The Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF) and the Open Networking Foundation (ONF) have joined forces to tackle transport software-defined networking (SDN). The two groups are collaborating throughout 2014 on a global Transport SDN demonstration in several carrier-hosted labs.
"We expect SDN, in tandem with network functions virtualization (NFV), to shape the future of telecommunications networks," said Vishnu Shukla, of Verizon and OIF president. "It is exciting to have these two prominent groups combining resources, innovative thinking and industry support to put together a very relevant and important demo."
The testing, which will begin in late August in a number of unidentified global carrier labs, will leverage the OIF ‘s carrier representation, knowledge of transport networks, and worldwide interoperability testing experience for optical equipment, and ONF’s expertise in the OpenFlow protocol and SDN architecture. OpenFlow extensions for optical transport developed in the ONF Optical Transport Working Group will be prototyped in the demo.
"We are pleased to join forces with the OIF, who have been contributing to our efforts to extend OpenFlow to support optical transport networks," said Dan Pitt, executive director of the Open Networking Foundation. "The OIF/ONF Transport SDN demonstration will showcase how transport networks will benefit from SDN and NFV."
The two groups seek to make the network more programmable to enable a new era of dynamic services. One such application is bandwidth-on-demand services that effectively address inter-enterprise bandwidth peaks such as data transfer between data centers, while optimizing precious network resources. Additional goals are to increase network efficiency and agility, decrease opex, maximize revenue generation, and improve return on investment.
The OIF is currently working on several initiatives supporting Transport SDN, including a carrier-driven requirements document and an SDN Framework document identifying SDN application programming interfaces for a carrier environment (see "OIF members define Transport SDN needs, start on framework" and "OIF advances work on SDN and 100G/400G").
ONF currently has a number of carrier-focused initiatives underway, including SDN transport, mobile and wireless network applications, carrier-grade SDN, and large-scale network migration.
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Want to learn more about SDN innovation? Attend the Lightwave Optical Innovation Summit
The Lightwave Optical Innovation Summit will feature panels and presentations that will illuminate where optical innovation is required in carrier and enterprise/data center networks, what it should look like, and when it might appear. A wide range of experts from the user, technology development, academic, and analyst communities will offer their views on innovation in a variety of areas, including optical SDN. Find out more about the Summit, which will be held in Austin, TX, July 14-16, at the Lightwave Optical Innovation Summit website.