Juniper Networks touts converged supercore via PTX3000 and 100G OTN DWDM card

Juniper Networks (NYSE: JNPR) is using OFC/NFOEC in Anaheim, CA, this week to show off what a company source asserted is the realization of the Converged Supercore concept Juniper introduced at the show two years ago (see “PTX Series Packet Transport Switch starts Juniper Networks down packet-optical transport path”). The company has reached this milestone with the introduction of the PTX3000 Packet Transport Router and an integrated packet-transport physical interface card that supports both 100 Gigabit Ethernet (100GbE) and Optical Transport Network (OTN) functionality. The PTX3000 offers 24 Tbps of capacity in a package that’s 10.6 inches deep. The platform brings the label-switch routing benefits of the PTX5000 to applications that don’t require the larger system’s capacity or where space and energy requirements drive the need for an option that is physically smaller and requires less power (the company is quoting 1200 W of “entry power”). Such scenarios include metro networks, colocation facilities, and Tier 2 and 3 carriers, says Mike Marcellin, vice president of product marketing at Juniper Networks (adding that Tier 1s should find use for the new system as well). At least one market analyst has given the PTX3000 a thumbs up. “Traffic patterns in metro networks are rising at such a high rate that requirements in the IP metro core are similar to those of previous IP backbone core networks,” said Michael Howard, principal analyst, Infonetics Research, via a Juniper Networks press release. “The PTX3000 packet transport router has clearly achieved a new packaging density for core routers, with capacity to scale up to 24 Tbps in an energy-efficient, half-rack, 300-mm ETSI form factor. We expect that these characteristics will draw the consideration of service providers as they redesign their metro networks for the future.” Meanwhile, the packet-transport card is the result of Juniper Networks’ oft-discussed internal optical networking technology effort. The card offers two ports of 100GbE forwarding with a 2000-km reach. Marcellin says the card will fit into both the PTX3000 and the PTX5000. However, the company will continue to sell the external optical interface unit developed with ADVA Optical Networking, giving what Marcellin termed “an architectural choice” to customers. Juniper Networks will show the PTX platform interworking with optical systems from ADVA and Nokia Siemens Networks (soon to be Coriant). Both the PTX3000 and the 100G transport card will be available in the second half of this year. Marcellin says his company is working with potential customers on trials of beta versions of the new products. He says some current customers of the PTX5000 – announced customers include LINX, Optus, Verizon, and XO Communications – have already expressed interest in the smaller system. And at least one of those announced customers was willing to be quoted on the PTX series overall as part of the PTX3000 announcement. "Our business continuously evolves at the escalating pace of mobility and emerging cloud-based applications. Our enterprise customers need communications services that will scale on-demand and remain highly reliable, which means our network core must have a simple architecture, be automated, and function with minimal changes,” said Randy Nicklas, chief technology officer at XO Communications, in the aforementioned Juniper press release. “Juniper's PTX Series routers enable us to meet our vision to rapidly deliver advanced communications services to customers. Our Juniper Supercore will improve our customers' experience and offers the flexibility to deliver more competitive solutions in the future." For more information on routers and suppliers, visit the Lightwave Buyer’s Guide.