TALKING BUSINESS
“Using configurable
variable bit-rate
coherent optics
combined with
real-time link
engineering tools,
CSPs can safely
exploit excess
margin to extract
more value from
existing assets.”
C
ommunications service providers (CSPs) share a
near universal goal: to drive down network costs and
increase profitability. This goal boils down to three basic
elements: reducing capital and operating expenditures, while
improving the range and quality of services offered.
CSPs must also meet the growing unpredictable network
connectivity requirements of IoT devices and on-demand
streaming services.
To achieve this combination of seemingly conflicting goals,
CSPs are taking steps to transform their optical networks.
Moving from static, ‘one-size-fits-all’ models to open and
programmable network platforms that deliver the exact level
of performance required at any point in time.
CSPs need to be able to easily tune, control, and dynamically
adjust optical capacity as needed. This will enable them to
more efficiently address end users’ requirements.
In the Middle East, we are also seeing a growing presence of
internet content players like Facebook, Google and Amazon
working with service providers to bring content closer to the
end-user.
We also see a growth of private and public cloud infrastructure
being built by large enterprises and network operators alike.
As a result, optical networks need to be more dynamic so that
they can respond in real-time to the unexpected bandwidth
requirements driven by content moving to the cloud.
Underpinning the new autonomous network approach is
software defined networking (SDN), where software is used to
automate processes and help increase revenue potential.
SDN also transforms the way optical networks are built, by
eliminating old processes and enabling new operational
practices. Engineers can be more creative in how they design
the network when some hardware barriers are removed.
For example, historically, the limited visibility into network
performance has meant that conservative engineering
assumptions are made when planning optical network capacity.
This results in a network with excess SNR (signal-to-noise ratio)
margin that operates at sub-optimal capacity. Now, with
real-time monitoring and reporting, network planners can use
network management and planning tools to operate existing
network assets more efficiently and avoid premature overbuilds.
“Network capacity and
other infrastructure is
often sitting idle and not
generating revenue.”
www.intelligentcio.com
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