PacketExchange is the first UK carrier to install ADVA's next-generation SONET/SDH platform
October 6, 2004 Martinsried/Munich, Germany and Mahwah, NJ-- ADVA Optical Networking announced international network service provider PacketExchange as the first UK carrier to deploy ADVA's Fiber Service Platform (FSP) 1500 system. PacketExchange has recently deployed four FSP 1500 systems for the provision of Ethernet services across its legacy SDH network, a connectivity link over resilient submarine cable between Dublin and London that was purchased from the Irish Government.
To meet growing customer demand, PacketExchange wanted to expand and enhance its existing SDH links by replacing the STM-1 links with 5 Gbits/sec of capacity. The new, higher-speed and higher-capacity links were necessary to support a range of new international connectivity service offerings to businesses, Internet service providers (ISPs), and internet content providers in Ireland. The international network service provider has also recently launched I²X, the world's first International InternetExchange, to generate new opportunities for internet businesses in Ireland. I²X is powered by ProXimity, PacketExchange's unique wide area peering service.
The challenge PacketExchange faced was how to cost-effectively utilize its installed high-capacity links between Dublin and London in line with its Layer 2 connectivity offerings, without needing to invest in costly and complex new router equipment to handle SDH interfaces for data applications. The solution was to install four FSP 1500 systems to bypass existing infrastructure by deploying application-specific platforms and dedicating bandwidth to support new traffic. Installed at points of presence, the FSP 1500 serves as a termination site for next-generation SDH transport networks. The installation was carried out by ADVA partner Telindus and PacketExchange in two stages, with each stage taking only three days to complete.
"The main driver behind PacketExchange deploying ADVA's FSP 1500 was product availability - ADVA's FSP 1500 is the best-fit solution for us in delivering these Ethernet services over SDH at an appropriate cost base," said Jason Velody, chief technology officer at PacketExchange.
The ADVA FSP 1500 is a carrier-class, next-generation SDH/SONET access system for the seamless aggregation of up to eight high-speed data, storage and video applications on a combined STM-16/OC-48 interface. Leveraging three new ITU-standard technologies - GFP, Virtual Concatenation (VCAT) and Link Capacity Adjustment Scheme (LCAS) - the FSP 1500 enables metropolitan service providers to leverage their existing SDH/SONET networks in introducing new high-bit-rate data services and continuing to support traditional voice services. FSP 1500 is suitable for deployment in point-to-point, add/drop and ring topologies. The solution's small single-unit footprint and hot-swappable, small form-factor pluggable optical interfaces enable service providers to more simply and flexibly evolve to customer application requirements.