Optical Whiteboxes in Pursuit of

Disaggregated Open Networks Madhu Krishnaswamy

Senior Director, Product Line Management

Sept 20, 2016

© 2016 Lumentum Operations LLC 2

Outline

Applicability of disaggregated open networking

Ecosystem & interop activity in aid of open networking

Change in management models

Benefits & Challenges

Summary

© 2016 Lumentum Operations LLC 3

Optics

Control Apps Mgmt AppsConfig Apps

Dissagregated

Whitebox

Merchant Silicon

Local Control

SDN Interfaces

Open or Disaggregated Optical Networks and Optical Whiteboxes

Proprietary,

Integrated

Systems

Network Controller

Significant market activity

exploring separation of

hardware, network control

software and application

software.

Multiple consortia being

formed to align on framework

for open networking.

Active participation from all

layers of the optical networking

value chain – operators,

system vendors, integrators,

component / subsystem

vendors, CMs – will be critical

for success.

Standard Interface

© 2016 Lumentum Operations LLC 4

Applicability of Open Networking

POLICY

ORCHESTRATION

APP APP APP

SDN CONTROLLER

Netconf/OFNetconf/OFNetconf/OF

EMS

RESOURCES AVAILABILITY ANALYTICS

High networking complexity

(Metro / Edge)

Agility and flexibility of

deployment very important

Close coupling between hardware

and software, but less emphasis

on control plane coordination

Hardware differentiation depends

on application-specific complexity

Moderate / low networking

complexity (DCI)

Agility and flexibility of

deployment of maximum

importance

Individual NEs as object models

Hardware differentiation depends

on application-specific complexity

Highest networking complexity

(LH, P-OTP)

Tight coupling between

hardware, software, and control

plane to maximize optical

performance

Broad scope for hardware

differentiation

Least Disaggregated Most Disaggregated

© 2016 Lumentum Operations LLC 5

Open ROADM MSA

Targeted at metro/edge applications (100G

QPSK, <500km, highly meshed connectivity).

Photonic layer (WSS, Amps) HW

disaggregated from Tx/Rx HW (lineside and

client)

Network management SW disaggregated

from networking equipment HW.

SDN Controller replaces vendor-specific

control plane and Element Management

System.

MSA Specs (Optical, OSC, Yang models)

are available at www.openroadm.org

“Open ROADM project has at its core the drive towards faster pace innovation and competition, as

well as increased volumes through mass adoption, coupled with optical layer flexibility and software

control to overcome all the disadvantages of today's ROADM systems”.

Open ROADM

defines and specifies

these interfaces

© 2016 Lumentum Operations LLC 6

Open ROADM Interop (OFC’16)

ROADM

Vendor 2

ROADM

Vendor 1

ROADM

Vendor 3Transponder

Vendor 2

Transponder

Vendor 3

Transponder

Vendor 1

Adaptation (as needed)

SDN Controller /

Orchestrator

© 2016 Lumentum Operations LLC 7

Telecom Infrastructure Project (TIP)

“The Telecom Infra Project (TIP) is an engineering-focused initiative driven by operators,

infrastructure providers, system integrators, and other technology companies that aim to

reimagine the traditional approach to building and deploying telecom network infrastructure”

Open Line

System

Independent

Lineside/Client

Optics

Independent

Lineside/Client

Optics

Open Packet Optical Transport Working Group

SDN Controller /

Orchestrator

http://www.telecominfraproject.com/

© 2016 Lumentum Operations LLC 8

Open Line System

Line System Control & Management

SDN Controller / Orchestrator

Vendor A

Transponder

Control &

Management

(NEM)

Transponder

Control &

Management

(NEM)

Op

tic

al

Inte

rfac

e S

pe

cs O

ptic

al In

terfa

ce

Sp

ec

s

Op

en

Mg

mt

Inte

rfac

es

Open Mgmt Interfaces

Op

en

Mg

mt

Inte

rfaces

Alignment needed on Optical Interface Specs &

Open Management Interfaces.Vendor C

Vendor B

Vendor C

Vendor A

Vendor B

Terminal Amp

(TA)

Terminal Amp

(TA)

Line Amp

(LA)

optional

80 km 80 km

Mux/

Demux

Mux/

Demux

Open Mgmt Interfaces

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Open Line System Interop Activity

19 super-channels8QAM 16QAM

Validated OSNR, end-to-end connectivity,

reach and successful error-free data

transmission for seamless performance

over metro distances.

© 2016 Lumentum Operations LLC 10

Traditional Management Model

DCN Network

Vendor

NMS #2

Custom S/W

OSS

Vendor

NMS #3

Multiple closed systems

Requires ongoing investment to manage integration of

various layers

Slow to develop new features – requires development on

multiple proprietary systems

Coherent

Transponder

Proprietary OSC

(SNMP, TL1, CORBA, OSI etc.)

Vendor

NMS #1

© 2016 Lumentum Operations LLC 11

SDN Management Model

Ethernet OSC

(NETCONF over SSH)

DCN Network

SDN Orchestrator

User API’sFlexible open-sourced platforms

Fewer layers of software to manage

Faster time to market for new features

Value-added API’s remain property of the network operator

© 2016 Lumentum Operations LLC 12

Benefits Across the Value Chain

INTRA-DC

(Servers/Switches)LH METRO / EDGE DCI / ENTERPRISE

Deployment Agility

& Customization

Flexibility

Faster Innovation

Cycles

Supply Chain

Diversity & Value

Chain Clarity

Commodity

Hardware ?

SDN CONTROLLER

Netconf/OF Netconf/OF

EMS

WHITEBOX

ACTIVITY

© 2016 Lumentum Operations LLC 13

Key Challenges

Network-level integration of disaggregated elements.

Recalibration of effort & value in a disaggregated paradigm.

Convergence of software interfaces, protocols, and data models.

Preserving room for differentiation within open networking.

© 2016 Lumentum Operations LLC 14

Summary

Significant market activity exploring separation of optical

hardware, network control software and application software.

Disaggregated open networking has the potential for enhancing

deployment flexibility & agility, and innovation cycle times.

Multiple consortia now pursuing framework for open networking,

with several interop activity and announcements.

Active participation from all layers of the optical networking value

chain will be critical for success.

Thank You!