Next Generation Network Infrastructure: Preparing for Next Generation Services

Next Generation Network Infrastructure: Preparing for Next Generation Services What does the next generation network look like?. In the loop, trunking and core portions of the network, m

Next Generation Network

Infrastructure:

Preparing for Next Generation Services

Next Generation Network Infrastructure:

Preparing for Next Generation Services

What does the next generation network look like? Most network planners have an IP-based answer to that question The better question is this—what does the next generation network look like at specific points in time: one year, three years, seven years from now, and so on into the future? The answer to that question is fuzzy because migration to the next generation network is an evolutionary process

Evolution is more than change It is constant change Evolution implies a stepwise, iterative process of network migration Like network transitions of the past, migration to next generation network architectures will be evolutionary for many reasons

• Take rates take precedent “Build it and they will come” has left some

carriers with little new revenue and huge debts Instead, customer demand for voice, data, Internet, and multimedia services dictates the direction and pace of next generation network deployment

• Improve earnings With shrinking or flat revenues and multiple service

providers vying for customers, gaining operational efficiencies and reducing the cost base is driving network migrations Next generation deployments that yield improved operational efficiencies are attractive Given customer demand, improving the productivity of legacy TDM assets may be just as profitable as investment in an IP data overlay

• It takes time to change operations methods and practices Without

the ability of operations to handle new volume processes, new technologies create unneeded risk No carrier can rely on newly trained technicians

to manage a multitude of network elements And no carrier can afford decreased operational efficiency The pace at which methods and practices for next generation gear can be adopted and integrated into existing operations dictates the pace for next generation network deployment

In the loop, trunking and core portions of the network, migration to next generation architectures is taking many forms: circuit to packet, electrical to optical, SONET to mesh, and intelligent core to intelligent edge, for example No matter the pace of network evolution or the choice of technologies, the direction

is for higher bandwidth, more complex networks

With more bandwidth on each pipe and more network elements than ever to manage, new risks are introduced into the network from both a planning and operational standpoint Circuits that used to carry a single 3 now carry OC-192S Outages are more costly Time to repair and restoration is more critical Unobtrusive monitoring and upgrades now carry more weight—because there are more services and more dollars at risk These financial and operational risks carry huge implications for both the cost and the performance of the network

Page 3

Next Generation Network Infrastructure: Preparing for Next Generation Services

Connectivity Checklist for Next

Generati-on Network Deployment

• Complete management of cables for network elements—bend radius protection, ample storage, protection of cables on and off frame, easy-to-follow routing paths

• Quick and accurate circuit and jumper identification with visual indicators at both ends

of cross-connect jumpers Good labeling and connection designation

• Plenty of room for jumpers (cross-connect) storage and management

• High quality connectors Low insertion loss connectors

• Non-intrusive monitoring capabilities

• Full access to Tx and Rx signals at all times at the distribution frame

• Patch cords are polarized to prevent ± wire reversals, ensuring correct patching at all times

• Reliable cable and jumper connection methodology

• Reliable and high life cycle contacts

• Platform flexibility

• Superior connector access for ease of cleaning and maintenance

• Scalable for future growth

The most overused and under delivered concept in next

generation glossy brochures is “seamless.” The seamless

network is like the paperless office It sounds great

Achieving it is another issue altogether

In network architecture, seams are good Wherever

premises meets access, access meets switching, and

switching meets transmission; in collocation and IOC

handoffs—where the physical layer intersects with

electronic equipment or portions of a network owned

and managed by another entity, there are seams in the

network Seams were in the network 10 years ago

Seams are there today And seams are part of next

generation network design, too (see Appendix A)

Proper management of seams in the network is the

setting for connectivity solutions From a service

provider’s perspective, seams are actually desirable

Seams are where copper and fiber cables meet active

elements in the network Seams are where the work of

conducting reconfigurations, performing maintenance

and loop qualification, restoring and turning-up service,

facilitating upgrades, and providing a fall back position

for equipment and cable failures occurs

Connectivity at the seams provides flexibility that helps

improve operational efficiency and reduce the risks of

network evolutions Specifically, connectivity includes

these functions at all seams in the network:

• Termination Protected, modular termination for

twisted pair, coax and fiber circuits that enables

rerouting of traffic, non-intrusive upgrades, and test

access

• Patching Ensures that any cable can be removed

and installed without degrading service or disrupting

adjacent cables Enables temporary circuit rerouting

during outages or upgrades

• Access for monitoring and testing Provides

non-intrusive test points in the network—either local or

remote—that allow technicians to measure the health

of circuits, gather data on network performance,

and catch problems and implement solutions before

customers feel the impact

• Cable management Protect bend radius of cables,

provide safe storage for excess cables, enable clear

circuit identification, and enforce a systematic cable

routing scheme—these all avoid service affecting

damage to copper and fiber cables and drive

operational efficiency

Connectivity Reduces the Risk of Network Evolutions

Page 

History proves that connectivity enables change and

reduces risk as networks migrated from copper to

fiber and from analog to digital (see Analog to Digital

Migration, 1970 to 1990) Connectivity has also made

carrier consolidations and collocations quicker, less costly,

and more transparent to customers by managing the

seams of disparate networks

For example, ILEC networks merged, and reduced the

number and cost of IOC connections, by simply moving

jumpers in the connectivity system In the same way,

IOCs have performed unobtrusive reconfigurations, such

as bypassing ILEC local loop connections for IOC-owned

local access, by moving jumpers in the CO

Connectivity translates into tangible benefits for carriers

that reduce the risk of network evolutions Connectivity

ensures accurate fault isolation and problem resolution

Inherent flexibility speeds time to repair, time to turn-up,

and time to revenue—all of which increases performance

and availability of network assets Most important, as an

integral part of proven operations practices, connectivity

allows carriers to scale network operations and increase

operational efficiency by leveraging the workforce around

a common set of methods and practices at the seams of

the network

Evolution in the network occurs at the seams As

networks evolve to more services in higher bandwidth

pipes, the function of connectivity is more critical than

ever The risks of outages, upgrades, and even routine

maintenance soar Proper connectivity at the seams of

the network has allowed carriers to manage change

in the network without disrupting service and without

increasing operational costs

Analog to Digital Migration,

1970 to 1990

If all of the components of a network changed

at once, there would truly be less need for connectivity solutions Yet the reality is that networks change one piece at a time, and it is connectivity that enables the migration of network components An example is the analog to digital migration that took these steps over approximately

20 years:

• Replace analog carrier systems with digital channel banks and T1 spans over existing copper pairs—but keeping existing analog switches This work occurred one office, or geographic area, at a time

• Upgrade T1 carriers to T1C carriers, doubling T1 capacity for cable exhaust relief—but keeping digital channel banks

• Replace analog switches with digital switches— still keeping existing T1 or T1C spans

• Replace T1 and T1C spans with first generation fiber optic transport systems—but keeping digital switches

• Replace M13 multiplexers with digital cross connect systems—but keeping fiber optic transport systems

• Replace first generation fiber transport with SONET transport—but keeping digital switches Each of these network evolutions was

accomplished by patch and roll at Digital Signal Cross Connects (DSX) And all of these major changes in the network were accomplished efficiently for network operations and without service interruptions for customers

Connectivity Enables Change

Next Generation Network Infrastructure: Preparing for Next Generation Services

Page 

Preserving the Function of

Connectivity in the Network

Occasionally, network element vendors advocate

elimination of physical connectivity solutions, claiming

everything you need is “in there.” For example, digital

cross connect systems (DCS) were originally positioned

this way Yet it was quickly apparent that hardwiring

network elements to DCS equipment made rerouting

and integration of new network elements difficult and

expensive

Specifically, suppose a CO has six network elements and

six DCS—one DCS for each network element Routing a

circuit from network element #1 to network element #6

often means routing the circuit through six DCS—using

expensive DCS ports for a simple reconfiguration With

connectivity, the circuit is routed from DCS #1 to DCS #6

with a Digital Signal Cross Connect (DSX), opening DCS

ports for more important network functions

In addition, a hardwired DCS environment makes

identifying and isolating problems in real time impossible,

causing unneeded service interruptions and delays in

restoration Without connectivity surrounding DCS

equipment, the result was increased operational costs

and lost revenue

It is important to note that DCS adds significant

operational efficiencies for carriers However, maximizing

the benefits of DCS or any network element requires

that the function of connectivity remain intact These

functions—including modular termination, patching,

access for monitoring and testing, and end-to-end cable

management—ensure that everything from routine

maintenance to outages in the network are transparent

to customers

Combining functionality in network elements is natural

New broadband digital loop carriers (DLC) combine

aggregation of voice and data with transport Optical

switches combine add-drop multiplexers and DCS into

one platform

Yet for every feature combined into a single network

element, new features and services are introduced that

almost always require an overlay That means more

connections and more network elements to manage

Without proper connectivity surrounding new network

elements, rearrangements occur in the backplane of

network elements—introducing enormous operational

and financial risk For example, adding just one card

to an optical cross connect without connectivity

could require a service-disrupting, time-consuming

reconfiguration of 16 to 20 fiber cables

Will functions of connectivity ever be completely rolled into network elements? Maybe Yet today connectivity typically accounts for between 1% and 10% of the upfront costs of a network deployment This is a small price to pay as compared to the alternative—a network where performance and reliability problems seep into the system These problems are almost always traced to poor bend radius protection, inadequate cable storage, restricted access for repair and maintenance, cable congestion, no rerouting or monitoring capabilities, and other weaknesses at the seams of the network The cost of connectivity is small because the alternative is a high maintenance proposition that is characterized by longer service interruptions, operational inefficiency, and frustrated customers

Connectivity is the Foundation for Next Generation Networks

Whether the project is leveraging the existing plant or migrating to next generation capability, the objectives are the same: minimize operational costs, drive increased reliability into the network, and maximize revenue These are the direct benefits of networks rooted with a foundation of connectivity

Connectivity makes networks highly reliable, flexible and less expensive to maintain With connectivity, maintenance hours and intervals are reduced Circuit availability and bandwidth increase Failures in electronics and facilities are often transparent to customers

Transition to new services and network upgrades are non-intrusive

Yet connectivity is more than just discrete products designed to improve the reliability and functionality of network elements Instead, it is a methodology that is closely embedded into network operations methods and procedures No matter where the connectivity functions reside, deep-seated methods and procedures demand the smooth integration and cost-effective maintenance of all network elements And as traffic demand shifts to higher speed services and next generation network components, operations requirements for termination, test access, and cable management solutions remain

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The Role of Connectivity in Network Evolutions Circuit to Packet Migration

The introduction of new network elements (soft

switches, media gateways, call servers, and

voice-enabled routers) present new interfaces, port counts,

and higher speed terminations These network devices

also require new interfaces, such as Ethernet, into

legacy environments

Electrical to Optical Migration

Introducing network elements (optical cross connects,

metro optical transport platforms, long-haul DWDM

systems) with all optical interfaces creates higher optical

fiber cable counts and termination points at network

elements Higher baseline speed/bandwidth drives

migration of low speed interfaces to network edge

Central Office to Network Edge

Fiber-fed access electronics move closer to subscribers,

with potential increases to truck rolls More customer

traffic over higher bandwidth optical fibers increases

single circuit failure impact

Connectivity Solution

Connectivity provides a flexible physical layer platform for port count matching, interface and media conversion, and cable management High performance connectorization at the seams improves reliability and ensure SLA conformance

Connectivity Solution

Connectivity provides a flexible physical layer platform for port count matching, interface and media conversion, and cable management Managing increased optical fiber cables is accomplished with high density, high performance connectorization, termination, and cable management Multifunction panels enable migration to media converters, modular O/E inputs and outputs, and O/E repeaters

Connectivity Solution

Connectivity provides technician access for troubleshooting and rearrangements with options for remote terminal, vault, and outside plant cable management solutions Loop automation enables remote network management Fiber distribution panels and optical components enable rapid troubleshooting and rearrangement in the event of an outage

Conclusion

Migration to higher bandwidth next generation networks is an evolutionary process A platform of connectivity enables non-disruptive, cost-effective change in the network It provides needed flexibility for network planners to connect different network elements at different times in the migration cycle And it is an integral part of technical methods and practices, ensuring rapid time to repair, time to turn-up, and time to revenue

In many ways, rapid adoption of new technology actually stands in the way of serving customers Everything works fine until someone hits the escalation button The business is about servicing customers, not building next generation networks That’s why next generation network elements can’t exist as an island in network operations And that’s why the function of connectivity in the physical layer remains important in next generation networks

Still, networks are growing more complex New network elements must be turned-up New software must be tested on existing hardware It is at the seams of the network that service providers have an opportunity to improve operational efficiency, reduce operational costs, and improve quality of service Seams are where the critical functions of termination, patching, monitoring, and managing cable occurs The ability to test, reroute, and reconfigure network elements—in a cost-effective, unobtrusive manner—is just as important today as it will be tomorrow in next generation networks Networks of the future will certainly look different—higher density optical fiber terminations, more O/E conversion, and new electronic devices in the core and the edge of the network The profitable next generation network preserves the functions of connectivity because profits require more than first-year savings Profits derive from efficient operational processes and people managing the network

Next Generation Network Infrastructure: Preparing for Next Generation Services

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7

DLC

RT COT DLC

Copper Analog POTS

Copper

DS1 DS0

DS0

DS1

DS0

10/100base-T DSL

Analog POTS

Copper Analog POTS

Ethernet

DS3 or OC3

ATM PVCs/SVCs

DS0

"A" Links to SS7 Ntwk

DS1

Voice Trunks to PSTN

Copper

GR-303 POTS

DSLAM

Analog Line Units GR-303 Line Un (IDLC)

SS7 Sig Un

Analog Line Units

Class 5 Digital Switch 5ESS, DMS-100

Digital Trunk Units

Analog Line Units

ATM Switch

DLC RT

X X

X X

X X

X X

X X

X X

X X

X X

DLC or ONT

Optical Line Terminal

GR-303 POTS

DS0

DS1

Analog POTS

10/100base-T or Fiber

To IP Netwk

Analog Line Units

GR-303 Line Un (IDLC)

Digital Trunk Units

SS7 Sig Un

Class 5 Digital Switch 5ESS, DMS-100

IP Router

ATM Switch

Media Gateway Controller Classic

Copper OSP

Media Gateway

X X

Voice Trunks to PSTN

DS1

X X

"A" Links to SS7 Ntwk

DS0

X X

X X

OC-xx

Fiber

X X

DS0

Copper

X X

10/100base-T

Ethernet

X X 10/100base-T

Ethernet

X X

DS1

(optional) Inter-Architecture Voice Trunks

10/100base-T

Ethernet

X X

X X

X X

DS3 or Fiber Either OR Both

To SONET Netwk

X X DS0

"A" Links to SS7 Ntwk

X X

Inter-architecture voice trunks may be via Core network

LEC DCS

CoLo SONET ADM

OC-48 M13

or DCS

LEC Switch

LEC Switch

X X

OC-192

X X OC-48

X X

DS3

X X OC-3

X X DS3

X X

STS-1 or OC-3

X X

STS-1 or OC-3

X X

X X D S1

OC-3

X X DS0

X X GR303 DS1

X X

DS0

X X GR303 DS1

X X

Connectivity Requirements in Hybrid VOIP Connectivity Requirements in Typical Copper OSP

Appendix A – Connectivity at Seams in the Network

Connectivity in Typical North American Interconnect

XX = typical connectivity points

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