Juniper Networks provides multilayer data center interconnect approach

Juniper Networks (NYSE: JNPR) unveiled Open Cloud Interconnect, its new data center interconnect (DCI) approach, at last week's OFC 2017 in Los Angeles. The DCI strategy, which involves optical transmission upgrades to several platforms as well as open and programmable routing, switching, security, and virtualization capabilities, differs from those of most optical transport systems vendors in that Juniper is taking a coordinated multilayer approach to data center interconnect requirements, company sources say.

Open Cloud Interconnect encompasses a variety of Juniper Networks platforms, including MX Series 3D Universal Edge Routers, QFX Series Switches, BTI7800 packet-optical transport platforms (acquired when the company bought BTI Systems in 2016) and Contrail Networking SDN-enabled management and control software.

The optical transmission upgrades for Open Cloud Interconnect apply to the QFX10000and BTI7800. The QFX10000 Coherent DWDM Line Card supports 1.2 Tbps of optical capacity with six ports of up to 200 Gbps each. The new line card enables the QFX1000 to combine DCI-optimized Ethernet VPN (EVPN), VXLAN, and MacSec security with coherent DWDM transmission.

The UFM6 line card for the BTI7800 series, meanwhile, is a new muxponder/transponder that supports 10 configurable 10/100 Gigabit Ethernet client ports and two 200-Gbps coherent DWDM ports. The UFM6 also supports SD-FEC to support metro, regional, and long-haul spans up to 2000 km. The card is fully interoperable with Juniper and third-party coherent DWDM line cards, the company says.

To tie together the platform elements of Open Cloud Interconnect, Juniper has enabled its proNX Service Manager software to manage coherent optical interfaces across Juniper's MX and PTX Series Routers, QFX Series Switches, and the BTI Series packet-optical transport portfolio. YANG-based integration of the proNX Service Manager and Juniper Networks' NorthStar Controller offers enhanced levels of network visibility and multi-layer control, the company asserts.

"The demand for cloud services is bringing forth a tidal wave of change and new opportunities for the networking industry. The DCI infrastructure demands bandwidth capacity, secure connectivity and operational simplicity," stated Masum Mir, vice president of Product, Solutions & Technical Marketing, Juniper Development and Innovation at Juniper Networks. "Juniper's Open Cloud Interconnect solution represents a comprehensive approach to DCI that is designed to enable customers to build a network utilizing advanced capabilities of routing, switching and coherent optical transport to help cloud infrastructure providers and enterprises accelerate their time-to-business value, while maximizing operational efficiency."

"Meeting the challenges of scaling and operating DCI networks is increasingly important as network operators of all kinds seek revenue growth from cloud business opportunities," added Heidi Adams, Senior Research Director, Transport Networks at IHS Markit, via a Juniper Networks press release. "DCI networks today range from simple point-to-point configurations to more sophisticated, multi-service mesh networks. With Open Cloud Interconnect, Juniper acknowledges this diversity in DCI networks, bringing to market a flexible, multi-layer solution set geared to simplifying overall DCI network design and operations for cloud providers, service providers, and enterprises."

The UFM6 line card and updated proNX Service Manager software are available now. Juniper expects to make the Coherent DWDM line card for the QFX10000 available in the second quarter of this year.

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