Nortel Networks targets Optical Cross Connect HDX for large and small core offices
April 22, 2004 Ottawa, Ontario -- Nortel Networks has unveiled key advancements across its Optical Cross Connect HDX optical switching platform--enhancements aimed at giving service providers a competitive edge by offering a variety of scalability options to speed delivery of revenue-generating services and yield immediate capital and operating expense reductions.
"Nortel Networks has demonstrated its leadership within the optical marketplace through its broad range of easy-to-deploy, cost-effective, innovative optical networking platforms," contends Patrick Matthews, senior analyst, the Yankee Group. "Offering a comprehensive optical switching portfolio that meets customer requirements in small and large core offices is essential to gaining momentum in this market."
According to Nortel, its HDX portfolio offers unique network intelligence capabilities at the transport layer that facilitate automated set-up of end-to-end service paths across an optical switching network, enabling rapid delivery of differentiated services. Specifically, the platform supports flexible protection and restoration options--including ring and mesh --that are fully aligned with current SONET and SDH operational processes for Class of Service (CoS) differentiation that balances bandwidth efficiency and restoration speeds, while providing superior flexibility in end-user Service Level Agreement (SLA) control.
Additional new features include an Optical Cross Connect HDX extension shelf--HDXc--that supports an expanded set of configuration options to deliver optical switching solutions ranging from 200 Gbits/sec to 5 Tbits/secIof switching capacity per node. HDXc leverages the same architecture, hardware modules, software, intelligent networking, and network management technology as Nortel Networks' HDX. It can be deployed in standalone applications to support the requirements of smaller core offices or installed in conjunction with HDX to provide a scalable path to support the multi-terabit capacity needs of larger offices.
"Accelerating the delivery of next-generation IP services is one of our top initiatives," reports Carl Condon, vice president, Technology Development, Bell Canada. "To bring these services to market quickly and cost effectively, we require an efficient, flexible and dynamic end-to-end optical foundation, of which the intelligent HDX portfolio is a key component," he says. E
"Today's developments address important requirements for incumbent and greenfield customers to transform their networks using advanced optical technology to win new revenue opportunities," adds Philippe Morin, general manager, Optical Networks, Nortel Networks. "We've remained committed to consistently bringing innovation to this product line specifically in response to our customers' requests for end-to-end integrated inter-office and core networks optical switching."