FastSMP

The Infinera company announced in the spring of 2013 FastSMP exit. This solution is developed for protection of networks in which the Infinera DTN-X platform is used, and offers operators an opportunity to increase fault tolerance of network in case of multiple failures, at the same time reducing the cost of ownership of network.

With release FastSMP Infinera proposed the hardware solution of protection of networks with mesh topology (Shared Mesh Protection, SMP) on the basis of the FastSMP processor for acceleration of interaction of network devices. The new solution is capable to provide fast recovery of network after multiple failures less than for 50 ms. This chip is implemented in the Infinera DTN-X platform and is activated by a software update. Such solution guarantees protection of investments of customers which build the transport networks based on the Infinera DTN-X platform. At the moment the number of ports 100G on the equipment supplied by Infinera company to the market reached 2000, and each of them maintains upgradeability with FastSMP.

"Existing solutions for ensuring fault tolerance of network do not correspond to the growing needs of operators concerning profitability and network performance — Michael Kennedy, the top analyst in ACG Research claims. — The SMP technology integrates the best practices of reservation (1+1) and also fast changing and recovery of a route (MPLS FRR) thanks to what operators can offer the customers the extensive choice of new services with multilevel algorithms of protection. According to our data, the SMP technology allows to reduce total ownership cost by 33% in comparison with indicators of networks with reservation 1+1".

Advantages of Infinera FastSMP to operators and their clients following:

• the determined protection. Recovery of multiple failures in network during 50 ms while when using a software technology of Shared Mesh Restoration several seconds for this purpose are necessary;
• the increased availability of network. Reservation 1+1 can protect only from one failure. The FastSMP technology uses the intellectual level of management of GMPLS for providing several reserve routes, constantly recalculating routes for ensuring functioning of each protected service;
• cost-efficient process of implementation. Contrary to reservation 1+1, the new technology from Infinera allows to regulate an order of use of the general fallback resources at different failures of network, appropriating to services a certain priority. Such practice causes an opportunity to save on capital and operating costs.
• Thanks to FastSMP operators of networks can offer clients services with high degree of protection against failures and a possibility of recovery for less than 50 ms which have higher availability and reduce costs in comparison with services on the basis of reservation 1+1. As the technology uses the digital level of a transport network, it is much more economic, than solutions on the basis of transfer of packets and also provides recovery after local and remote failures within networks with thousands of nodes for less than 50 ms. In many scenarios of FastSMP higher level of protection, than MPLS Fast Re-Route technology provides.

"The Pacnet company takes a unique position: its reference network in the region of APAC has true mesh-architecture of underwater networks — Andy Lamsten, the technical director of Pacnet said. — We selected the DTN-X platform that opened before us new levels of scaling of network, allowing to give client traffic and to provide high-performance services quicker, than competitors. The combination of the Infinera DTN-X platform and the new hardware FastSMP function will provide to Pacnet network the stability, high capacity and flexibility necessary for satisfaction of the most exacting requests of our clients".

"Infinera aims to be the leader in the field of innovations of transport networks — Dave Welch, the director of strategic development, the executive vice president and one of founders of Infinera noted. — Infinera made a revolution in the industry, having provided DTN-X on the basis of superchannels of 500 Gbps formed using technology of optical integration. The new Infinera FastSMP technology forms a basis to the solution, the providing higher stability of networks with mesh topology, protecting services of our clients and helping them will reduce total ownership cost network".

The FastSMP technology is based on the developing industry standard of Shared Mesh Protection thanks to which transport networks can be recovered after local and large-scale failures, without involving the active bandwidth of tdlya of each connection. Infinera submitted the application for registration of the patent for hardware accelerated FastSMP. It is expected that the company will begin to deliver solutions using this technology of protection and recovery of multiple failures in 2013.

Infinera and Pacnet announced implementation of the Infinera DTN-X platform in underwater network Pacnet in Asia.