OCTOBER 14, 2008 -- XO Communications (search for XO Communications) has deployed Ciena Corp.'s (search for Ciena) Carrier Ethernet Service Delivery Switches throughout its metropolitan networks as part of the new Ethernet Hub service, which the service provider says provides a cost-effective, accessible, and scalable way for domestic and international carriers to expand the reach of their Ethernet services in the United States.
According to XO, it has approximately one million miles of metro fiber networks in major markets across the United States and currently delivers Ethernet services to businesses and communications service providers, including Fortune 500 businesses, leading cable companies, carriers, content providers, and mobile operators in 75 metro markets nationwide.
XO's new Ethernet Hub service offers customers dedicated access to its extensive Ethernet footprint, including its Ethernet over copper footprint serving more than 3.7 million buildings nationwide, via a single connection, and supports a variety of Ethernet bandwidth options, ranging from 5 Mbits/sec to 10 Gbits/sec and key Ethernet features including 802.1Q, VLAN stacking, and jumbo frames. XO says it selected Ciena's LE-311v Service Delivery Switch (SDS) to enable a flexible, scalable, and cost-efficient point-to-multipoint architecture for its Ethernet Hub service.
"As we focus on ensuring our network meets the needs of our diverse customer base, a key to that success is ensuring we have Ethernet services with maximum reach, bandwidth options, reliability, and manageability," reports Randy Nicklas, chief technology officer at XO Communications. "As traffic from multiple customers converges onto our network, Ciena's programmable platforms enable us to ensure each customer's traffic is switched to its destination with the proper class-of-service, in real time, and with remote network monitoring and control to enable rapid fault resolution and end-to-end SLA verification."
XO is deploying Ciena's LE-311v in all metro markets to provide the Ethernet Network-to-Network Interface (ENNI) function of the Ethernet Hub service--identifying, separating, and tagging different traffic types; aggregating the traffic for hand-off to XO's core network; and switching the traffic across the network with the appropriate class-of-service, security, and rate-limits in a point-to-multipoint architecture. These capabilities bring XO high-bandwidth availability and network flexibility to enable new service creation and assurance, while facilitating the highest velocity deployment of Carrier Ethernet services, note Ciena representatives.
"Service providers like XO are seeing demand for Carrier Ethernet services increase in addition to the growing unpredictability of bandwidth needs, traffic patterns, and service delivery requirements," explains Mike Aquino, senior vice president of global field operations at Ciena. "Simple to install, provision, and manage, our Carrier Ethernet Service Delivery platforms offer operators comprehensive service features and software programmability to create service-driven networks that cost-effectively adapt and scale to accelerate compelling service delivery and reduce operational expenses."
Based on a unique integrated hardware and software technology design and supporting a variety of point-to-point, point-to-multipoint, and any-to-any network architectures, Ciena's Carrier Ethernet Service Delivery platforms combine the efficiencies of Ethernet with the resiliency and service guarantees of traditional carrier-class technology, claims the company. Its LE-311v Service Delivery Switches are certified compliant to MEF-9 specifications for Ethernet Private Line (EPL), Ethernet Virtual Private Line (EVPL), and Ethernet LAN (ELAN) services and MEF-14 specifications for traffic management.
Visit XO Communications
Visit Ciena