Ceterus Networks Inc., an Allen, Texas-based company that provides what it describes as a "single virtual pipe" for transport of Metro Ethernet services, yesterday unveiled its Universal Transport System family of network devices.
The new devices are designed to enable service providers to deliver Metro Ethernet services to businesses with copper-only access and those with Gigabit Ethernet bandwidth demands over existing broadband transport networks. Ceterus Networks said service providers will deliver carrier-grade Metro Ethernet services at significantly less cost and with performance characteristics similar to native ATM, Frame Relay or SONET transport.
The UTS product family is built to deliver transport of multiple service formats over existing infrastructure. It does this, the company claims, by solving two problems:
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By bonding the line-side facilities from DS1/E1 all the way to OC-n into a single pipe, the UTS enables reuse of existing infrastructure, line facilities as well as Add Drop Multiplexers (ADMs) or other network elements, for broadband services.
- The UTS then attempts to make the most efficient use of the transmission facilities by combining all client signals regardless of signal type, from rate-limited 10/100baseT to Gigabit Ethernet and DS1/E1 interfaces into a single payload.
"Our Universal Transport System allows service providers to use the capacity of both their legacy and their next-generation networks," said Bill Szeto, president and CEO of Ceterus Networks. "Our architecture enables service providers to bring the benefits of Metro Ethernet to many businesses where service was unavailable for lack of fiber or was cost-prohibitive."
Ceterus Networks said reduced equipment costs, ease of installation and interworking has driven service providers to supply Metro Ethernet services, but only to the 10 percent of business with fiber access leaving out the 90 percent without fiber. These services have also typically been limited to "best effort" and 10/100Mbps bandwidths or Gigabit Ethernet speeds. Ceterus Networks claims that the Universal Transport System family of devices will enable service providers to supply Metro Ethernet services with Quality-of-service (QOS), data protection and restoration, efficient use of available bandwidth, scaleable service delivery, and use of existing copper and fiber transport facilities.
The platform is designed to form a secure end-to-end transport network using the Ceterus Networks patented multi-transport bonding architecture (MTBA) technology. This architecture is designed to enable service providers to use existing copper/fiber infrastructure to form a single point-to-point virtual fat pipe with the capability to transport multiple 10/100 or GigE clients simultaneously.
The combination of low first port cost and use of existing infrastructure will enable service providers to use "pay-as-you-grow" strategies in developing new markets, according to Ceterus Networks. Without the need of expensive upfront capital equipment, testing acceptance of Metro Ethernet in market areas has low risk. End User and network installations are two days or less, Ceterus Networks claims.
The product is currently in trial with major interexchange carriers, and has successfully completed lab test certification with Global Crossing, according to Ceterus Networks.
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