ADVA Optical Networking Introduces a Compelling 100G Optical Cloud; Will the Tier 1 Operators Notice?

Event Summary

February 28, 2011 - ADVA Optical Networking introduces its Agile Core Express solution, combining 100G-optimized optical amplifiers; colorless, directionless and contentionless ROADMs; and a fully-integrated control plane and management system to create a “coherent express layer,” supporting 2,500km connections. The solution, implemented on the FSP-3000, is designed to interface directly with IP/MPLS switches/routers, but it also includes 100G transponders. ADVA claims Q3 2011 availability.

Quick Take

Analytical Summary

• Current Perspective: Positive on ADVA’s introduction of the Agile Core Express solution, because it provides an ideal set of features for a 100G optical network – high wavelength capacity, long optical span, flexible ROADMs and a powerful service management system that can interwork with switches and routers over an MPLS-based control plane. The solution could provide an all-optical network that would respond to the real-time bandwidth requirements of the connected routers. The primary weakness of the announcement is that ADVA is relatively unknown to the Tier 1 carriers who will be the primary customers of a long-haul 100G transport solution.

• Vendor Importance: Very high to ADVA, because the Agile Core Express solution not only provides it one of the industry’s early 100G transport solutions, but also launches the vendor into the ultra-long-haul optical transport market with a unique product that fulfills many of the requirements of the largest Tier 1 vendors, a totally new prospect base for the vendor. In addition, its MPLS-based control plane positions ADVA to participate in significant interoperability demonstrations with the major router vendors (other than, probably, Alcatel-Lucent), which would provide it priceless market exposure.

• Market Impact: High on the optical transport and switching, as well as routing market segments because the Agile Core Express solution provides a complete feature set for a 100G optical network that responds to the bandwidth requirements of the connected routers, an ideal example of IP-optical integration. These features supersede those of the current 100G transport product offerings – 2,500 km optical span, completely flexible ROADMs and a control plane that interworks with routers and switches at the IP/MPLS layer. ADVA’s newness to the Tier 1 market may mute the effect of its product on the market, but interoperability demonstrations with core routers should quickly make the vendor very well known.

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