Architecting Separate Data and Control Planes for Next-Generation Networks

Strategic Insights -

Network Equipment Technologies, Inc. (NWK), doing business as net.com, has announced a demonstration at SuperComm showcasing the advantages of architecting separate data and control planes to support an open programming interface (OPI) for next-generation networks. This breakthrough architecture enables the delivery of services such as video-on-demand over a heterogeneous network to the desktop, maintaining IP quality of service (QoS) on a packet/cell backbone. The demonstration highlights the capability of subscriber service selection exhibited by net.com and France Telecom R&D at the ATM Development's 2000 tradeshow held in Rennes, France.

Key Takeaways:

  • The demonstration showcases net.com's SCREAM Service Creation Manager architecture, which supports delivery of services such as video-on-demand over a heterogeneous network to the desktop, maintaining IP QoS on a packet/cell backbone.
  • The solution for subscriber selection relies on the split control and data plane of net.com's SCREAM architecture, which enables easy integration with software applications and operational support systems for rapid delivery of new revenue-generating services.
  • The new services prototyped on the network, exhibited by net.com and France Telecom R&D, rely on the distributed computing environment, or middleware, that controls the network infrastructure.
  • Key to the success of this demonstration is SCREAM's unique distributed processing architecture that separates the network control plane (NCP) and NDP, providing CORBA-based programmability of network resources.
  • SCREAM's open programming interface (OPI) enables easy integration with software applications and operational support systems for rapid delivery of new revenue-generating services.
  • Using open interfaces, such as those provided by net.com's SCREAM platform, unleashes the power of true, open service creation.
  • net.com's SCREAM service creation managers are a family of scalable, carrier-class, open, and non-proprietary products designed to enable service creation in the broadband network.
  • The demonstration highlights the architecture of next-generation networks, encompassing three layers: the enabling network infrastructure, the middleware layer, and the added-value services running on servers in the distributed computing environment.

Statistics:

  • The demonstration targets the application of desktop videoconferencing on demand, where a user requests a videoconference with another user through a service portal.
  • The network control layer establishes the required network connection with appropriate QoS parameters on the SCREAM network data plan (NDP) using GSMp.
  • The called party receives a notification that their presence is requested for a video conference, and on confirmation, the video session is established.
  • The architecture of next-generation networks exhibits 99.9999% ("six-nines") availability in a distributed processing architecture.

Sources:

  • "Network Equipment Technologies, Inc. (NWK) to Demonstrate Advantages of Architecting Separate Data and Control Planes for Next-Generation Networks at SuperComm" (PRNewswire, June 5)
  • "SCREAM Service Creation Manager" (Network Equipment Technologies, Inc.)
  • "ATM Development's 2000 tradeshow" (Rennes, France)