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This article sets out the strategic value and planning logic of a unified optical cable network and offers carriers advice on how to plan network architecture according to FMC strategy.
By Zhang Jun, Huawei Carrier BG Network Chief Consultant, the Ex-CTO of Shanghai Telecom
Your procurement department may save you a little money, but the right network architecture will save you a fortune and boost your revenues by accelerating TTM.
Architecture is the key to determining both performance and efficiency, with a strong strategy leading to a robust plan that can result in well-designed architecture. Target network planning involves three elements:
The first is capacity planning, such as 10G to base station and 100G to CO (Central Office, full-service access site). The second is key technology planning, for example, OXC/ASON/C+L/400G/800G for transmission networks, IPV6+SRV6/Flex/Ifit/BIER/APN6 for IP bearer networks, and GPON/10G PON/50G PON for access networks. And the third – and most important for saving costs and achieving your target network – is network architecture planning, which is determined by infrastructure architecture.
As shown in Figure 1, planning aims to use one network to achieve fixed-mobile convergence and cloud-network synergy (one network is not the same as one plane).
Figure 1: Panorama of full-service target network
There are two access scenarios: mobile and fixed.
Mobile access networks are geared towards B2C and B2B services. In today’s network environments, 2G and 3G networks need to be phased out, frequency re-farmed, and equipment rooms progressively reconstructed. At the same time, the deep coverage of 4G networks provides a solid foundation for enhancing VoLTE quality, and 5G will gradually be deployed at scale instead of only in hotspots.
Fixed access networks are oriented towards B2H and B2B services. They primarily adopt PON access technology, which is evolving from GPON to 10G PON (Combo PON). This serves as a full-service access technology in fixed network scenarios and is rarely used for base station backhaul or high-quality private lines. Fixed access also includes IP and transmission access, which can meet the diverse service needs of VPNs and high-quality private lines.
OTN+IP collaboration exists in the middle layer, enabling transmission and bearer networks to be used in mobile and fixed access scenarios, as well as east-west and north-south interconnections between DCs and clouds, which can support the cloud migration of both users and services. From the perspective of the ICT architecture, IDC and cloud are above the network layer, including CT cloud, IT cloud, private cloud, public cloud, and hybrid cloud.
In Figure 1, the most critical elements are full-service access areas, a unified optical cable network, and infrastructure (such as DCs and sites). Much like how the foundation of a building directly impacts its height and stability, designing a foundational network infrastructure architecture that is stable, reliable, flexible, and efficient is crucial.