WDM Usage at Forskningsnettet. CEF Prague

Transcription

1 WDM Usage at Forskningsnettet CEF Prague 2017 S1

2 Owners are universities 100 connected sites km fibre used for internet and infrastructure S2

3 3 WDM types: All passive (CWDM/DWDM) Passive MUX WDM optics for routers/switches All active (DWDM vendor controlled) Transponder based Amplified/DCM LR/LX optics for routers/switches In between (DWDM) Passive MUX Amplified/DCM WDM optics for routers/switches S3

4 All passive WDM Capex $500 8-channel CWDM $ channel DWDM Opex $160 (1G, 80 km optics) pr. channel $2000/channel (10G, 80 km optics) pr. channel No monitoring Patching patching - patching S4

5 All active WDM Capex $ max 88-channel DWDM Opex $5.400/channel (10G, 80 km optics) pr. channel Heavy support-fee Central monitoring (NMS) Patching endpoints only Vendor assistance on configuration S5

6 In between Capex $ max 16-channel DWDM Opex $160 (1G, 80 km optics) pr. channel $2000/channel (10G, 80 km optics) pr. channel Central monitoring of individual nodes Patching patching patching Rule of thumbs configuration S6

7 Acquiring a new DWDM-system We used to have an Alcatel-Lucent 1626 system 40 channels up to 10G New acquisition would give us: Modern system Cheaper system Higher bandwidth Improved network management S7

8 The process Price turned out to be the major selection point. We ended up granting the contract to Ericsson, who delivered a system by ECI. And our expectations? Smart well, let's get to that. Small not really. Cheaper more in the line of 'pay as you grow'. S8

9 Technical solution The new system is ROADM based for our purposes 4 direction ROADMs was adequate, but 9 direction nodes is possible too. It's a traditional setup using amp/preamp, dcm, roadm, mux/demux and transponders for each direction. Wavelengths are set up in configurable optics and connected passively to the right mux/demux position. S9

10 Technical solution A POP contains several shelfs we urged ECI to design each direction in a separate shelf. This way defects or power-problems for one shelf should bother this direction only, giving a less probable disconnection. ECI configuration appeared to have been handled with garden utensils! They just had no understanding of order and easy numbering. S10

11 Technical solution Management is done using a central NMS-computer (actually two) which is connected to the management network of the local POP. Using the NMS hardware can be described and connections created. This can be done even before real hardware is installed. S11

12 What shouldn't have been expected Core problem with the ECI design really is routing the administrative network between nodes. Each shelf is controlled by a special board, but traffic is routed staticly instead of using the embedded routing-protocol correctly. They just doesn't seem to understand routing. One result of the static design shows if a line is broken. In this case we loose management to sites 'behind' the broken line even if alternatives exists and works. S12

13 What shouldn't have been expected Some problems seen after installation relates to faulty flash-cards used to store the configuration. And if configuration can't be stored, no new circuits can be created through the node. Other problems relates to defect (original) LANoptics. Too often the system reports everything is good and even if tested with soft loops in the transponder, no traffice will reach the end user as the optic fails. S13

14 What shouldn't have been expected One important checkmark in the tender was 'ability to use 3.rd party optics'. ECI did check this but the way they permit 3.rd party optics to run is by requiering a command-line setting for each foreign optic. And unfortunately this setting is not permanent if the system is restarted, the foreign optic will not work until the command-line setting is entered again. S14

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16 What shouldn't have been expected We did expect a modern client/server like NMS. This is not the case! We got a system very alike the Alcatel a monolitic chump of functionality needing VNC to access the screen. The NMS is a strange beast! It must be run using Solaris with the Solaris virtualization system. And don't expect ECI to be able to handle Solaris problems that's not the business for their optic experts! S16

17 Good things about an integrated DWDM system It's not bad all of it! The main advantage using an integrated DWDM system like ECI, Alcatel, Nokia and such is Vendor support The NMS. The ability to see all nodes in one error-log, handle installations using one path-tool and so on. And this works! S17

18 What should have been done in tender phase? Select 3-5 key points, and stick to them even if you need to dump a vendor. Take a break before signing and join education for the most probable product. You do need this to make the right specifications. S18

19 But in the end we'll love it Experience tells us that even if we start out hating a new system, in the end we'll love it. Peculiarities are to be circumvented problems to be solved. S19