Germany’s Hetzner Online upgrades core network to 400G
Open optical line system vendor Smartoptics says it has supported Hetzner Online in the upgrade of its core network to 400G. Hetzner Online has deployed Smartoptics open line systems as part of the network enhancement project.
Smartoptics describes Hetzner Online as one of the largest data center operators in Europe. The company operates data centers in Germany and Finland as well as in two U.S. locations. Hetzner Online also offers redundant network connections to various internet exchanges.
The 400G upgrade focused on a connection between two core sites in Hetzner Online’s native Germany. The data center services provider deployed the Smartoptics DCP-M Open Line System and embedded optics to support 8x400G on each of two fiber links.
Ease of deployment and use appear to have been two significant factors when Hetzner Online chose this approach. “After carefully analyzing the best way to upgrade our core network to 400G, we concluded that the Smartoptics embedded approach had clear cost and simplicity advantages. We were also impressed with how fast and easy it was to turn up and manage the units,” explained Martin Fritzsche, head of network at Hetzner Online. “This plug-and-play setup, simple operation, and vast flexibility of the Smartoptics open line system give us confidence that the solution is scalable and future-proof. This is crucial as we continue to grow and offer even more high-performance and competitive hosting services to our customers.”
“At Smartoptics, we work hard to create innovative solutions for multiple types of network architectures. This means challenging traditional methods, such as unnecessarily heavy transponders and line systems with unwanted license fee costs. Sometimes, transponders are not even needed at all. In Hetzner Online’s case, combining embedded optics with our latest energy-efficient open line systems has the advantage of reducing the overall optical networking footprint and power consumption. With greater urgency to cut energy costs than ever before, especially in the heart of Europe, I’m pleased to see that we can make a difference together with Hetzner Online,” added Magnus Grenfeldt, CEO, Smartoptics.
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Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave
Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.
Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.
He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.
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