NGN 99: THE CONTINUING CHALLENGE OF SCALING THE INTERNET
Speaking at NGN 99, John Stewart of Juniper Networks said the demands of the Internet are pushing the envelope of physics, not to mention hardware and software engineering. The challenge of developing a core Internet routing platform, he said, involves meeting the need for raw speed, establishing stability of distributed algorithms, and, very importantly, building a box with the physical dimension and power characteristics permitted in a central office.   Stewart considers software to be the greatest challenge in scaling platforms to terabit levels and beyond.

Jeff Wabik of Lucent Technologies said the scaling challenge is not merely very big numbers, but building a converged infrastructure supporting all voice, data, video and future services.  The special treatment of certain packets will dictate future router design.  The software challenge is to schedule and service packets at OC192 rates.  Wabik observed that at OC-192, there are 32.6 million (40 byte) packets per second per interface moving across a switch/router.  This represents one packet per interface every .000000004 seconds that must be processed by a scheduling/servicing algorithm.

Derek Oppen of Nortel Networks said the optics revolution would provide relief to the router capacity challenge in scaling the Internet.  However, complexity of the network will be a central issue.  Tools for planning and maintenance are critical.
Converge! Network Digest, November 2, 1999 

NGN KEYNOTE: LUCENT’S GERRY BUTTERS ON THE FUTURE OF OPTICAL NETWORKING
In a keynote speech at NGN 99, Gerry Butters, Group President for Optical Networking at Lucent Technologies, heralded “the next wave of disruptive information networks.”   While advances in optical technology have already yielded a 100 to one improvement since 1996 in the cost of moving traffic, Butters noted that we have barely begun to tap fiber’s full potential.  New innovations will require carriers to replace their infrastructure or become obsolete.  Butters said networking electronics will move to 40 Gbps line rates, possibly up to 100 Gbps, but photons will see a much more dramatic boost.  In September, researchers at Bell Labs were able to create 1,022 DWDM channels over a fiber using 10 GHz spacing and 80nm amplifiers.  Using spectral splicing, Lucent now believes it is possible to create 2,500 channel DWM systems with multilevel coding.  OTDM may yield up to 2.5 Gbps per channel.  Butters also described Lucent’s work with micro-electromechanical (MEMs) technology for creating micro mirror arrays for optical crossconnects and switches, digital optical logic (3 to 5 years away), passive optical PicoCells that could provide a cheap entrance ramp for RF-enable devices (radio cameras, PDAs, etc) onto optical networks, and holographic storage system with 6 orders of magnitude capacities.
Converge! Network Digest, November 2, 1999

NGN 99: 10 GBPS, THE NEXT STEP IN ETHERNET NETWORKING
Som Sikdar of Force10 Networks, a start-up based in Santa Clara, California (formerly nCore) outlined the work need to make 10 Gbps Ethernet just another extension of the “Ethernet Digital Hierarchy.”  The intent of parties involved in the standards making process is to retain the 802.3 frame format and packet sizes, to drop the half-duplex mode of operation, and to increase the link speed over Gigabit Ethernet by 10x. Jumbo frames will be dropped.  A formal project request to the IEEE, which will be submitted later this month, will include proposals for both short-haul (300m) and long-haul (20km) optics. Pieces need for a standard include 10 Gigabit optics and PHY, a 10 Gbps MAC, and 10 Gigabit network processor.  

Paul Bottorff of Nortel Networks said 10G Ethernet finally represents the opportunity to unify LANs and WANs, in other words, Ethernet from end-to-end.  10G Ethernet will be compatible with existing transport networks, including TDM.  This would make it possible to run 10G Ethernet over 3 types of WAN media: dark fiber, dark wavelengths (boundary device would be a transponder for signal regeneration and retiming), and SONET (boundary device would be a multiplexer. 

Bruce Tolley of 3Com estimates the cost of 10G Ethernet will come in at less than 10x the cost of Gigabit Ethernet.  This compares to OC-192 interfaces at $50K to $100K.  Market demands are already driving a steep adoption curve for Gigabit Ethernet switches.  Meanwhile, Intel is already talking about Gigabit Ethernet to the desktop.   Market forecasts call for 35 million Gigabit Ethernet shipments by 2002, making 10G Ethernet a logical next step for backbone aggregation.  Tolley expects the standards process to move quickly:  the target date for a 10G standard completion is March 2002.  Proof of concept demonstrations are already occurring; pre-standard products should be out next year.
Converge! Network Digest, November 2, 1999

Global Crossing Tests Lucent’s Terabit Switch/Router for IP over OC192
Global Crossing completed the first phase of an IP over OC-192 field trial using Lucent Technologies’ NX64000  Multi-Terabit Switch/Router. The Nexabit NX64000 switch/router is expected to be commercially available by end of the year.  Global Crossing expects to roll out OC-192 commercially on its North American Crossing network in the first half of 2000.  http://www.globalcrossing.com
Global Crossing, November 2, 1999

In June, Lucent Technologies acquired Nexabit Networks for $900 million in stock (14 million shares).  The Nexabit platform is a 6.4 Tbps switching chassis capable of supporting 16-channel OC-192 DWDM connectivity as well as line rate interfaces for OC-3, OC-12, and OC-48.  Nexabit is developing a unique CBR over IP capability using architecture that guarantees short deterministic delay and delay variance.  Variable-length IP frames are natively routed in the Nexabit system, and ATM cells are natively switched. 

GLOBAL CROSSING INTRODUCES WHOLESALE ATM SERVICE
Global Crossing began offering a wholesale ATM service for resale by other carriers.  The service offers access speeds from T1 up to OC-12.  It also offers Inverse Multiplexing over ATM (IMA) for bandwidth access between T1 and DS3.  Global Crossing said its wholesale ATM service would be an attractive alternative to private line networks for many facilities-based carriers, data CLECs and ISPs because it can be configured to support their specific backbone requirements. http://www.globalcrossing.com
Global Crossing, November 2, 1999

ALIDIAN NETWORKS ENTERS THE OPTICAL NETWORKING ARENA
Alidian Networks, a start-up based in Mountain View, California announced plans to offer an optical networking platform for metropolitan area networks.  The company intends to incorporate “service awareness” into its architecture.  Product specifics were not disclosed.  Alidian recently appointed Barton Shigemura as its CEO.  Shigemura previously served as vice president of marketing for Lucent Technologies' Data Networking Systems Division.  The company has raised $6.25 million in first-round venture funding from Institutional Venture Partners and Accel Partners.  http://www.alidian.com
Alidian Networks, November 2, 1999

CHROMATIS NETWORKS APPOINTS NEW PRESIDENT
Chromatis Networks, a start-up developing a Selective Wave Division Multiplexing for metropolitan networks, named Robert Barron to the posts of president and COO.  Previously, Barron was vice president of operations and corporate officer at Nokia/Diamond Lane Communications.  http://www.chromatis.com
Chromatis Networks, November 2, 1999

Chromatis’ optical platform delivers one or more wavelengths to those sites on a metropolitan fiber ring that require multi-gigabit capacities, while allowing other sites on the same ring to share less-expensive bandwidth that is not based on DWDM. The Chromatis SWDM platform creates two rings on the same fiber: one is an inexpensive single- channel ring that is shared by all network elements and runs at 1310 nanometers, and the second is a multi-channel DWDM ring running at 1550 nanometers. Chromatis technology manages the two separate wavelength regions to make them appear as a single network.

FRANCE TELECOM BEGINS ADSL SERVICE IN PARIS
France Telecom began offering ADSL service in central Paris (the first through sixth arrondissements), plus the suburban communities of Issy-les-Moulineaux, Neuilly-sur-Seine and Vanves.  The Netissimo 1 service costs 265 francs (US$44) per month for 500 kbps down / 128 kbps up, plus an ADSL modem rental cost of 45 francs per month (or sold for 1,990 francs) and 775 francs (US$124) for activation.  Users may choose another ISP. http://www.francetelecom.com/vangl/b/b6/b6.html
France Telecom, November 2, 1999

FOCAL COMMUNICATIONS TO DEPLOY PAIRGAIN’S HDSL2
Focal Communications, a CLEC based in Chicago, will deploy PairGain Technologies’ HiGain Solitaire HDSL2 platform to provision T1 services faster in the 14 US metropolitan markets it currently serves.  DSL2 delivers full T1 capability over only one wire pair.  Financial terms were not disclosed.  http://pairgain.com
PairGain, November 2, 1999

GTS TO PROVIDE BANDWIDTH OVER ATLANTICA-1 CABLE TO BRAZIL
Global TeleSystems Group, which operates a high-capacity pan-European fiber network, will sell managed bandwidth services over GlobeNet's forthcoming 1.28 Tbps Atlantica-1 undersea cable system to Latin America.  The Atlantica-1 cable system will be interconnected in New York with GTS's 2.4 Tbps FLAG Atlantic-1 (FA-1) undersea network.  FA-1's northern undersea route will be complete and operational in March 2001.  Atlantica-1's first leg -- from New York through Bermuda to Fortaleza, Brazil -- is scheduled to be ready for service in September 2000. The full northern ring of the system, including Fortaleza to Venezuela to Florida and back to New York, is slated to be operational by year-end 2000. http://www.gtsgroup.com
GTS, November 2, 1999

PSINET GAINS 45 MBPS SATELLITE CAPACITY TO LATIN AMERICA
PSINet will use two Ku-band transponders on Loral CyberStar’s newly launched Orion 2 satellite to gain the equivalent of more than a DS-3 service between the US and multiple sites in Brazil. The Orion 2 satellite will give PSINet north-south coverage from the eastern U.S. to South America, the Caribbean, and Panama.    http://www.psi.net
PSINet, November 2, 1999