ZTE’s software-defined optical network solution passes global interoperability test

ZTE Corporation says that the company’s new software-defined optical network (SDON) controller solution has successfully completed the global interoperability test of the Open Internetworking Forum (OIF) and Open Networking Foundation (ONF).

The new SDON controller, based on an advanced Elastic Network control architecture which complies with the latest industry standards, demonstrated its capabilities that enable operators to manage their networks with greater openness, improved flexibility and coordination. Through the integration of optical transport network (OTN) technology and SDN architecture, ZTE’s SDON controller provides open support to upper-level multi-domain controller/service orchestration and applications, while simultaneously offering centralised control of hierarchical network interoperability. The new solution is built on ZTE’s industry-first PCE (path computation element) control solution for optical transport networks, which was released in 2013.

The OIF and ONF tests were hosted in the laboratories of TELUS, Verizon, Deutsche Telekom, China Mobile and China Telecom. ZTE was one of nine solution providers to participate in the test, which demonstrated the interoperability of cross-regional and multi-vendor bandwidth-on-demand (BoD) services, more dynamic network adaptability, improved network O&M (operations and management) efficiency, and the potential for reduced operating expense for operators.

"ZTE will continue to pursue the development of SDON technology, helping operators manage their networks and services more intelligently to create increased value,” said Xu Ming, General Manager of ZTE’s Bearer Network Products division. "SDON is a key enabling solution in the development of intelligent optical network pipeline technology.”

In the test, the ZTE SDON controller also showed flexible support for open interfaces such as Openflow and RESTful CVNI (Control Virtual Network Interface) and CDPI (Control Data Plane Interface). It opens its network to multiple users at the same time, provides the interfaces to support many application forms and requirements, and supports cross-operator, cross-vendor service interoperability.

ZTE’s SDON solution is designed to meet the needs of customers, enabling the evolution to next-generation networks, helping operators protect their existing network investments while building future-oriented smart, efficient, open optical networks.

To drive the development of SDON technology, ZTE will focus on the following areas:
· Providing centralised network control and management to improve O&M efficiency.
· Increasing network flexibility, reducing ineffective traffic and ineffective traffic treatment, optimising networks and improving resource utilisation efficiency.
· Integrating and opening network resources, providing service innovation and rapid deployment, enhancing user experience and increasing revenue.