Transmode stresses synchronization capabilities
Transmode Systems AB has collected its network synchronization and timing capabilities under the brand Intelligent Sync (iSync), announced today at the WDM & Next Generation Optical Networking event in Monaco. As the company's portfolio & capabilities have expanded and as network synchronization continues to become increasingly important in many networks, the company has responded by introducing new synchronization management and monitoring functionality.
iSync covers three main areas within the Transmode portfolio:
- Sync monitoring and management: Transmode's iSync now provides users with new sync management maps and full sync source protection switching. In addition, Transmode has unveiled a new partnership with Chronos Technology, a provider of sync monitoring and management. This partnership adds industry-independent SyncWatch probes with the associated SyncWatch NetSMART software fully integrated into Transmode's Enlighten multi-layer management suite.
- Layer 2 Sync performance: Through the design of Transmode's Layer 2 Ethernet Muxponder (EMXP) family, Transmode's customers are able to deploy networks with what the company claims is industry-leading SyncE performance. These networks also provide the ideal foundation for 1588v2 deployments due to their extremely low latency and low jitter, the company adds. Using these capabilities, Transmode's customers have been able to deploy mobile backhaul networks with sync performance that are an order of magnitude or more better than SDH/SONET synchronized networks, the company claims.
- Patented Layer 1 Sync with multiple sync domains per wavelength: Transporting transparent synchronization within a framed WDM wavelength, i.e., once a header is added for management, is not easy and not all WDM vendors can do this. Transmode takes things one stage further using muxponders, with patent-protected sync functionality, that support multiple independent sync signals over a single wavelength. Transmode says this will be particularly useful in a wholesale environment where an operator may need to support multiple wireless operators with differing sync strategies and clocks.
Sten Nordell, Transmode's CTO commented, "The founders of the company have a deep understanding and experience of the issues and the subtleties required to make sync work well in a real network environments. iSync captures this depth of knowledge with hardware and management capabilities coming together to create networks that enable our customers to build the best performing networks."
In an associated announcement, Transmode unveiled the company's Enlighten multi-layer network management suite and related Ecosystem. As packet-optical networks increase in complexity, particularly with deployments of ROADM-based flexible optical networks ranging from Layer 1 transport to Layer 2 Ethernet and recently even Layer 2.5 MPLS-TP services, management capabilities also need to become more sophisticated. Transmode’s new Enlighten network management system addresses this need.
Enlighten enables simple point and click provisioning across all layers coupled with a powerful multi-layer graphical user interface to ensure full visibility of all necessary network and service parameters. Transmode has also extended the management capabilities to include integrated network planning and design tools, to enable operators to move seamlessly between the network planning, deployment, and operation phases of the life cycle, via the Enlighten management suite.
To further enhance Enlighten, Transmode has developed an ecosystem of third-party software. The first publicly announced partner within the Enlighten Ecosystem is Chronos Technology, a UK-based provider of network synchronization software and services. This brings network synchronization monitoring and management capabilities via the integration of Chronos' SyncWatch network probes and SyncWatch NetSMART software into the Enlighten management suite.