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All-IP for Cable Networks

The connected world is moving to an all-IP model, and cable networks are in line to follow this evolution. At Cypress Consulting, we believe the future of cable networks lies in IP/MPLS technologies. Technology is key to cable multiservice operators (MSOs) that will leads them to a service-rich experience, with end-to-end multiservice delivery over a single consolidated system for advanced cable applications and services.

The new cable network will deliver any service that a cable provider might want to offer its customers over a high-speed, self-driving network. This converged IP packet-optical architecture, which we refer to as a Cable Metro IP Transit Architecture, uses a single end-to-end approach for both core and metro locations. The use of IP/MPLS enables huge scale, efficiency, elasticity, and programmability to provide the high-quality experience that today’s cable subscribers expect.

In our vision, the IP-powered cable network extends from the core into the access network. Cypress Consulting uses Juniper technology to build a modern version of the cable last mile, featuring an all-IP, all-DOCSIS, multigigabit access infrastructure for both commercial and residential services. Juniper calls this system the Ethernet Mid-Mile architecture. Combined with an all-IP/MPLS core and metro network, the Ethernet Mid-Mile access architecture will give MSOs a progressive, highly flexible, and ultra-efficient network system.

Why do we need a new architecture?

The massive growth of high-bandwidth, narrowcast traffic—such as video-on-demand and high-speed data—has led to furiously escalating capacity requirements. At the same time, factors such as a migration to IP video delivery and the need for more rapid service delivery are straining traditional cable business models. Today’s legacy architectures are hindering the rollout of new service offerings, slowing deployment velocity, and limiting revenue potential. They also impact MSOs’ CapEx budgets, placing huge demands on their facilities in terms of power, cooling, and space.

The changing role of the DOCSIS standard also adds to MSOs’ challenges. Previously used only for high-speed data, DOCSIS is now moving into place as a foundation for all services delivered to homes and businesses. This transformation is forcing cable operators to evaluate new ways to provide an emerging set of DOCSIS-based services while taking advantage of the latest computing and networking trends.

Together, the Metro IP Transit and Ethernet Mid-Mile architectures fit into Juniper’s larger architectural vision for all service providers, a vision that comprises an all-IP/MPLS, end-to-end multiservice delivery platform for advanced services and applications.

“We were familiar with the capabilities of the Juniper routers acting as BGP route reflectors (RRs), and once we’d seen the virtual RR in the lab, we decided it was exactly what we needed in order to cut costs and speed up our deployment times. Cypress Consulting helped us with the design and implementation of the vRR as well the routing design that vRRs required. Cypress enabled us to access all the features and the stability of the Junos operating system in a state-of-the-art virtual package.”

Business Challenge

Customer demanded a new cost effective, scalable solution to scale their existing physical route reflectors running Junos operating system.

Technology Solution

Cypress Consulting examined multiple available control plane only solutions in the market on behalf of the customer and recommended Juniper’s vRR solution.

The virtual Route Reflector (vRR) feature allowed the client to implement route reflector capability using a general purpose virtual machine that could be run on a 64-bit Intel-based blade server or appliance. Because a route reflector works in the control plane, it could run completely in a virtualized environment. A virtual route reflector on an Intel-based blade server or appliance works the same as a route reflector on a router, providing a scalable alternative to full mesh internal BGP peering. The vRR solution is very lightweight and can be deployed in a very little memory space. Since the solution is completely virtual based on KVM virtualization, the deployment and scaling of the solution was fully automated.

Business Results

Customer reports the following results as a direct result of the successful implementation of the vRR project:

– Scalability: By implementing the vRR solution, customer gained scalability improvements and was able to implement virtual route reflectors at multiple locations in the network quickly and in a cost effective manner.

– Faster and more flexible deployment: Through installing the vRR feature on an Intel servers and by using open source tools customer reduced software and router maintenance costs.

– Space savings: Hardware-based route reflectors required central office space. The vRR was enabled on an existing server infrastructure in the Telco’s data centers, which saved space as well as reducing power and cooling costs.

 

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