Alcatel proves industry-leading SONET interoperability at SUPERCOMM '97

Business Wire, May 29, 1997

NEW ORLEANS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 29, 1997--Alcatel extends its long history of proven dedication to complete SONET (synchronous optical network) interoperability with two live demonstrations at SUPERCOMM '97. As an industry leader, Alcatel continues to work with customers and vendors alike to realize SONET's vast potential. In today's carrier networks, SONET equipment from multiple vendors must interoperate to achieve the ultimate in network efficiency, reliability and provide the ability to create new services seamlessly.

The Alcatel Booth #149 will provide the backdrop for a pioneering SONET interoperability demonstration involving equipment from Alcatel Network Systems, Inc., Lucent Technologies and NEC America. The three are teaming up to demonstrate SONET interoperability on multiple levels in an OC-3 rate (155 Mbit/s) unidirectional path switched ring (UPSR) configuration. The OC-3 ring will comprise the Alcatel 1631 SX digital cross connect, the Alcatel 1603 SM SONET multiplexer, an OC-3 interface on the Alcatel 1648 SM OC-48 rate (2.4 Gbit/s) multiplexer, the NEC America IMT-150 add/drop multiplexer, and the Lucent Technologies DDM-2000 add/drop multiplexer.

The NEC IMT-150 is an economical, flexible, reliable OC-3 intelligent multiplexer designed for interoffice, loop transport, and customer premise applications. It supports point-to-point, multipoint, and two-fiber UPSR applications, accommodating mixed low-speed interfaces in the same shelf.

In an effort to more closely simulate today's complex networks, the demonstration will route traffic with a variety of payload configurations, including STS-1, VT1.5 and DS3. The SONET data communications channel (DCC) holds the key to complete interoperability. Operations, administrations, maintenance and provisioning rely on data transferred from one network element to another. A compatible DCC allows for transparent management of the network through any one network element built by any vendor, thus simplifying control of the network. This demonstration is establishing a benchmark of DCC connectivity and has paved the way for the implementation of features such as: remote log-in, software download through the network, and alarm reporting to a common network management device, such as the Alcatel 1320 NM network management system.

The Alcatel 1320 NM will monitor alarms and other events from all network elements on the OC-3 ring, maintain network element status, and provide an integrated event browser from which to view event details, thereby demonstrating the ability to integrate alarm and event management into a single platform.

Additionally, the Alcatel 1603 SM SONET multiplexer is participating in the ten-vendor interoperability demonstration coordinated by the SONET Interoperability Forum (SIF), in Booth #A5481. The Alcatel 1603 SM SONET multiplexer is serving as the "gateway" element responsible for overall network management, including the DCC interfaces (LAN and X.25) for the SIF OC-3 UPSR.

The SIF group selected the 1603 SM as the gateway network element because it possesses the proven ability to provide the control needed to direct this impressive demonstration. Namely, the 1603 SM is routing all network management functions throughout the ring. Separately, the 1603 SM provides the ability to accomplish Level 2 routing required in larger networks.

In the SIF demonstration, the participants' network management platforms, each with different requirements, will access the ring through the 1603 SM in order to log in remotely to not only their own equipment but others' as well -- a myriad of log-in connections all administered by the 1603 SM. The Alcatel 1320 NM network management system is assisting in this function by logging in to the 1603 SM and equipment from two other vendors, collecting alarms generated by these network elements, and providing network element status information in an integrated display.

The 1603 SM also is providing provisioning and performance monitoring in support of each vendor's scripted interoperability demonstration. The 1603 SM will provide each vendor access to its equipment and facilitate each script in order to prove that SONET interoperability is not just an idea over the horizon, but rather a tool that carriers can use to take advantage of the unbundling of services called for in the Telecom Act of 1996. The SONET Interoperability Forum is sponsored by the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS).

Alcatel has demonstrated in laboratory testing -- conducted at its SONET Interoperability Lab (SIL) in Richardson, Texas -- and in numerous field tests that it has successfully implemented network management application standards specified by the SIF. By meeting the SIF specifications, Alcatel allows other vendors to access their network elements remotely through the complete line of Alcatel SONET multiplexers and cross connects.

Alcatel's SIL has numerous pieces of equipment from Alcatel and other vendors. Alcatel's full-time staff of engineers and technicians work with their counterparts from customers and competitors to test and evaluate interoperability configurations. This industry-leading capability has greatly simplified the integration of Alcatel products into carrier multi-vendor networks.