Convergence: A solution in the offing

Since the early 90s, convergence has been a prevalent

concept within the telecommunications industry. When service providers began

offering more than just voice communications, industry analysts predicted that

soon operators would grow into multi-service vendors, providing everything from

voice to data and mobile services.

With the evolution of IP, telecommunications players

started to deploy next-generation networks that were designed to carry virtually

any service type including voice, data, and broadcast video. However, despite

ongoing developments in technology and the acceptance that in future all

applications, services, and traffic will be carried over IP networks, the

majority of operator networks still use traditional TDM technology.

In order to create an effective business model that

encompasses a focus on customer satisfaction and innovation, operators have to

offer compelling bundles of high-value, high-volume services. These services

require new levels of service-oriented flexibility that surpass the capability

of transport networks they are currently employing. At the same time, that

flexibility must be integrated seamlessly into existing network architectures.

Ethernet provides a solution that offers operators the most cost-effective way

to provide converged services, while migrating their networks to next-generation

architectures.

Historically, Ethernet was the most common means by which

computers within a local area network (LAN) were connected. Today, however, this

ability can be extended to the wide area network (WAN), with Ethernet serving as

an ideal standard for converging voice, data, and video. Currently, 98% of data

traffic at the application edge, including IP data, travels via Ethernet, which

eliminates the need to use a router to transmit data to a Frame Relay or ATM

interface. As a result, Ethernet has become the standard interface to most

networks, and will eventually support the delivery of all business, residential,

and mobile 3G services. In the longer-term, it is probable that higher speed

gigabit and 10 gigabit Ethernet will take prominence as the standard interface

virtually everywhere.

Profitability through convergence over Ethernet is highly

attainable from the outset of implementation. Wide area Ethernet is immensely

attractive to operators because Ethernet platforms are often less costly than

the alternative SONET/SDH -based and earlier-generation forwarding technologies,

thus creating new opportunities for increasing revenue and market share. In

turn, operators will build closer bonds with subscribers, which assists in

protecting the operator's installed base against the inevitable encroachment

by competitors. Additionally, Ethernet is capable of providing cost-effective

service with the same reliability and SLA guarantees inherent with legacy Frame

Relay and ATM services.

While the majority of operators see their long-term network

infrastructure consisting of IP and/or Ethernet, these operators also know that

they have to make the most of their existing legacy networks, while building up

the infrastructure to deliver new services.

A new generation of technology is required to enable

operators to converge their networks over Ethernet. This technology combines the

reliability of the carrier network with the flexibility and cost-efficiency of

Ethernet at the edge. It enables flexible, adaptable, and manageable

service-oriented transport to provide the intelligence and automation necessary

to economically support the delivery of value-added services. And, it allows

operators to streamline operations, while offering scalable services over a

common infrastructure.

In summary, converged Ethernet enables operators to offer

dynamic, cost-effective storage extension, video, data, and voice services to

the enterprise, small-to-medium businesses and residential subscribers. 

Dimple Indrajit Amin



vice president, Engineering, CIENA India