Back haul infrastructure provider Ciena has released a metro transport platform it claims will help operators address the growing demand for increased bandwidth in cloud and video streaming.
The 8700 Packetwave is a multi-terabit switching platform that combines Ciena’s 100G WaveLogic optics and photonic technologies with 100GbE and 10GbE packet aggregation and switching. The platform can be used with Ciena’s V-WAN software for on-demand cloud service connectivity.
The platform, which leverages Ciena’s Service-Aware Operating System, OneControl Unified Management System, and SLA portal, would also "significantly" reduce capital and operational costs as well as simplifying training and services management.
Michael Howard, principal analyst and co-founder of Infonetics, said: "Since it is the first product of its kind to combine leading optics with scalable, programmable Ethernet switching, we expect that service providers will want to consider the platform for tackling the growing complexity of router-based networks, while at the same time addressing the need to cut power and space costs."
Francois Locoh-Donou, SVP of global products at Ciena, added: "The metro network is the new battleground and we are taking the best of the data centre with the best of the metro to create a new, disruptive market opportunity and set the benchmark for metro core network builds."
