Press & News

Beyond Next-Generation Packet Optical Transport Systems: Introducing Optimized Multi-Layer Transport Platforms

​PETACH TIKVA, ISRAEL, November 8, 2011

ECI Telecom, a global provider of next-generation network solutions, introduced today its vision for the true convergence of the packet and optical layers in the network – the Optimized Multi-Layer Transport system, or OMLT. The OMLT targets the shortcomings of today’s packet-optical transport system (P-OTS) to address service providers’ needs and challenges as they introduce new services in a timely and cost-effective way.

ECI is introducing today the Apollo family of OMLT platforms. Complementing ECI’s 1Net framework, the Apollo family of OMLTs answers our customers’ needs for a fully integrated, multi-layer system, simplifying operations and increasing return on investment.

HIGHLIGHTS

OMLT benefits to service providers:

​​The OMLT goes beyond next-generation packet-transport optical systems, to
     support the exponential growth of bandwidth in all networks, fueled primarily by the
     increased consumption of multimedia services across various sectors and device
     types, including the evolution to 4G in mobile networks
The OMLT aims at significantly reducing the infrastructure costs of networks by
     optimizing the whole (multi-layered) architecture instead of the individual parts
     (layers), thus restoring the profitability that was eroded by declining ‘revenue per bit’
​The OMLT addresses the increased pressure on revenues and profits due to the
     high equipment and operations costs of networks
​The OMLT accelerates and simplifies the process of introducing and maintaining 
     new services in an increasingly competitive market

The OMLT achieves these targets by focusing on the true convergence of network layers to reduce the cost of building and operating networks. By integrating Layer 0 to Layer 3 functionality in a single platform, service providers can reduce capex, opex and cost per bit. The platform provides a modular and flexible system design that enables a low entry cost and ‘pay as you grow’ scalability for added functionality. It also presents a single management system for all network layers, allowing new services to be introduced quickly and maintained easily.

ECI Solutions

ECI is introducing the Apollo family of OMLT platforms. Part of the 1Net framework to address our customers’ day-to-day and strategic networking pain points, the Apollo family features six platforms for an end-to-end access-to-long-haul solution:

Apollo OPT9603 – A compact OMLT system for metro access. It provides cost-effective aggregation of TDM and Ethernet/MPLS over OTN and WDM.

Apollo OPT9604 – Metro-edge OMLT that provides cost-effective aggregation of TDM, Ethernet and IP/MPLS over OTN and WDM. It can be configured as a pure optical networking platform (with OTN, ROADM and high-capacity WDM capabilities), a CESR with 50Gbps packet switching capacity, or an integrated packet-optical solution.

Apollo OPT9608 – Metro-edge OMLT that provides cost-effective aggregation of TDM, Ethernet and IP/MPLS over OTN and WDM. It can be configured as a pure optical networking platform (with OTN, ROADM and high-capacity WDM capabilities), a CESR with 100Gbps packet switching capacity, or an integrated packet-optical solution.

Apollo OPT9624 – OMLT for the metro, metro core and long-haul portions of the network. It provides cost-effective aggregation of TDM, Ethernet and IP/MPLS over OTN and WDM. It can be configured as a pure optical networking platform (with OTN, ROADM and high-capacity WDM capabilities), a multi-terabit ODU cross-connect with full WDM capability, a CESR with 100Gbps and multi-terabit packet switching capacity, or an integrated packet-optical solution.

Apollo OPT9648 – High-capacity OMLT system for the metro core and long-haul portions of the network. It provides cost-effective aggregation of TDM, Ethernet and IP/MPLS over OTN and WDM. It can be configured as a pure optical networking platform (with OTN, ROADM and high-capacity WDM capabilities), a multi-terabit ODU cross-connect with full WDM capability, a CESR with multi-terabit packet switching capacity, or an integrated packet-optical solution.

Artemis 1P/2Pe – Compact passive optical platforms providing a cost-effective solution for passive modules. Artemis platforms are available in different form factors, and accordingly optimized. They can be installed with any Apollo platform or as a standalone on top of any other equipment, to provide a passive WDM solution.

LightSoft unified network management system - Graphical automated end-to-end provisioning and management across network layers and technologies. LightSoft’s multi-layer interface allows the user to get multiple physical and logical views of the network, facilitating the visualization of connections and correlations between different network layers.

1Net consultancy services, planning services, and network design – Offered to assist operators in the charting of their specific migration path, through building the business cases, network design, network audit and traffic analysis and optimization.

​EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVES

The OMLT provides an efficient and manageable transport solution that is purpose-built, to overcome the shortcomings of P-OTS which have been widely noted by industry experts:

"Packet-optical transport systems were on target in trying to address the right issues; namely, packaging efficiencies, multi-layer integration, and a path to convergence. But these platforms were usually repurposed from existing data or optical portfolios, so the P-OTS architecture often involved inherent compromises that could lead to high first-in cost, stranded assets, cost efficiency that might decrease as the traffic mix changed, and inefficient OAM. They were a conceptual step in the right direction, but fell short of the goal."
- David Dunphy, Principal Analyst and Managing Partner, Telecom Strategy Partners

The design philosophy for the OMLT has targeted reducing TCO and enabling operators to roll out advanced services. ECI’s primary goal is to help operators generate new revenue streams more profitably:

“The idea behind the OMLT was to create a platform that addresses our customers’ pain points – a purpose-built solution that would integrate network layers to reduce the cost of building and operating their networks. Savings will come from eliminating integration costs, from streamlining procedures and training, from reducing network elements and from lowering power requirements. The ultimate goal is reduced total cost of ownership, to decrease the cost per bit and make advanced services profitable. We are bringing a revolutionary concept to the market, integrating a highly scalable and modular optical networking and CESR solution.”
- Oren Marmur, Head of Optical Networking & CESR Lines of Business, ECI Telecom

The ECI OMLT’s strong multi-layer functionality and practical and flexible modular design have been recognized for making significant improvements in packet-optical transport:

"Because it has been purpose-built as a multi-layer transport platform with an innovative modular design, ECI's OMLT overcomes many of the challenges of the P-OTS. Combining extensive optical capabilities, OTN switching and end-to-end IP/MPLS or MPLS-TP and IP/MPLS, the OMLT offers integrated multi-layer management views and extends the best concepts of the SDH OAM model equally well across the packet and optical layers. The result: less potential for stranded assets, smoother and more cost-efficient scalability regardless of the evolving traffic mix, simple and intuitive manageability, and a more seamless migration to convergence at whatever pace makes sense for each operator."
- David Dunphy, Principal Analyst and Managing Partner, Telecom Strategy Partners

About ECI Telecom