Cisco Disrupts Optical Transport with Innovative Modular Platforms

The constant need for more bandwidth is driving innovation in networking platforms, providing more value through increased flexibility, scale and automation.

Network operators are rapidly adopting automation features using the Cisco^® Network Convergence System (NCS) 1000 series, with more than 4 petabits per second (Pbps) of capacity already deployed globally across mission-critical applications. Automated capabilities for model-based provisioning and streaming telemetry have enabled zero-touch provisioning and enhanced network visibility for both routing and optical. This drives a much lower OpEx model by allowing current staff to operate and maintain larger networks.

Enhanced automation is key to redefining the optical network. Today Cisco introduced two new modular platforms to its NCS 1000 series to help providers maximize their fiber investment, while adding automation capabilities for the ROADM-based mesh topologies prevalent in metro and long-haul networks to support self-optimization, and ultimately self-healing capabilities.

What’s new:

• Cisco NCS 1004
     –  A transponder platform that packs more than 100 Tbps of capacity into a single seven-foot rack
  –  Can transmit 4.8 Tbps within a 2RU platform, with a total fiber capacity of 76.8 Tbps
  –  Support for 600G interfaces
  –  Delivers secure optical transport with line rate encryption
  –  With flexible modulation, providers can now tune their capacity and distance requirements in 50G increments, enabling universal applications from metro to long-haul to subsea
• Cisco NCS 1010
     –  By exploiting the full spectrum with this open line system, Cisco has developed a method to ease the operational complexities associated with increasing capacity, while simultaneously enabling the velocity of feature deployments across the entire optical network
  –  Features a full colorless, directionless and contentionless (CDC) ROADM with an enhanced modular operational model that can ease the complexities of deploying massive bandwidth
• Industry Leading Automation and Telemetry
     –  Leverages Cisco Crosswork automation platform
  –  Automation across both routing and optical layers

“Providers are under increasing pressure to innovate and be competitive to support web-scale applications and cloud services. Cisco has created a competitive environment with the NCS 1000 series, and Windstream is taking advantage of those solutions,” said Buddy Bayer, senior vice president, Transport Engineering, Windstream. “This platform has features such as streaming telemetry in Cisco IOS XR, massive density, and a small footprint that delivers 600G support for metro, long haul, and submarine applications.”

“Customers like Windstream increasingly value the benefits of automation to help them do things faster and more efficiently, as they strive to meet demands for increasing capacity,” said Bill Gartner, vice president and general manager, Optical Systems and Optics, Cisco Service Provider Business. “With the new NCS platform, we are uniquely positioned with leading performance, density, programmability and automation across our optical and routing platforms to help service providers optimize their networks on multiple layers.”

Cisco is leading the disruption in the industry with our technology innovations in systems; silicon; software and security; and our unrivalled expertise in mass-scale networking, automation, optical, optics, cable access, video, and mobility. Together with our portfolio of professional services, we can enable service providers, media and web companies to reduce cost and complexity, help secure their networks, and grow revenue.