Disaggregating Access Nodes brings simplified operations and promotes greater competition within the supply chain
Disaggregating Access Nodes brings simplified operations and promotes greater competition within the supply chain
Bruno Cornaglia and Mengmeng Li, SDN/NFV Work Area Co-Directors at Broadband Forum
Access Nodes in a broadband network are the critical elements that are responsible for aggregating thousands of access lines and processing data packets once the connection is established for the customer. Traditionally this is one of the largest network element investments made by a broadband operator. They facilitate all control, management, and data plane traffic flows through the network. Access Nodes implement technology-specific protocols and future evolutions of network connectivity.
As broadband technologies continue to evolve at pace, it adds pressure on operators to protect their investments to ensure profitability before a new cycle of software deployment needs to be introduced. Operators need to address customer requirements for better Quality of Service, higher speeds, and lower latency.
Changing needs
Broadband Forum’s WT-477 and MR-477 ‘Access Node Hardware Disaggregation’ published from the SDN/NFV Work Area revolutionizes the architecture of the Access Node to address the changing needs of the industry. The specification work provides operators with a migration path from one of their largest network investments, existing Access Nodes such as Optical Line Terminals (OLTs) and Multi-Service Access Nodes (MSANs) to a new disaggregated software-driven model approach.
This approach will enable clear separation of the control and management planes, decoupling the hardware and centralizing the software investment inside a CloudCO architecture. SDN enabled Access Node disaggregation introduces new flexibility in the deployment of the management and control planes by supporting legacy investment and extending the principles of disaggregation, as well as using whitebox hardware and software solutions for future Access Node architecture. Network disaggregation accelerates the migration of the control and management plane functions in the Access Node to virtualized functions within the CloudCO.
There are a host of business benefits behind the specification work that is promoted by a multi-vendor, multi-technology CloudCO architecture. CloudCO is a reference architecture which allows operators to modernize central office infrastructure and undertake their journeys to disaggregated network functionality.
Greater choice for operators: Business motivations
- Diversification of the supply chain – By increasing the number of product and solution providers, it removes vendor lock-in and promotes competition. This allows operators to be more selective when choosing a supplier for individual aspects and components of their solutions, rather than only considering those capable of providing a complete end-to-end solution.
- Operational Expense savings – When Access Nodes are disaggregated, operations can be simplified by automation and integration through standards-based interfaces and using a single, common and software-defined Central Office. New vendors and new technologies can be introduced easily, but flexibility in the supply chain has to be carefully managed. This is because increasing the number of components and associated suppliers has the potential to make the end-to-end solution more complex and costly. Automation of workflows, configuration and maintenance tasks is critical.
- Edge Computing potential – Virtualization of the computing power is enabled through technologies such as Openstack and Kubernetes, it opens the potential for the Access Node to become part of an Edge Computing deployment. This is another resource available for orchestration by the Cloud Central Office.
- Time to deliver new services – The disaggregated Access Node integration to a common, centralized control plane function provides a single point for service provisioning that can be expediently rolled out to all subscribers, improving time to market and market reach. For example, a PON technology upgrade can be implemented seamlessly. When introducing new services and software upgrades, the decoupling of the control plane also enables the opportunity to simplify service windows to a single CloudCO network roll-out compared to individual vendor specific upgrades. These upgrades will all need separate planning, testing and downtime to upgrade each vendor inside your network or service area.
- Technology assurance – Operators of converged networks in particular, are aided by the disaggregated Access Nodes equipped with Layer 1 Small Form-factor Pluggable (SFP) ports which future-proofs networks.
- Capital Expense savings – Disaggregation allows for a clear separation of hardware from software, and therefore, when new physical layer access technologies are introduced, and software upgrades can become an automated, continuous and vendor-decoupled process. Reducing unit cost and increasing the lifetime of individual components are notable advantages for operators.
- Multi-vendor interoperability – Operators can compare different products and leverage a multi-vendor environment for financial or technical benefits. Vendors can also be assured of a one-time development cost with the standardization of disaggregated Access Node architecture, interfaces, and protocols as it allows interoperability between control plane and user plane elements.
Take a look at MR-477 now to learn more.
For Press and Analyst inquiries, contact Proactive PR at broadbandforum@proactive-pr.com
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