Tbps-level Transport Functions Achieved with White-box Switching on Virtual Networks

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT hereinafter), headquartered in Tokyo, has attained transport functions for carrier networks using white-box switches, which is general-purpose communications equipment, and demonstrated the possibility of configuring carrier-provided Tbps-level virtual networks using only general-purpose communications equipment.

This has been achieved by software that enables the use of functions (MPLS functions) required for virtual networks, which were prepared as hardware for commercial white-box switches but could not be used. NTT has developed it with a completely open technology so that many equipment vendors and carriers will be able to use this software in the future.

As equipment vendors use this software, the white-box switch market that was limited to the small-scale networks used in data centers and so forth holds the promise of expanding into the carrier network field.

As well as having a much greater range of choices of network equipment, carriers will also have the ability to add functionality with network operating systems themselves. This will make network configuration more flexible, and make it easier to provide even faster communication speeds and more customer-oriented services.

These achievements are a big step towards the realization of the general-purpose, modularized networks aimed for by the Multi-Service Fabric (MSF), which is an elemental technology of NTT's NetroSphere concept established in 2015.

With ongoing studies, NTT will engage in the experimental "NetroSpherePIT" operation and wide-ranging partnering as initiatives for never-before-seen openness while establishing this technology through further expansion of functionality.

Source: NTT release