, we train our clients on the best practices in patching, cable routing, and the importance of using the correct-length patch cords to avoid clutter. We always have to keep that on the forefront of our minds when designing.”

    The design needed to support the following systems: mainframes; application and cloud servers; storage area network (SAN) and other data storage devices with fiber support for 4- and 8-Gbit Fibre Channel and a future move to 16-Gbit FC; and open systems with fiber support for 10- and 40-Gbit Ethernet, and eventually for 100-Gbit Ethernet.

    Tying these devices together required three custom-manufactured DCS Multi-Bay Patching Locations (CPLs). Instead of the client going with the standard open-relay racks with vertical wire managers that can be bought off the market, DCS customized the central patch so that it fit against their wall. Equipped with a series of open-frame racks with vertical cable management, the custom Multi-Bays have lockable, accordion doors for security, which can be open for patching, moves, adds, and changes. The one-sided design proved superior over the normal double-sided design because there are no obstacles between racks, and as the data center grows, more bays easily can be added.

    Also on the custom design lineup: a 10U Mimic Panel. If a customer puts in a big director-class switch, most vendors might offer a 4U panel that can provide 144 channels. But what happens if, for example, the customer needs 568 channels to be represented at its central patch? While other companies provide multiple 4Us, DCS doesn’t see the logic in that. That’s why we custom manufactured a 10U design, which is a much more logical pattern that matched the client’s switch. The result: Less documentation is needed and fewer cut sheets are needed. The 10U panel complemented the director-class switch, and instead of hooking it up to four different panels any time the client wanted to make an add, move, or a change and determining which of those four panels to go to, DCS simplified it by providing a 10U panel.

    “It’s a much more logical and physical pattern that matches their switch,” Mokry said.

    In total, 104 trunk cables provided 568 MTP connections, equaling 3,408 individual ports.

    Reply
44. February 15, 2018 at 7:12 pm

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    FCC looks to approve SpaceX’s satellite internet plan
    https://techcrunch.com/2018/02/14/fcc-looks-to-approve-spacexs-satellite-internet-plan/?ncid=rss&utm_source=tcfbpage&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29&utm_content=FaceBook&sr_share=facebook

    SpaceX is planning to send up a pair of its own satellites in this weekend’s launch, in order to test a proposed space-based broadband internet service. But if you want to get into the broadband business, first you have to get past its U.S. gatekeepers: the FCC. Fortunately for SpaceX, Chairman Ajit Pai is all for it.

    Reply
45. February 16, 2018 at 9:43 am

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    BGP Flaws Patched in Quagga Routing Software
    https://www.securityweek.com/bgp-flaws-patched-quagga-routing-software

    Several vulnerabilities that could lead to denial-of-service (DoS), information disclosure, and remote code execution have been patched this week in the Quagga routing software suite.

    Quagga implements the Open Shortest Path First (OSPF), Routing Information Protocol (RIP), Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) and Intermediate System to Intermediate System (IS-IS) protocols for Unix-like platforms, particularly Linux, Solaris, FreeBSD and NetBSD.

    Reply
46. February 16, 2018 at 12:06 pm

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    Fujikura Europe’s Hybrid FAST + Maintenance Free Cleaver system eliminates need for high-precision cleave tools
    http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2018/02/fujikura-europe-s-hybrid-fast-maintenance-free-cleaver-system-eliminates-need-for-high-precision-cleave-tools.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwave_enabling_technologies_2018-02-15&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2006078

    Fujikura Europe used the FTTH Conference 2018 in Valencia this week to launch its Hybrid FAST + Maintenance Free Cleaver (MFC) system to eliminate investments in high-precision cleave tools.

    High-precision cleave tools are costly, need periodical maintenance, and have the potential to be lost or stolen, asserts Fujikura Europe. The company asserts that by equipping its MFC with the connectors, no investment in high-precision cleave tools is required.

    Solid-state index matching gum combined with index matching gel decreases the chance of contamination impeding signals and fiber damage from excessive insertion force. According to Fujikura Europe, this combination also minimizes the likelihood of insufficient insertion loss (IL)/return loss (RL) due to a poor cleave condition when the MFC is not used.

    This new system is based on a holder system to reduce the risk of remedial work from incorrect cleave length and insertion force, for an improved chance of customer connections that are correct the first time, the company attests.

    Featuring a repeatable good end-face cleave condition and carry case design to protect from storage of the fiber clamp in the engaged position, the Hybrid FAST + MFC is also compact and user-friendly, says Fujikura Europe. A free stripping tool can be included in the installers kit when working with 250-µm fiber, and no further tools are needed aside from basic cable entry tools and fiber cleaning.

    Reply
47. February 16, 2018 at 12:07 pm

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    AFL launches FOCIS Duel fiber inspection microscope to minimize fiber handling operating costs
    http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2018/02/afl-launches-focis-duel-fiber-inspection-microscope-to-minimize-fiber-handling-operating-costs.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwave_enabling_technologies_2018-02-15&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2006078

    AFL’s field-ready, straightforward FOCIS Duel is the world’s first fiber inspection probe with two optical ports, says the company. With one port enhanced for fast subjective patch cord end-face inspection, the second port supports all the features of AFL’s FOCIS Flex inspection system, which AFL launched in 2014

    According to AFL, its FOCIS Duel has female “plug-in” fiber-optic connector adapters for rapid end-face inspection operation, and LC adapters to mechanically accommodate the duplex LC connectors typically used in data centers. With no moving parts and no operator adjustments needed to provide automatic image analysis to industry standards and custom criteria, FOCIS Duel supports time-sensitive, rugged environments.

    Reply
48. February 16, 2018 at 12:08 pm

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    APAC and EMEA hot, North America not for 2017 optical systems sales: Cignal AI
    http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2018/02/apac-and-emea-hot-north-america-not-for-2017-optical-systems-sales-cignal-ai.html?cmpid=enl_lightwave_lightwave_enabling_technologies_2018-02-15&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=2006078

    Sales strength in Asia and the Europe/Middle East/Africa (EMEA) region battled unexpected softness in North America to determine the fate of optical hardware systems vendors in 2017, according to the latest “Optical Hardware Report” from Cignal AI. The former won out, as optical network systems sales tallied just over $13 billion in 2017, up 3% from 2016.

    “One of the biggest surprises in 2017 was massive spending growth in China. Despite slumping purchases from component manufacturers, Chinese optical vendors Huawei and ZTE reported record levels of revenue. A strong component sales rebound should be expected if this divergence was a result of excess inventory,” said Andrew Schmitt, lead analyst for Cignal AI.

    Reply
49. February 16, 2018 at 1:58 pm

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    Substantial momentum perceived in fiber-optic security market
    http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/pt/2018/01/substantial-momentum-perceived-in-fiber-optic-security-market.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cim_data_center_newsletter_2018-02-05&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=1994108

    Persistence Market Research has announced the release of its “Fiber Optic Security Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 2017-2025″ report.

    The report categorizes the fiber-optic security market into physical layer and data layer segments. Per the report’s summary, “Physical layer fiber-optic security refers to the security of the cable itself in case of fiber splicing, bending, or clamping. Data layer fiber-optic security refers to the tapping of optical fiber by intruding the flow of data.”

    The analyst adds, “Presently, the fiber-optic security market is experiencing moderate growth globally, with considerably high adoption in developed regions. But, in the forecast period the fiber-optic security market is expected to gain momentum.” Key vertical markets mentioned by the report include government, defense, banking and finance, and telecommunications.

    The analyst notes, “Deploying fiber-optic cables in itself is extremely expensive, and investing further in the security of these cables increases the overall cost to a great extent. High cost of deployment and maintenance is an important challenge in the fiber-optic security market. Developing intelligent physical layer fiber monitoring solutions is [also] an imperative trend.”

    Fiber Optic Security Market to Perceive Substantial Growth During

    Persistence Market Research has announced the addition of the “Fiber Optic Security Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 2017-2025″report to their offering
    https://industrytoday.co.uk/market-research-industry-today/fiber-optic-security-market-to-perceive-substantial-growth-during-/85778/85778

    Reply
50. February 16, 2018 at 1:59 pm

    Tomi Engdahl says:

    TestPro 100 validates copper links for 2.5G, 5G, 10G, and 90W PoE
    http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/2018/02/aem-testpro-100-5g-10-90w-poe-tester.html?cmpid=enl_cim_cim_data_center_newsletter_2018-02-05&pwhid=6b9badc08db25d04d04ee00b499089ffc280910702f8ef99951bdbdad3175f54dcae8b7ad9fa2c1f5697ffa19d05535df56b8dc1e6f75b7b6f6f8c7461ce0b24&eid=289644432&bid=1994108
    https://www.aem.com.sg/test-and-measurement-solutions

    Reply