Neotel taps ADVA Optical Networking, Juniper Networks for packet-optical network

South African service provider Neotel has deployed ADVA Optical Networking's ADVA FSP 3000 and Juniper Network's PTX3000 Packet Transport Switch to create an integrated integrated packet-optical transport network, according to ADVA. The new fiber-optic network infrastructure will accommodate the bandwidth growth from fixed and mobile data consumption and migration to cloud services Neotel has experienced.

"Our new network is our crucial technological advantage. From the home to the enterprise to major data centers, we now have the power to precisely tailor value-added services to fit individual customers' needs," said Dr. Marten Scheffer, general manager, network engineering, Neotel. "The integration of the packet and optical layer streamlines operations and reduces the steps needed to configure new applications so time to market is massively reduced. Where it could take hours to activate new services, we can now do it in seconds."

Neotel also has used ADVA optical transport gear and Juniper routers in its network previously. The trust built through these past relationships also helped convince the service provider to work with the two systems vendors when it looked to integrate its packet and optical layers, Dr. Scheffer added.

ADVA and Juniper have worked closely together since the latter first unveiled its label switched router platforms (see "PTX Series Packet Transport Switch starts Juniper Networks down packet-optical transport path" and "Juniper details progress on PTX Series Packet Transport Switch, 100GbE"). This includes ADVA's supply of an optical shelf to pair with the original PTX systems while Juniper developed an integrated optics capability. Systems such as the PTX3000 now feature integrated, tunable DWDM interfaces, which pair well with the FSP 3000 ROADM, ADVA says. The two companies have a joint marketing agreement for the PTX/FSP 3000 combination (see, for example, "ADVA Optical Networking, Juniper Networks to supply KINBER R&E network"). The Neotel deployment featured assistance from South African integrator XON Systems, which is a partner of both systems houses.

The companies say that the combination of the FSP 3000 and the PTX Series creates a flexible, multilayer fiber-optic network architecture that offers multi-layer resiliency, including optical restoration capabilities. It also provides a steppingstone toward software-defined networking (SDN), the companies add.

For more information on high-speed transmission systems and suppliers, visit the Lightwave Buyer's Guide.