FRANKFURT, GERMANY--(Marketwired - Oct 15, 2013) - Infinera (NASDAQ: INFN) and Brocade (NASDAQ: BRCD), in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Sciences Network (ESnet), announced today the successful demonstration of multi-layer networking using Software-Defined Networking (SDN) technologies. The demonstration shows how SDN can be used to automatically provision services and optimize network resources, such as dynamically increasing or rerouting data center to data center interconnect bandwidth services, across a multi-layer network as traffic demands change.
The first phase of this new demonstration leveraged ESnet's On-Demand Secure Circuits and Advance Reservation System (OSCARS) in conjunction with an open source controller to provision services over network elements at both the packet and transport layers via the OpenFlow™ protocol. A 100 GbE service was provisioned across the multi-layer network comprising of Brocade® MLXe Core Routers and additional OpenFlow-enabled Layer 2 switches connected over a virtualized transport network consisting of three Infinera DTN-X platforms, each running Infinera's Open Transport Switch software module. Multi-layer provisioning using SDN enables services and bandwidth to be dynamically provisioned via a single screen across the router layer and transport layer to speed service delivery and save operational costs.
The second phase of the demonstration focused on multi-layer network optimization and demonstrated how proactive detection of increasing bandwidth of packet flows could trigger OSCARS to dynamically re-route the large flow to bypass an intermediate packet switch/router. This approach leverages SDN to maximize the use of the intelligent DTN-X transport layer with integrated switching to minimize transit traffic carried at the router layer. Automated multi-layer optimization analyzes network topology and traffic flows to route traffic at the most cost-effective and energy-efficient layer of the network to save both capital and operational costs.
"This pioneering demonstration showcases the value of an Intelligent Transport Network combined with SDN control," said Dave Welch, President, Infinera. "Our converged DTN-X platform is optimal for realizing many SDN benefits, including multi-layer optimization which increases the efficiency of network resources used at higher layers of the network."
"We believe the ability for the network to quickly and nimbly handle large data flows at the most cost-effective layer of the network is one of the key value drivers for SDN," said ESnet Chief Technologist Inder Monga. "Being able to provision and optimize the network across both the router and transport layers from a single console using our OSCARS platform and open standards-based protocols is very attractive to ESnet."
OSCARS contains algorithms for multi-layer provisioning, topology modeling and path computation that have been developed as part of DOE-funded network research. With OSCARS leveraging Floodlight's RESTful application programming interfaces (API), the open source controller is able to discover and provision network elements at both the packet and transport layers via the OpenFlow protocol. Infinera's DTN-X is a transport platform that converges DWDM and OTN switching without compromise and, in conjunction with GMPLS intelligence and the OTS software, is an optimal platform for presenting a high capacity and flexible virtualized transport topology to SDN controllers such as Floodlight or OpenDaylight. The terabit scale Brocade MLXe routers are fully programmable and offer the industry's only OpenFlow Hybrid Port Mode with hardware support for OpenFlow L2+L3 12-tuple matching at line rates up to 100 GbE speeds and industry-leading support for up to 128K flows.
"The Brocade MLXe Series delivers a high-performance SDN solution ideal for the customers who require scalability and programmability from the network," said Ananda Rajagopal, Vice President Product Management and Strategy, Brocade. "This multivendor solution showcases the importance of open standards and how they can improve network provisioning across multiple layers of the network for increased operational simplicity."
"As the steward of the OpenFlow protocol, the Open Networking Foundation (ONF) is excited to see rapid innovation and business value delivered in the carrier market using a standards-based OpenFlow approach," said Dan Pitt, Executive Director of the Open Networking Foundation. "We are pleased to see ONF member companies propelling the open SDN movement and accelerating industry adoption."
Infinera (booth 39) and Brocade (booth 41) will both attend the SDN and OpenFlow World Congress in Bad Homburg, Germany from October 15 through 18, and invite you to stop by to discuss SDN and OpenFlow solutions.
For more information from Infinera, please visit www.infinera.com/go/SDN. For more information from Brocade, please visit www.brocade.com/SDN and join the conversation at community.brocade.com/sdn.
About Infinera
Infinera specializes in Digital Optical Networking systems that are designed to continually improve the economics of optical networking by combining the speed of optics with the simplicity of digital. Infinera is unique in its use of breakthrough semiconductor technology: Large Scale Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC). Infinera's systems leverage PIC technology to provide customers with a service-ready architecture that enables faster time-to-revenue and greater profitability through network efficiency and the ability to rapidly deliver differentiated services without reengineering their optical infrastructure. For more information, please visit http://www.infinera.com/.
About Brocade
Brocade (NASDAQ: BRCD) networking solutions help the world's leading organizations transition smoothly to a world where applications and information reside anywhere. www.brocade.com
About ESnet
ESnet provides the high-bandwidth, reliable connections that link scientists at national laboratories, universities and other research institutions, enabling them to collaborate on some of the world's most important scientific challenges including energy, climate science, and the origins of the universe. Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Science and located within the Scientific Networking Division at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, ESnet provides scientists with access to unique DOE research facilities and computing resources.
This press release contains forward-looking statements including, among other things, statements relating to Infinera product capabilities, advantages, and the current and planned future functionality including that: multi-layer provisioning using SDN enables services and bandwidth to be dynamically provisioned to speed service delivery and save operational costs; that automated multi-layer optimization routes traffic at the most cost-effective and energy-efficient layer of the network to save both capital and operational costs; that a converged DTN-X platform is optimal for realizing many SDN benefits; and that the DTN-X is a transport platform that converges DWDM and OTN switching without compromise and, in conjunction with GMPLS intelligence and the OTS software, is an optimal platform for presenting a high capacity and flexible virtualized transport topology to SDN controllers; These forward looking statements are based on our current expectations. Actual results may vary materially from these expectations as a result of various risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, aggressive business tactics by our competitors, our dependence on a single product, our reliance on single-source suppliers, and our ability to respond to rapid technological changes. Further information about these risks and uncertainties, and other risks and uncertainties that affect our business, is contained in the risk factors section and other sections of our annual report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 5, 2013, as well subsequent reports filed with or furnished to the SEC. These reports are available on our website at www.infinera.com and the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Infinera assumes no obligation to, and does not currently intend to, update any such forward-looking statements.