Infinera Technology

Reduce OpEx and increase service velocity

Software intelligence is an integral part of a modern optical transmission network. In the past however, that intelligence has tended to be proprietary in nature, limited in scope, and has been developed without any overall goal of coordination between different software functions.

By embracing and expanding the scope of Embedded Software Intelligence (ESI), service providers can lower operational costs, and can deploy new services more rapidly and efficiently.

There are two key requirements that service providers should consider when deploying or extending ESI. First, this intelligence must be based on agreed standards, and not on proprietary protocols. Second, the real value of embedded network intelligence is best realized within a digital optical network architecture.

Infinera offers a mature, ESI implementation, based on ASON/GMPLS standards, that forms the control and management plane for a Digital Optical Network. Our implementation is not an "all or nothing" choice. This paper will explain how Infinera's customers have been able to migrate to this new architecture at their own pace, and with consideration to their own operational requirements.

Note on terminology: ESI refers to an intelligent optical control plane designed to comply with an ITU ASON architecture, and based on GMPLS protocols.