Investigating Carrier Grade Technologies
This was the subject of a closed meeting of the JRA1T1 team led by Alberto Colmenero from NORDUnet. Several external people, from DANTE and GN3 Project Management Team, also attended the meeting: Roberto Sabatino, Richard Hughes-Jones, Sue Tyley.
The agenda focused on several items: -
- Discussion of the task scope document;
- Discussion of the first deliverable structure;
- Task 1 success criteria;
- Organisation of a multi-NREN testbed. The first and the last topics of the agenda might be of interest.
The agenda was drawn from kick-off meeting which took place in Copenhagen on 16 June 2009 and two follow-up meetings via Videoconference.
Discussion of the task scope document
As a result of discussions, the scope document was amended and agreed. Generally, it is correct to say that JRA1 Task 1 will be focused on Layer 2 and Layer 1 transport carrier grade technologies.
The major technologies to be investigated by JRA1 Task1 are MPLS-TP and PBB-TE. JANET and SURFnet will lead PBB-TE investigations while MPLS-TP will be led by GARR and NORDUnet.
Along with these two completely new transport technologies JRA1T1 will investigate new features of existing transport technologies such as: -
- Ethernet: all new features of classical Ethernet which make it more “carrier grade” but don’t constitute a new technology like PBB or EoMPLS. Two categories of such features were identified: Ethernet OAM (e.g. CFM) and 40/100GE standards. JANET and DANTE are responsible for this activity.
- OTN (or Next Generation of OTN – it is not clear to me what new features are emerging at the moment) – DANTE will lead this activity.
- MPLS new features: multicast, inter-working with PBB, multi-domain capability. PSCN and CESNET are responsible for this area of investigation.
- Synchronous Ethernet – CESNET suggested to add it to the list and it was agreed.
The scope will be the photonic layer and all-optical switching techniques which are within JRA1 Task 2 scope.
JRA1 Task 1 will also keep an eye on Control Plane (JRA2 Task 2 area) and QoS mechanisms (no such a GN3 project activity).
Organisation of a multi-NREN testbed will be the next stage of JRA 1 Task 1 activity. The idea is to connect NREN testbeds, most of which are under construction at the moment (with a few live testbeds, mostly MPLS). There was a suggestion to use the FEDERICA project approach, which uses virtual routers to create virtual networks. This wasn’t discussed in detail and I have a feeling that investigating a new technology, through the use of virtual routers that don’t support the technology in question, is the wrong approach – but maybe I am wrong. Each NREN has added an overview of their testbed on to the JRA1 T1 wiki.
Victor Olifer - JRA1 Task 1 “Carrier Class Transport Network Technologies” meeting, Vienna, 8th September