While the benefits of packet-optical transport systems (P-OTS) and software defined networks (SDN) have been chronicled well by the large incumbent service provider community, these platforms have just as much utility in regional, middle-mile networks.
Case in point: Minnesota-based Northeast Service Cooperative (NESC), a middle-mile provider leveraging Cyan's Z-Series P-OTS platform--in addition to its Cyan 360 software-defined operation suite--to deliver Ethernet services for its Northeast Middle Mile Fiber project.
Made possible through a $43.5 million Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) stimulus grant, NESC's 915 middle-mile network will deliver fiber-based services to eight counties, 38 communities, three tribal reservations, 85 townships, and over 200 critical-service institutions.
Over the new network, NESC will use Cyan's P-OTS systems to deliver up to 10 Gbps Ethernet service to various service institutions, including the including the University of Minnesota, the state's college system, State Office of Enterprise Technology, libraries, health care facilities, public school districts, cities and counties. As a future proofed platform, the Z-Series has the ability to support various 10G and even 100G wavelength services per each fiber.
To fulfill NESC's desire for a fully automated software controlled network operations model, Cyan established a partnership with CALIENT Technologies to integrate its S320 3D MEMS photonic switch with the Z-Series platforms.
Another key piece of this deployment is, of course, software. With the Cyan 360 software, a suite that includes both the CyPlan and CyPortal features, NESC will be able to conduct network planning and ensure that they are delivering the capacity and latency requirements they promised to their customer base.
In addition to the software and hardware platforms, NESC is using Cyan PRO professional services capabilities.
NESC Executive Director Paul Brinkman said a key point of this latest deployment is about creating a platform to scale.
"Cyan's software-defined metro network solution has the ability to handle nearly every network scenario while also being able to scale as our needs change," he said.
With many of the large service providers, including Verizon (NYSE: VZ), championing P-OTS systems, deployments like NESC and the Indiana Fiber Network via competitor Ciena, illustrate that these platforms have just as much value for regional service providers that also want to deliver the same next-gen services typically only available in tier-one markets.
For more:
- see the release
Special Report: In detail: Following the Packet Optical Transport Systems (P-OTS) evolution
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