Suited for deploying optical access networks, OptiSheath(TM) Premier FlexNAP(TM) Terminal Distribution System consists of optical cable pre-installed with network access points at customer-specified locations and tethered, environmentally hardened MT connector. FlexNAP cables can pass homes without incurring cost of terminal placement or fusion splicing prior to service being offered or subscribed.Corning innovation provides efficient and reliable connection of OSP networksHICKORY, N.C. - Corning Cable Systems, part of Corning Incorporated'sTelecommunications segment, introduces its new OptiSheath(TM) Premier FlexNAP(TM) Terminal Distribution System. The FlexNAP System reduces the cost of deploying optical access networks by up to 50 percent.The FlexNAP System consists of an optical cable pre-installed with network access points (terminals) at customer-specified locations and a tethered, environmentally hardened MT connector. Once measurements for terminal locations are obtained, either through field measurement equipment or by using the Corning Cable Systems Engineering Services department, the FlexNAP System is manufactured and tested. The entire system is then packaged and shipped to the customer for immediate deployment.The MT network access points consist of a patented, flexible pre-installed overmold closure. A flat drop tether cable is attached to the network access point and terminated with an environmentally hardened and factory-tested MT connector. This allows the FlexNAP System cables to pass homes without incurring the cost of terminal placement or fusion splicing prior to service being offered or subscribed.Once service is offered or required, a Corning Cable Systems OptiSheath Terminal, equipped with an environmentally hardened MT plug, is plugged in and the subscriber is ready to be connected. Installation of the FlexNAP System is then complete.Corning Cable Systems' FlexNAP System allows the carrier to complete installations of the distribution network much more efficiently and at speeds several times greater than the traditional installation, resulting in total deployment cost savings of up to 50 percent.Corning Cable Systems FlexNAP(TM) System allows for efficient workforce management, with the option of deploying more highly skilled workers to other areas of the network. At the same time, the risk of reworks and failures is reduced due to each cable in the FlexNAP System being 100 percent factory tested before shipping to the customer.Through its Evolant[R] Solutions for Access Networks, Corning Cable Systems offers specialized portfolios of innovative products and services that enable customers to cost-effectively deploy fiber in the last mile. Corning Cable Systems will be featuring the FlexNAP System and its Evolant Solutions for Access Networks in its booth (#305) at the 2005 FTTH Conference, Oct. 3-6 in Las Vegas.For additional information on Corning Cable Systems products and services, contact a customer service representative at 1-800-743-2675, toll free in the United States, or (+1) 828-901-5000, international, or visit the Web site About Corning IncorporatedCorning Incorporated is a diversified technology company that concentrates its efforts on high-impact growth opportunities. Corning combines its expertise in specialty glass, ceramic materials, polymers and the manipulation of theproperties of light, with strong process and manufacturing capabilities to develop, engineer and commercialize significant innovative products for the telecommunications, flat panel display, environmental, semiconductor and life sciences industries.
Friday, September 15, 2006
BroadBand Office Selects Zaffire as Optical Networking Systems Provider to Maximize its Nationwide Network - fiber optics industry - Buyers Guide
Zaffire, a developer of optical networking systems for metro and regional area networks, will supply BroadBand Office (BBO), a delivery platform for network and applications services, with critical networking systems designed to maximize BBO's broadband-rich platform in major metropolitan areas across North America.
Zaffire's Z3000 optical systems will be used to link the BBO network throughout metro and regional areas.
As corporate networks increase demand for high-bandwidth data transmission and advanced Internet-based services, maximizing network capacity and minimizing the lead time to add more services become major concerns of network designers. Zaffire will provide BBO advanced systems that combine multiple wavelengths of light onto a single fiber strand, using dense wave division multiplexing (DWDM). The result is an increase of up to 256 times the data-carrying capacity of the fiber that links multiple office sites together. With the Z3000 advanced software capabilities, these capacity increases can be implemented more quickly than with alternative solutions.
BBO will use the Z3000 to link its network, which spans over 30 of the most populous metropolitan areas in the US and provides the bandwidth for data-intensive applications such as advanced Internet access, virtual private networks, Web hosting, video, and e-business solutions. The selection of the Z3000 platform will uniquely position BBO to capitalize on the fast-growing corporate demand for bandwidth-intensive or real-time applications and services.
Using its patent-pending DWDM optical services platform, in conjunction with its ZOS cross-platform operating system, and its Z-Manager network management system, Zaffire's Z3000 combines robust software functionality with optical hardware innovations. This new solution features advanced technology such as digital wrapper and automated power balancing to help carriers solve the problem of bandwidth capacity bottlenecks in the metro and regional market -- and intelligently manage the fiber optic links between long-haul carriage and last-mile access.
Zaffire's Z3000 optical systems will be used to link the BBO network throughout metro and regional areas.
As corporate networks increase demand for high-bandwidth data transmission and advanced Internet-based services, maximizing network capacity and minimizing the lead time to add more services become major concerns of network designers. Zaffire will provide BBO advanced systems that combine multiple wavelengths of light onto a single fiber strand, using dense wave division multiplexing (DWDM). The result is an increase of up to 256 times the data-carrying capacity of the fiber that links multiple office sites together. With the Z3000 advanced software capabilities, these capacity increases can be implemented more quickly than with alternative solutions.
BBO will use the Z3000 to link its network, which spans over 30 of the most populous metropolitan areas in the US and provides the bandwidth for data-intensive applications such as advanced Internet access, virtual private networks, Web hosting, video, and e-business solutions. The selection of the Z3000 platform will uniquely position BBO to capitalize on the fast-growing corporate demand for bandwidth-intensive or real-time applications and services.
Using its patent-pending DWDM optical services platform, in conjunction with its ZOS cross-platform operating system, and its Z-Manager network management system, Zaffire's Z3000 combines robust software functionality with optical hardware innovations. This new solution features advanced technology such as digital wrapper and automated power balancing to help carriers solve the problem of bandwidth capacity bottlenecks in the metro and regional market -- and intelligently manage the fiber optic links between long-haul carriage and last-mile access.
Cisco unveils application oriented networking
Cisco Systems, Inc. has announced that Cisco Application-Oriented Networking (AON), new technology that adds intelligence to the network, enabling the network to better understand business-application communications to support more effective and efficient business decisions.
Cisco's approach to AON is based on innovative new technology that moves beyond the packet level to read application-to-application messages flowing within the network--such as purchase orders, investment transactions, or shipment approvals. With AON, the network now speaks the language of applications. This new technology supports Cisco's vision for the Intelligent Information Network and is the first network-embedded intelligent message routing system that integrates application message-level communication, visibility, and security into the fabric of the network.
"The nature of the enterprise network is evolving from a low-function communication service to a high-function Enterprise Nervous System (ENS). This is changing application design and IT management practices in fundamental ways. In a conventional architecture, intelligent application systems interact through a low-function, fairly 'dumb' network. In an ENS-based architecture, by contrast, the network is as intelligent as the applications. The ENS offloads logic from the application systems by transforming and redirecting messages and providing other services as appropriate." Roy Schulte, Gartner, Inc. Vice President and Research Fellow.
Enterprise IT executives today are challenged with how to better secure, integrate, and optimize business applications to improve productivity and competitiveness. Unlike expensive ad hoc approaches, Cisco AON technology uses the intelligence and reach of the network to provide improved real-time visibility and responsiveness to rapidly changing business conditions.
Because it takes advantage of the existing network footprint, and requires no changes to existing applications, Cisco AON technology also provides excellent investment protection. In addition, by reducing the need for custom software development and extensive systems integration, the Cisco AON solution reduces cost and complexity, speeds application deployment, improves change management, and facilitates regulatory compliance.
The new family of Cisco AON products enables business applications and the network to work together as an integrated system. Announced today are Cisco AON modules for data center switches and for branch office routers.
The Cisco AON family complements current Cisco packet and content-aware products by providing true application message-level awareness of business applications. Beta customers are impressed with initial results and the potential they see for streamlining their business processes.
"We have been integrating closely with the Cisco AON solution to monitor and report on the transport and delivery of Financial Information Exchange (FIX) messages, a financial services industry standard protocol used by Radianz' customers for exchanging equity orders," says Brennan Carley, CTO at BT Radianz. "Historically, enterprises couldn't see beyond the network firewall and were essentially blind to factors affecting their business beyond that point. With this solution, our clients will gain much more granular information with the ability to see a FIX message leaving the firm, confirm it arrived at the trading partner, and see the time it took to complete the transaction."
To accelerate successful Cisco AON deployments, Cisco and its technology partners will provide a lifecycle portfolio of professional services that align customers' business and technical requirements through all six phases of the deployment lifecycle: prepare, plan, design, implement, operate and optimize, specifically designed for this new solution.
Cisco's AON approach is also based on collaborative efforts with industry leaders, such as IBM and SAP, which share its vision for helping customers to better manage business applications and business processes through network-embedded solutions.
"Two industry-leading companies, IBM and Cisco, are working together to help customers to become more flexible, to use their IT infrastructure in support of their business goals, helping them to become On-Demand businesses," said Robert LeBlanc, general manager, WebSphere, IBM Software Group. "IBM's collaborative efforts with Cisco in support of AON will allow WebSphere and Cisco customers to capitalize on this emerging architecture to reduce complexity, consolidate IT, and improve performance."
"As one of our key partners supporting the Enterprise Services Architecture (ESA), Cisco is working with SAP to integrate ESA with Application-Oriented Networking to deliver end-to-end solutions for enterprise data centers, branch offices, and small and midsize businesses," said George Paolini, executive vice president, Platform Ecosystem Development at SAP. "By combining ESA and AON with SAP Business One, SAP's simple yet powerful solution for small and midsize organizations, we will have the ability to deliver even more significant customer benefits for parent companies and their subsidiaries, such as improved application security, easier application deployment and even better integration, better business visibility, and network-based policy management."
Cisco's approach to AON is based on innovative new technology that moves beyond the packet level to read application-to-application messages flowing within the network--such as purchase orders, investment transactions, or shipment approvals. With AON, the network now speaks the language of applications. This new technology supports Cisco's vision for the Intelligent Information Network and is the first network-embedded intelligent message routing system that integrates application message-level communication, visibility, and security into the fabric of the network.
"The nature of the enterprise network is evolving from a low-function communication service to a high-function Enterprise Nervous System (ENS). This is changing application design and IT management practices in fundamental ways. In a conventional architecture, intelligent application systems interact through a low-function, fairly 'dumb' network. In an ENS-based architecture, by contrast, the network is as intelligent as the applications. The ENS offloads logic from the application systems by transforming and redirecting messages and providing other services as appropriate." Roy Schulte, Gartner, Inc. Vice President and Research Fellow.
Enterprise IT executives today are challenged with how to better secure, integrate, and optimize business applications to improve productivity and competitiveness. Unlike expensive ad hoc approaches, Cisco AON technology uses the intelligence and reach of the network to provide improved real-time visibility and responsiveness to rapidly changing business conditions.
Because it takes advantage of the existing network footprint, and requires no changes to existing applications, Cisco AON technology also provides excellent investment protection. In addition, by reducing the need for custom software development and extensive systems integration, the Cisco AON solution reduces cost and complexity, speeds application deployment, improves change management, and facilitates regulatory compliance.
The new family of Cisco AON products enables business applications and the network to work together as an integrated system. Announced today are Cisco AON modules for data center switches and for branch office routers.
The Cisco AON family complements current Cisco packet and content-aware products by providing true application message-level awareness of business applications. Beta customers are impressed with initial results and the potential they see for streamlining their business processes.
"We have been integrating closely with the Cisco AON solution to monitor and report on the transport and delivery of Financial Information Exchange (FIX) messages, a financial services industry standard protocol used by Radianz' customers for exchanging equity orders," says Brennan Carley, CTO at BT Radianz. "Historically, enterprises couldn't see beyond the network firewall and were essentially blind to factors affecting their business beyond that point. With this solution, our clients will gain much more granular information with the ability to see a FIX message leaving the firm, confirm it arrived at the trading partner, and see the time it took to complete the transaction."
To accelerate successful Cisco AON deployments, Cisco and its technology partners will provide a lifecycle portfolio of professional services that align customers' business and technical requirements through all six phases of the deployment lifecycle: prepare, plan, design, implement, operate and optimize, specifically designed for this new solution.
Cisco's AON approach is also based on collaborative efforts with industry leaders, such as IBM and SAP, which share its vision for helping customers to better manage business applications and business processes through network-embedded solutions.
"Two industry-leading companies, IBM and Cisco, are working together to help customers to become more flexible, to use their IT infrastructure in support of their business goals, helping them to become On-Demand businesses," said Robert LeBlanc, general manager, WebSphere, IBM Software Group. "IBM's collaborative efforts with Cisco in support of AON will allow WebSphere and Cisco customers to capitalize on this emerging architecture to reduce complexity, consolidate IT, and improve performance."
"As one of our key partners supporting the Enterprise Services Architecture (ESA), Cisco is working with SAP to integrate ESA with Application-Oriented Networking to deliver end-to-end solutions for enterprise data centers, branch offices, and small and midsize businesses," said George Paolini, executive vice president, Platform Ecosystem Development at SAP. "By combining ESA and AON with SAP Business One, SAP's simple yet powerful solution for small and midsize organizations, we will have the ability to deliver even more significant customer benefits for parent companies and their subsidiaries, such as improved application security, easier application deployment and even better integration, better business visibility, and network-based policy management."
Thursday, September 14, 2006
New features and functionality for ADVA Optical Networking's FSP 2000 enable 4G Fibre Channel and lower-cost service aggregation
ADVA Optical Networking announced the release of new key features in its Fiber Service Platform (FSP) 2000 product platform. These new features include the industry's first 4Gbps muxponder with support for 4G Fibre Channel client signals and Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) network interfaces based on small form pluggable (SFP) transceiver technology. Delivering significantly lower per-bit transport costs than single-wave or 10G muxponder alternatives, the enhanced FSP 2000 product platform expands the application opportunity for WDM transport networks.
Propelled by the growing demand by enterprises for strong disaster recovery and business continuity solutions, ADVA has designed its new FSP 2000 release to support the new 4G Fibre Channel protocol in a card that is also fully backwards compatible with existing 1G and 2G Fibre Channel interfaces. This enables customers to upgrade their storage area networks (SANs) to all-Fibre Channel variants (including 1G, 2G, 4G and 10G) without delays or expensive equipment replacements.
The same new FSP 2000 card leverages the cost benefit of 4G transport for unique muxponder functionality to aggregate any combination of 1G Fibre Channel, 1G Ethernet, and 2G Fibre Channel signals onto one single 4G wavelength. For 1G and 2G applications, this product enhancement allows greater scalability than single-wave or 2.5G muxponders, while providing cost reductions per bit compared to 10G muxponder alternatives.
The universal SFP port design of the card provides expanded flexibility for any combination of Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexing (CWDM), DWDM, and hybrid system architectures. With one universal card, a customer can install one card with independent pluggable optics instead of 32 DWDM or 8 CWDM cards with single fixed optic capability. This increased flexibility dramatically simplifies sparing and logistics for the customer, further reducing total cost of ownership. ADVA introduced SFP pluggable transceivers in 2002 for CWDM ports, and this release is the first to support full 32-channel DWDM for volume delivery.
An expanded ring protection feature is also included in the new release to support the high-growth application areas of optical access, IP DSLAM back-haul, and video triple-play services. While DWDM ring alternatives have been available for several years, this is the first architecture to support CWDM designs at significantly reduced cost per port.
ADVA's FSP 2000 was launched in May 2001, and more than 3,000 systems have already been sold. Targeted toward enterprises and carriers, parallel use of C/DWDM and muxponder technology enables up to 512 applications to be transported over one single fiber pair. The FSP 2000's robust character and ability to transport all protocols between 8Mbps and 10Gbps per wavelength make the product an ideal solution particularly for large-scale, high-bandwidth networks.
Propelled by the growing demand by enterprises for strong disaster recovery and business continuity solutions, ADVA has designed its new FSP 2000 release to support the new 4G Fibre Channel protocol in a card that is also fully backwards compatible with existing 1G and 2G Fibre Channel interfaces. This enables customers to upgrade their storage area networks (SANs) to all-Fibre Channel variants (including 1G, 2G, 4G and 10G) without delays or expensive equipment replacements.
The same new FSP 2000 card leverages the cost benefit of 4G transport for unique muxponder functionality to aggregate any combination of 1G Fibre Channel, 1G Ethernet, and 2G Fibre Channel signals onto one single 4G wavelength. For 1G and 2G applications, this product enhancement allows greater scalability than single-wave or 2.5G muxponders, while providing cost reductions per bit compared to 10G muxponder alternatives.
The universal SFP port design of the card provides expanded flexibility for any combination of Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexing (CWDM), DWDM, and hybrid system architectures. With one universal card, a customer can install one card with independent pluggable optics instead of 32 DWDM or 8 CWDM cards with single fixed optic capability. This increased flexibility dramatically simplifies sparing and logistics for the customer, further reducing total cost of ownership. ADVA introduced SFP pluggable transceivers in 2002 for CWDM ports, and this release is the first to support full 32-channel DWDM for volume delivery.
An expanded ring protection feature is also included in the new release to support the high-growth application areas of optical access, IP DSLAM back-haul, and video triple-play services. While DWDM ring alternatives have been available for several years, this is the first architecture to support CWDM designs at significantly reduced cost per port.
ADVA's FSP 2000 was launched in May 2001, and more than 3,000 systems have already been sold. Targeted toward enterprises and carriers, parallel use of C/DWDM and muxponder technology enables up to 512 applications to be transported over one single fiber pair. The FSP 2000's robust character and ability to transport all protocols between 8Mbps and 10Gbps per wavelength make the product an ideal solution particularly for large-scale, high-bandwidth networks.
It's In The Air - Bluetooth wireless networking standard - Brief Article - Statistical Data Included
Laptops and palmtops talking without wires? It's Bluetooth inside.
"Bluetooth" may sound like a dental problem, but it's actually becoming one of the industry's favorite buzzwords. And you won't find it at CompUSA or Outpost.com (at least not yet). But according to the official Bluetooth Web site (www.bluetooth.com), you'll see it built in to "hundreds of millions of electronic devices" before 2002. So what is Bluetooth? It's a communications protocol that allows wireless transfer of data between devices--from cell phones to laptops to PDAs, and back again.
What's really driving Bluetooth is who's involved. Ericsson, IBM, Intel, Lucent, Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia, 3 Corn and Toshiba are considered its chief promoters, and they've signed up over 1,600 other companies as adopters.
The advantage of Bluetooth will be seamlessly integrated communications among electronic devices, both large and small. You'll be able to give commands to desktop PCs from cell phones, and PDAs will be able to talk to laptops--all without cables. Before long, you'll be dialing up a fresh cup from the Bluetooth-enabled coffee pot in the office lounge using your PDA or PC. Backers plan to install Bluetooth in everyday electronic devices, too.
PCI cards and USB adaptors will be available to retrofit your machines and avoid compatibility problems. Bluetooth signals the dawn of what is being called the Personal Area Network (PAN); and while the Bluetooth Web site has been sketchy about product delivery dates, expect them by the end of the year.
As for the name, Harald Bluetooth was a viking king who united Denmark and Norway, just as Bluetooth technology intends to unite electronic devices.
"Bluetooth" may sound like a dental problem, but it's actually becoming one of the industry's favorite buzzwords. And you won't find it at CompUSA or Outpost.com (at least not yet). But according to the official Bluetooth Web site (www.bluetooth.com), you'll see it built in to "hundreds of millions of electronic devices" before 2002. So what is Bluetooth? It's a communications protocol that allows wireless transfer of data between devices--from cell phones to laptops to PDAs, and back again.
What's really driving Bluetooth is who's involved. Ericsson, IBM, Intel, Lucent, Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia, 3 Corn and Toshiba are considered its chief promoters, and they've signed up over 1,600 other companies as adopters.
The advantage of Bluetooth will be seamlessly integrated communications among electronic devices, both large and small. You'll be able to give commands to desktop PCs from cell phones, and PDAs will be able to talk to laptops--all without cables. Before long, you'll be dialing up a fresh cup from the Bluetooth-enabled coffee pot in the office lounge using your PDA or PC. Backers plan to install Bluetooth in everyday electronic devices, too.
PCI cards and USB adaptors will be available to retrofit your machines and avoid compatibility problems. Bluetooth signals the dawn of what is being called the Personal Area Network (PAN); and while the Bluetooth Web site has been sketchy about product delivery dates, expect them by the end of the year.
As for the name, Harald Bluetooth was a viking king who united Denmark and Norway, just as Bluetooth technology intends to unite electronic devices.
Networking: What's Next
In the not-so-distant future, many of us will make regular video phone calls to far-flung friends using our TVs. We'll stream video through the air of our homes, glitch-free. Businesses will meld IP telephony seamlessly into enterprise-level applications and will have completely automated, intelligent storage systems.
Despite a few bleak years for the tech industry, the future of the networking sector is bright. Here is a look at what we can expect in home and enterprise networking, wireless technology, security, and storage. We explore how products, standards, and management strategies will move these categories forward in the next year or so— and several years down the road.
Despite a few bleak years for the tech industry, the future of the networking sector is bright. Here is a look at what we can expect in home and enterprise networking, wireless technology, security, and storage. We explore how products, standards, and management strategies will move these categories forward in the next year or so— and several years down the road.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Manufacturing Automation rides the Networking Wave
Today, manufacturing automation means much more than just programming a machine or robot to perform a specific task on the factory floor. It has grown to include everything from acquiring and managing production floor data and remotely monitoring and managing machinery, to enabling devices and machines to communicate with each other with minimal human intervention.
Industrial automation software, networking equipment, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), motion controllers, cameras and vision systems, robots, SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) systems, bar code scanners, HMIs (Human-Machine Interfaces), and countless other manufacturing devices and equipment now can be connected both to each other and to a central automation network to enable real-time management and control of entire processes and facilities.
The most popular network to enable this type of communication is Ethernet. While tip to this point thought of as an office network, Ethernet continues to gain traction as the bus of choice for industrial automation, primarily due to the fact that it offers high-speed data rates. Ethernet is also an open-standard technology, which means that devices and equipment from many different vendors can be connected through the network.
Since there are so many devices and systems that support Ethernet, it provides a more adaptable network. According to automation market research firm ARC Advisory Group, the widespread availability and market familiarity of Ethernet continues to drive its use in industrial automation applications for a broad range of industries. Many of these industries are replacing old, proprietary network protocols with Ethernet, which lets the manufacturer acquire data from the plant floor and make it accessible via the Internet to anyone, anywhere, anytime via a Web browser.
"The technology from mainstream PCs is being incorporated into industrial settings, and Ethernet is a great example of that," said Todd Walter, product manager for Programmable Automation Controllers (PACs) at. National Instruments (NI) in Austin, TX. "Ethernet has common standards associated with it so you can take all the technology specs of office networking, and apply them to a manufacturing plant. It's a lot faster than other buses, and more data can be moved back and forth."
GE Cisco Industrial Networks, based in Charlottesville, VA, is a joint venture between General Electric and Cisco that offers Ethernet-based products and services to manufacturers. The company has seen the shift in industrial networks from proprietary protocols to Ethernet, which offers integration with office systems and the factory floor.
According to Mark Prowten, senior product marketing manager for device networking at Lantronix of Irvine, CA, there arc a number of reasons that manufacturers are migrating to Ethernet as their network of choice.
"When you have a device that traditionally communicated over a serial port and you change it to communicate over Ethernet, you gain a competitive advantage, and you can leverage the network infrastructure so that you have access to monitor, control, and maintain the device from anywhere over the network."
Lantronix provides both embedded (board-level) and external intelligent device networking systems, including Ethernet and wireless embedded device servers. The servers let manufacturers remotely manage industrial equipment over the Internet, since each piece of. equipment has its own unique IP address. External device servers can network-enable virtually any piece of equipment with a serial port in a matter of minutes.
But while that may sound simple, Prowten cautions that there's more involved than meets the eye. "Serial data that PLCs or robots use to communicate was never designed to be communicated over a network. Just adding network capability doesn't mean it's all going to work," he added. "We learned quickly about the intricacies of taking serial data and transporting it over networks and over the Internet."
Ethernet has overtaken serial interfaces for many reasons, but two of the biggest are efficiency and productivity. With serial interfaces, each time a change must be made to the equipment, a programmer must physically connect a laptop to it, make the change, and see if it works. If it's networked, explained Prowten, "They can do it in real time, and the programmer doesn't have to be on the factory floor. He can be in his office with connection directly to the equipment."
Leading the "PAC"
A relatively new term in the manufacturing automation arena is PAC - Programmable Automation Controller. Created by Automation Research Corporation in 2003, the term was coined to describe a new generation of industrial controllers that combine the functionality and reliability of a PLC with the flexibility and software capabilities of a PC. PACs can integrate drive, motion, and process controls into a single platform, and can also integrate safety controls, batch controls, and security.
Industrial automation software, networking equipment, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), motion controllers, cameras and vision systems, robots, SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) systems, bar code scanners, HMIs (Human-Machine Interfaces), and countless other manufacturing devices and equipment now can be connected both to each other and to a central automation network to enable real-time management and control of entire processes and facilities.
The most popular network to enable this type of communication is Ethernet. While tip to this point thought of as an office network, Ethernet continues to gain traction as the bus of choice for industrial automation, primarily due to the fact that it offers high-speed data rates. Ethernet is also an open-standard technology, which means that devices and equipment from many different vendors can be connected through the network.
Since there are so many devices and systems that support Ethernet, it provides a more adaptable network. According to automation market research firm ARC Advisory Group, the widespread availability and market familiarity of Ethernet continues to drive its use in industrial automation applications for a broad range of industries. Many of these industries are replacing old, proprietary network protocols with Ethernet, which lets the manufacturer acquire data from the plant floor and make it accessible via the Internet to anyone, anywhere, anytime via a Web browser.
"The technology from mainstream PCs is being incorporated into industrial settings, and Ethernet is a great example of that," said Todd Walter, product manager for Programmable Automation Controllers (PACs) at. National Instruments (NI) in Austin, TX. "Ethernet has common standards associated with it so you can take all the technology specs of office networking, and apply them to a manufacturing plant. It's a lot faster than other buses, and more data can be moved back and forth."
GE Cisco Industrial Networks, based in Charlottesville, VA, is a joint venture between General Electric and Cisco that offers Ethernet-based products and services to manufacturers. The company has seen the shift in industrial networks from proprietary protocols to Ethernet, which offers integration with office systems and the factory floor.
According to Mark Prowten, senior product marketing manager for device networking at Lantronix of Irvine, CA, there arc a number of reasons that manufacturers are migrating to Ethernet as their network of choice.
"When you have a device that traditionally communicated over a serial port and you change it to communicate over Ethernet, you gain a competitive advantage, and you can leverage the network infrastructure so that you have access to monitor, control, and maintain the device from anywhere over the network."
Lantronix provides both embedded (board-level) and external intelligent device networking systems, including Ethernet and wireless embedded device servers. The servers let manufacturers remotely manage industrial equipment over the Internet, since each piece of. equipment has its own unique IP address. External device servers can network-enable virtually any piece of equipment with a serial port in a matter of minutes.
But while that may sound simple, Prowten cautions that there's more involved than meets the eye. "Serial data that PLCs or robots use to communicate was never designed to be communicated over a network. Just adding network capability doesn't mean it's all going to work," he added. "We learned quickly about the intricacies of taking serial data and transporting it over networks and over the Internet."
Ethernet has overtaken serial interfaces for many reasons, but two of the biggest are efficiency and productivity. With serial interfaces, each time a change must be made to the equipment, a programmer must physically connect a laptop to it, make the change, and see if it works. If it's networked, explained Prowten, "They can do it in real time, and the programmer doesn't have to be on the factory floor. He can be in his office with connection directly to the equipment."
Leading the "PAC"
A relatively new term in the manufacturing automation arena is PAC - Programmable Automation Controller. Created by Automation Research Corporation in 2003, the term was coined to describe a new generation of industrial controllers that combine the functionality and reliability of a PLC with the flexibility and software capabilities of a PC. PACs can integrate drive, motion, and process controls into a single platform, and can also integrate safety controls, batch controls, and security.
Universal Plug and Play: Networking Made Easy
Whether it's to share files or Internet connections or to play digital content throughout the house, networking has become part of everyday life for many home and small-business users. Despite this, networks haven't gotten a whole lot easier to set up and configure. But a technology called Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) is starting to make networking-configuration hassles a thing of the past.
Just as Plug and Play (PnP) technology changed the way we integrate hardware with our PCs, UPnP will ease the way we add devices to a network. With PnP, you no longer need to configure resources for each device manually, hoping there are no conflicts. Instead, each device identifies itself to the operating system, loads the appropriate drivers, and starts operating with minimal fuss. PC-based networks, however, still require a cumbersome setup and configuration process, and devices such as printers, VCRs, PDAs, and cell phones are still difficult or impossible to network.
With UPnP, adding devices to your network can be as easy as turning them on. A device can automatically join your network, get an IP address, inform other devices on your network about its existence and capabilities, and learn about other network devices. When such a device has exchanged its data or goes outside the network area, it can leave the network cleanly without interrupting any of the other devices.
The ultimate goal is to allow data communication among all UPnP devices regardless of media, operating system, programming language, and wired/wireless connection. To foster such interoperability, UPnP relies on network-related technologies built upon industry-standard protocols such as HTTP, IP, TCP, UDP, and XML. Let's take a closer look.
UPnP is an open networking architecture that consists of services, devices, and control points. Services are groups of states and actions. For example, a light switch in your home has a state (either on or off) and an action that allows the network to get or change the state of the switch. Services typically reside in devices. A UPnP-compliant VCR might, for example, include tape handling, tuning, and clock services—all managed by a series of specific actions defined by the developer. Devices may also include (or nest) other devices. Because devices and their corresponding services can vary so dramatically, there are numerous industry groups actively working to standardize the services supported by each device class.
Today, there are four standards: Internet Gateway Device (IGD) V 1.0; MediaServer V 1.0 and MediaRenderer V 1.0; Printer Device V 1.0 and Printer Basic Service V 1.0; and Scanner (External Activity V 1.0, Scan V 1.0, Feeder V 1.0, and Scanner V 1.0). Industry groups will produce XML templates for individual device types, which vendors will fill with specific information such as device names, model numbers, and descriptions of services.
The various UPnP devices will be identified and managed by one or more control points (a controller, such as an application) on the network. In practice, many devices may include control points in order to facilitate true peer-to-peer networking.
When a device is added to a UPnP network, its first step is to obtain an IP address. Once this is accomplished via its internal DHCP client, the device advertises its presence, providing a description of itself and its services. A control point receives the description, which includes a list of actions related to each service and the variables that define the possible states for the device, and then sends action requests to the device. Results of the requests are published via event messages sent by the particular service and include the values of state variables. If appropriate, the control point presents a page in a user's browser that lets the user manage the device or monitor its status.
This isn't just theory. Both Microsoft Windows Me and XP support UPnP, and many manufacturers are now producing UPnP-compliant network devices. For example, a variety of products, such as the D-Link DFE-530TX+ 10/100 Ethernet network adapter (www.dlink.com) and the Linksys EtherFast BEFSR41W four-port cable/DSL router (www.linksys.com), now fully support UPnP. And the new MusicMatch Jukebox 8.0 media player supports UPnP home-networking devices. Industry groups will continue to define new services not only for PCs and related peripherals but for home appliances, automobiles, and entertainment/media devices—adding more flexibility and features for home and small-office users.
There is one caveat with regard to UPnP: security. Certain vulnerabilities have been discovered in components of Microsoft's implementation of UPnP, which can let an attacker gain control of a target system or exploit vulnerable systems to cause a distributed denial-of-service attack (DDoS).
Just as Plug and Play (PnP) technology changed the way we integrate hardware with our PCs, UPnP will ease the way we add devices to a network. With PnP, you no longer need to configure resources for each device manually, hoping there are no conflicts. Instead, each device identifies itself to the operating system, loads the appropriate drivers, and starts operating with minimal fuss. PC-based networks, however, still require a cumbersome setup and configuration process, and devices such as printers, VCRs, PDAs, and cell phones are still difficult or impossible to network.
With UPnP, adding devices to your network can be as easy as turning them on. A device can automatically join your network, get an IP address, inform other devices on your network about its existence and capabilities, and learn about other network devices. When such a device has exchanged its data or goes outside the network area, it can leave the network cleanly without interrupting any of the other devices.
The ultimate goal is to allow data communication among all UPnP devices regardless of media, operating system, programming language, and wired/wireless connection. To foster such interoperability, UPnP relies on network-related technologies built upon industry-standard protocols such as HTTP, IP, TCP, UDP, and XML. Let's take a closer look.
UPnP is an open networking architecture that consists of services, devices, and control points. Services are groups of states and actions. For example, a light switch in your home has a state (either on or off) and an action that allows the network to get or change the state of the switch. Services typically reside in devices. A UPnP-compliant VCR might, for example, include tape handling, tuning, and clock services—all managed by a series of specific actions defined by the developer. Devices may also include (or nest) other devices. Because devices and their corresponding services can vary so dramatically, there are numerous industry groups actively working to standardize the services supported by each device class.
Today, there are four standards: Internet Gateway Device (IGD) V 1.0; MediaServer V 1.0 and MediaRenderer V 1.0; Printer Device V 1.0 and Printer Basic Service V 1.0; and Scanner (External Activity V 1.0, Scan V 1.0, Feeder V 1.0, and Scanner V 1.0). Industry groups will produce XML templates for individual device types, which vendors will fill with specific information such as device names, model numbers, and descriptions of services.
The various UPnP devices will be identified and managed by one or more control points (a controller, such as an application) on the network. In practice, many devices may include control points in order to facilitate true peer-to-peer networking.
When a device is added to a UPnP network, its first step is to obtain an IP address. Once this is accomplished via its internal DHCP client, the device advertises its presence, providing a description of itself and its services. A control point receives the description, which includes a list of actions related to each service and the variables that define the possible states for the device, and then sends action requests to the device. Results of the requests are published via event messages sent by the particular service and include the values of state variables. If appropriate, the control point presents a page in a user's browser that lets the user manage the device or monitor its status.
This isn't just theory. Both Microsoft Windows Me and XP support UPnP, and many manufacturers are now producing UPnP-compliant network devices. For example, a variety of products, such as the D-Link DFE-530TX+ 10/100 Ethernet network adapter (www.dlink.com) and the Linksys EtherFast BEFSR41W four-port cable/DSL router (www.linksys.com), now fully support UPnP. And the new MusicMatch Jukebox 8.0 media player supports UPnP home-networking devices. Industry groups will continue to define new services not only for PCs and related peripherals but for home appliances, automobiles, and entertainment/media devices—adding more flexibility and features for home and small-office users.
There is one caveat with regard to UPnP: security. Certain vulnerabilities have been discovered in components of Microsoft's implementation of UPnP, which can let an attacker gain control of a target system or exploit vulnerable systems to cause a distributed denial-of-service attack (DDoS).
Monday, September 11, 2006
Lucent Technologies Supplies Optical Networking Systems to Increase Capacity of KDDI's Next Generation Network in Japan - Brief Article
Lucent Technologies announced that it has signed a contract with KDDI to supply Lucent's high-capacity optical network transmission technology for KDDI's nationwide backbone network connecting Hokkaido to Okinawa.
Established by the merger of DDI, KD, and IDO on October 1, 2000, KDDI is one of Japan's largest telecommunications carriers. Lucent's optical networking systems will enable this new major carrier to consolidate the three companies' existing networks, enhance the capabilities of its nationwide backbone network, and offer high-speed metropolitan network services.
"We are facing a dramatic increase in our customers' demands for fast, efficient, and cost-effective transport on our IT network, and we've chosen Lucent's high-capacity optical network transmission technology to increase our existing core network's capabilities," said Kaoru Tachibana, managing director of KDDI. "Japan is one of the fastest growing IT markets in the world, and Lucent's experience arid proven leadership in optical networking will enable us to further enhance our position in this market, especially as we enter the metropolitan networking market."
Under the agreement, Lucent will provide KDDI with its WaveStar ADM 16/1 and its accompanying regenerator unit -- WaveStar R16. These systems will be added to the existing WaveStar ADM 16/1 systems already deployed in KDDI's network.
Lucent's WaveStar ADM 16/1 is an optical multiplexer that enables carriers to use high-speed synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH) technology to set up optical network rings. The system does this by combining multiple low-speed electrical and optical inputs into a single 2.5 Gbps signal. That's the equivalent of transmitting a half million one-page e-mails each second. A central component of Lucent's WaveStar optical networking product family, the WaveStar ADM 16/1 includes a modular, pay-as-you-grow architecture that service providers can use for interoffice, access, or regional applications.
"Deploying the most reliable, flexible, and cost-effective network transmission equipment in the backbone network is critical for a carrier's success in the competitive market," said Eiichi Shimizu, chairman of Lucent Technologies Japan. "We are very pleased that KDDI has selected our optical solutions again. Over the past six years, we've worked with DDI and KDD, and we understand each other very well. We look forward to continuing to support major carriers such as KDDI by providing most advanced Bell Labs-developed optical solutions as they rapidly enlarge their next-generation networks for their business expansion.
Established by the merger of DDI, KD, and IDO on October 1, 2000, KDDI is one of Japan's largest telecommunications carriers. Lucent's optical networking systems will enable this new major carrier to consolidate the three companies' existing networks, enhance the capabilities of its nationwide backbone network, and offer high-speed metropolitan network services.
"We are facing a dramatic increase in our customers' demands for fast, efficient, and cost-effective transport on our IT network, and we've chosen Lucent's high-capacity optical network transmission technology to increase our existing core network's capabilities," said Kaoru Tachibana, managing director of KDDI. "Japan is one of the fastest growing IT markets in the world, and Lucent's experience arid proven leadership in optical networking will enable us to further enhance our position in this market, especially as we enter the metropolitan networking market."
Under the agreement, Lucent will provide KDDI with its WaveStar ADM 16/1 and its accompanying regenerator unit -- WaveStar R16. These systems will be added to the existing WaveStar ADM 16/1 systems already deployed in KDDI's network.
Lucent's WaveStar ADM 16/1 is an optical multiplexer that enables carriers to use high-speed synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH) technology to set up optical network rings. The system does this by combining multiple low-speed electrical and optical inputs into a single 2.5 Gbps signal. That's the equivalent of transmitting a half million one-page e-mails each second. A central component of Lucent's WaveStar optical networking product family, the WaveStar ADM 16/1 includes a modular, pay-as-you-grow architecture that service providers can use for interoffice, access, or regional applications.
"Deploying the most reliable, flexible, and cost-effective network transmission equipment in the backbone network is critical for a carrier's success in the competitive market," said Eiichi Shimizu, chairman of Lucent Technologies Japan. "We are very pleased that KDDI has selected our optical solutions again. Over the past six years, we've worked with DDI and KDD, and we understand each other very well. We look forward to continuing to support major carriers such as KDDI by providing most advanced Bell Labs-developed optical solutions as they rapidly enlarge their next-generation networks for their business expansion.
Cabletron Drives Network Security and Authentication Standards for Wired and Wireless Networking - Cabletron Systems backs the IEEE 802.1X standards f
Cabletron Systems has announced that it is supporting the current work to ratify the IEEE 802.1X standards for network security and authentication, co-authored by John Roese, Cabletron's recently-appointed chief technology officer.
IEEE 802.1X will provide standards-based ingress port authentication, and will utilize existing security techniques such as RADIUS and ACE.
Roese explained, "While the industry has focused on providing high levels of security and authentication for remote dial-in users, little has been done in the standards world for providing these secure features in the LAN and wireless worlds. Cabletron has been developing switch port security for some time, and this has led to us leading the work in this new IEEE 802.1X standard."
Roese continued, "There are many government, military, academic and banking customers that want to control who enters their network communications LAN, RAS and wireless LAN systems."
Many industry leaders - including Microsoft, who has stated intentions to include the security mechanisms in future version of their Windows operating systems - will support the standard. Standardization work is ongoing in the IEEE 802.1 working group. Cabletron does, however, expect to implement pre-standard versions of IEEE 802.1X in their LAN switch and wireless products in the first half of 2000.
Cabletron is unique in its stated direction to use 802.1X on LAN and wireless LAN ports, enabling a single sign-on method to work regardless of attachment method (LAN, WLAN and RAS all use the same user credentials).
"Cabletron is continuing to drive the industry forward with new technologies and standards, showing that we are a leading provider of hardware and software products, as well as a visionary in developing the services that will deliver on our customers' business demands," said Piyush Patel, Cabletron's CEO and president. "The new IEEE 802.1X standards work is integrated closely into our service provider vision, allowing our partners to deliver `dark' service connections into homes and provide service access via user authentification."
IEEE 802.1X will work on both wired and non-wired 802.11 devices, and has a very low impact on device performance, enabling use of the standard in a wide variety of network devices. Other co-authors of the standard include Intel, 3Com, HP, Merit, Extreme and Microsoft.
-- 802.1X leverages the Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) Commonly deployed in RAS systems
-- EAP will be used over switched ports and wireless systems as a protocol for authentication of end systems based on higher layer credentials
-- User ID Authentication is possible with this service, leveraging password, certificate or even biometrics information
-- The IEEE work has just begun, but is widely endorsed by the vendor community
-- 802.1X will use the EXISTING security back end systems (RADIUS servers, user accounts and passwords) to minimize cost of deployment and consolidate services
-- 802.1X will enable secure authenticated access into switched ports and wireless LANs
-- 802.1X will protect networks from unauthorized users, even on Ethernet switched ports and wireless LANs
-- 802.1X can be extended to map users of differing authentication levels to different VLANs, priorities or access policies
-- User Authentication is critical to policy based networking as it provides a mapping of the end user to the physical location where policies must be enforced
IEEE 802.1X will provide standards-based ingress port authentication, and will utilize existing security techniques such as RADIUS and ACE.
Roese explained, "While the industry has focused on providing high levels of security and authentication for remote dial-in users, little has been done in the standards world for providing these secure features in the LAN and wireless worlds. Cabletron has been developing switch port security for some time, and this has led to us leading the work in this new IEEE 802.1X standard."
Roese continued, "There are many government, military, academic and banking customers that want to control who enters their network communications LAN, RAS and wireless LAN systems."
Many industry leaders - including Microsoft, who has stated intentions to include the security mechanisms in future version of their Windows operating systems - will support the standard. Standardization work is ongoing in the IEEE 802.1 working group. Cabletron does, however, expect to implement pre-standard versions of IEEE 802.1X in their LAN switch and wireless products in the first half of 2000.
Cabletron is unique in its stated direction to use 802.1X on LAN and wireless LAN ports, enabling a single sign-on method to work regardless of attachment method (LAN, WLAN and RAS all use the same user credentials).
"Cabletron is continuing to drive the industry forward with new technologies and standards, showing that we are a leading provider of hardware and software products, as well as a visionary in developing the services that will deliver on our customers' business demands," said Piyush Patel, Cabletron's CEO and president. "The new IEEE 802.1X standards work is integrated closely into our service provider vision, allowing our partners to deliver `dark' service connections into homes and provide service access via user authentification."
IEEE 802.1X will work on both wired and non-wired 802.11 devices, and has a very low impact on device performance, enabling use of the standard in a wide variety of network devices. Other co-authors of the standard include Intel, 3Com, HP, Merit, Extreme and Microsoft.
-- 802.1X leverages the Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) Commonly deployed in RAS systems
-- EAP will be used over switched ports and wireless systems as a protocol for authentication of end systems based on higher layer credentials
-- User ID Authentication is possible with this service, leveraging password, certificate or even biometrics information
-- The IEEE work has just begun, but is widely endorsed by the vendor community
-- 802.1X will use the EXISTING security back end systems (RADIUS servers, user accounts and passwords) to minimize cost of deployment and consolidate services
-- 802.1X will enable secure authenticated access into switched ports and wireless LANs
-- 802.1X will protect networks from unauthorized users, even on Ethernet switched ports and wireless LANs
-- 802.1X can be extended to map users of differing authentication levels to different VLANs, priorities or access policies
-- User Authentication is critical to policy based networking as it provides a mapping of the end user to the physical location where policies must be enforced
Tensilica's Networking Thrust - Fujitsu Ltd.'s Transport Systems Group, - TranSwitch Corp
Reconfigurable processor start-up Tensilica Inc. last week signed up two more licensees of its Xtensa processor technology, both of which plan to employ the technology for communications products.
Fujitsu Ltd.'s Transport Systems Group said that it will use Tensilica's processor generator for the development of embedded microprocessors for a variety of future communications products. Likewise, TranSwitch Corp., Shelton, Conn., said that it will use Xtensa for the development of embedded microprocessors, most likely for use in telecommunications infrastructure systems.
The design wins suggest a trend in the industry toward wireless communications and digital data transmission, applications that Tensilica hadn't previously seen as its sweet spot. While digital cameras, printers and digital televisions all have utilized the Xtensa architecture in the past, the company said that it is seeing more and more acceptance in the networking and communications space.
"The issue of just where are all of these communications products coming from is one that we're very close to," said Chris Rowen, chief executive officer of Tensilica, Santa Clara, Calif. "There are thousands of new communications products being designed right now and it seems like a frightening percentage of them say, 'Well, it's got to have a processor in there, because I can't possibly hardwire all of the algorithms.'
"And they need to have the performance and differentiation that comes from having a true application-specific support. That's why we're seeing a lot of acceptance from people like Cisco and Galileo Technology, which are all moving in the same general direction of using application specific processors for communications-enabled applications."
Xtensa, a configurable 32-bit architecture, utilizes a combination of processor, electronic design automation and embedded software development technology to achieve an optimal configuration in a few hours, the company said. Using the appropriate standard cell library, a user can target the processor to the semiconductor process and vendor of his choice.
Achieving 165MIPS at 150MHz and a code density that the company claims is 10 percent to 50 percent better than competing cores, the Xtensa architecture is the two-year-old firm's flagship product.
"Tensilica's Xtensa processor technology gives us the combination of performance, instruction set customization and DSP (digital signal processor) capability that is required in our future products," said Akira Tsuchiya, Fujitsu's General Manager of the Circuit and Device Technology Division.
Tensilica's approach to DSP is less classical and more customized for such consumer and communications applications than conventional programmable DSPs, Rowen said. "When we think about DSP, we both mean a classical DSP, as well as how do you use this powerful notion to do multiple operations per cycle on some particular image format or some particular signal format.
"If you take, for example, JPEG compression, that's a problem which has lots of multiplies and adds in it, and you would think that a classic DSP chip would be good at it. But the instruction sets don't typically map very well to the algorithm, and what we have done, it turns out, is a significantly better fit.
"Being able to define new application-specific signal processing instructions is one of the greatest opportunities now," he said.
Fujitsu Ltd.'s Transport Systems Group said that it will use Tensilica's processor generator for the development of embedded microprocessors for a variety of future communications products. Likewise, TranSwitch Corp., Shelton, Conn., said that it will use Xtensa for the development of embedded microprocessors, most likely for use in telecommunications infrastructure systems.
The design wins suggest a trend in the industry toward wireless communications and digital data transmission, applications that Tensilica hadn't previously seen as its sweet spot. While digital cameras, printers and digital televisions all have utilized the Xtensa architecture in the past, the company said that it is seeing more and more acceptance in the networking and communications space.
"The issue of just where are all of these communications products coming from is one that we're very close to," said Chris Rowen, chief executive officer of Tensilica, Santa Clara, Calif. "There are thousands of new communications products being designed right now and it seems like a frightening percentage of them say, 'Well, it's got to have a processor in there, because I can't possibly hardwire all of the algorithms.'
"And they need to have the performance and differentiation that comes from having a true application-specific support. That's why we're seeing a lot of acceptance from people like Cisco and Galileo Technology, which are all moving in the same general direction of using application specific processors for communications-enabled applications."
Xtensa, a configurable 32-bit architecture, utilizes a combination of processor, electronic design automation and embedded software development technology to achieve an optimal configuration in a few hours, the company said. Using the appropriate standard cell library, a user can target the processor to the semiconductor process and vendor of his choice.
Achieving 165MIPS at 150MHz and a code density that the company claims is 10 percent to 50 percent better than competing cores, the Xtensa architecture is the two-year-old firm's flagship product.
"Tensilica's Xtensa processor technology gives us the combination of performance, instruction set customization and DSP (digital signal processor) capability that is required in our future products," said Akira Tsuchiya, Fujitsu's General Manager of the Circuit and Device Technology Division.
Tensilica's approach to DSP is less classical and more customized for such consumer and communications applications than conventional programmable DSPs, Rowen said. "When we think about DSP, we both mean a classical DSP, as well as how do you use this powerful notion to do multiple operations per cycle on some particular image format or some particular signal format.
"If you take, for example, JPEG compression, that's a problem which has lots of multiplies and adds in it, and you would think that a classic DSP chip would be good at it. But the instruction sets don't typically map very well to the algorithm, and what we have done, it turns out, is a significantly better fit.
"Being able to define new application-specific signal processing instructions is one of the greatest opportunities now," he said.
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Lucent to Supply Optical Networking Systems for Liaoning Telecom's Provincial Backbone Networks - Lucent Technologies Inc - Brief Article
Lucent announced that it has signed a $15 million contract with China's Liaoning Telecom for Lucent's flagship optical networking products, developed with the expertise of scientists at Lucent's Bell Labs. These products will significantly increase the capacity of the provincial networks of China's Liaoning Province and enable the company to offer new bandwidth-intensive data services to its customers.
Liaoning Telecom is a subsidiary of China Telecom, China's largest telecommunications service provider. Under the terms of the contract, Lucent will deliver its WaveStar OLS 400G--an 80-channel DWDM system with a maximum capacity of 400 Gbps. That is the equivalent of transmitting five million simultaneous phone calls -- or 80 million one-page e-mails -- per second.
This is the largest contract that Lucent has signed with Liaoning Telecom. The equipment is scheduled to be deployed by May 2001.DWDM technology provides such enormous capacity by simultaneously transmitting multiple wavelengths or colors of light across a single fiber strand, with each color carrying a distinct stream of information.
"Our optical networking equipment and solutions enable our customers to offer their customers faster, more reliable service with more advanced features," said Chi Hung Lin, president of Lucent's optical networking group in China. "We firmly believe our fruitful relationship with Liaoning Telecom will produce continued successes in terms of helping our customer build first-class telecommunications networks in Liaoning province."
Lucent's Bell Labs has garnered more than 2,500 patents in optical technology alone. Lucent was first to market with a DWDM system in 1995.
Liaoning Telecom is a subsidiary of China Telecom, China's largest telecommunications service provider. Under the terms of the contract, Lucent will deliver its WaveStar OLS 400G--an 80-channel DWDM system with a maximum capacity of 400 Gbps. That is the equivalent of transmitting five million simultaneous phone calls -- or 80 million one-page e-mails -- per second.
This is the largest contract that Lucent has signed with Liaoning Telecom. The equipment is scheduled to be deployed by May 2001.DWDM technology provides such enormous capacity by simultaneously transmitting multiple wavelengths or colors of light across a single fiber strand, with each color carrying a distinct stream of information.
"Our optical networking equipment and solutions enable our customers to offer their customers faster, more reliable service with more advanced features," said Chi Hung Lin, president of Lucent's optical networking group in China. "We firmly believe our fruitful relationship with Liaoning Telecom will produce continued successes in terms of helping our customer build first-class telecommunications networks in Liaoning province."
Lucent's Bell Labs has garnered more than 2,500 patents in optical technology alone. Lucent was first to market with a DWDM system in 1995.
Friday, September 01, 2006
Switching Power Supplies suit networking applications
At 6.7 W/cu-in., Series LPS120 delivers up to 130 W of total power with single outputs of 3.3, 12, 15, 24, and 48 V. Featuring active power factor correction to minimize input harmonic distortion, 85-264 Vac power supplies operate from 0-50[degrees]C without derating and are suited for 1U rack installations. They include Class B EMI filtering, remote sense, remote inhibit, and current-sharing, as well as overload, overvoltage, and thermal protection.
Astec LPS120 Series Models Provide 130 Watts with Single Outputs from 3.3V to 48V Featuring Current-Sharing, PFC and Built-In EMI Filtering
CARLSBAD, Calif. - August 30, 2005 - Emerson Network Power, a business of Emerson (NYSE:EMR), has announced the addition of five new models to the popular high-density 3 x 5 LPS120 switching power supply family from Astec Power (www.astecpower.com). At 6.7 Watts per cubic inch, the units will deliver up to 130 Watts of total power with output voltages of 3.3V, 12V, 15V, 24V and 48V in addition to the 5V output offered by the recently introduced LPS122 model. Units can deliver their full rated output of 130W with 30 CFM forced air or 80W with convection cooling. Featuring active power factor correction to minimize input harmonic distortion, the LPS120 Series compact 85-264 VAC power supplies are ideal for 1U (1.75-inch) rack installations and other low-profile applications. All models also offer a 12V 1/2A auxiliary output and 5V at 1/2A standby output, as well as overload, over-voltage and thermal protection.
"These compact low-power switchers are a great solution for a wide range of uses including telecommunications, networking, test and measurement, single-board computers and gigabit Ethernet devices," noted Astec Power product line manager Tom Tillman. "At only 1.29 inches high, they have a compact footprint of only 3 inches by 5 inches and can be set up for lengthwise or crosswise airflow to give designers layout flexibility that's especially useful in high-density rack installations," he added.
The new units include built-in Class B EMI filtering, remote sense, remote inhibit and single-wire parallel on the primary output that enables current-sharing to balance loads. With a wide operating temperature range from zero to 50[degrees]C without derating, LPS120 models can function up to 70[degrees]C by derating the output 2.5 percent per degree C. The also comply with IEC EN61000-3-2 harmonic and IEC EN61000-4-X susceptibility requirements. All models have a demonstrated mean time between failures (MTBF) of over 550,000 hours at full load in 25[degrees]C ambient conditions. They comply with international safety and performance standards including those from UL, CSA, AUSTEL, NEMKO, CB and CE.
Samples of the new models are available now with prices starting at $95.00 in OEM quantities. For more information, please contact an Astec Power representative in your area. To locate a representative, go to the Astec Power Web site at www.astecpower.com and click on the SALES OFFICE button on the home page.
About Astec Power
Astec Power (www.astecpower.com), an Emerson Network Power company headquartered in Carlsbad, Calif., is a leading international supplier of power conversion solutions. Dedicated to advanced research and development, state of the art design, sophisticated automation and in-process testing, Astec Power produces standard, modified standard, and custom AC/DC and DC/DC power supplies, which range in size from one to 18,000 watts. In order to satisfy and continue to grow its international customer base, Astec Power has operations on three continents. Through this strategic allocation of its manufacturing resources, Astec Power delivers competitively priced quality products worldwide, in a timely and reliable manner.
About Emerson Network Power
Emerson Network Power is an Emerson business that provides a full spectrum of reliable power solutions, including inbound power, connectivity, power supplies, power systems and precision cooling, backed by the largest global services organization in the power industry. These Emerson companies serve the needs of telecommunications networks, data centers, health care and industrial facilities worldwide. For more information, visit
About Emerson
Emerson (NYSE: EMR), based in St. Louis, is a global leader in bringing technology and engineering together to provide innovative solutions to customers through its network power, process management, industrial automation, climate technologies, and appliance and tools businesses. Sales in fiscal 2004 were $15.6 billion.
Astec LPS120 Series Models Provide 130 Watts with Single Outputs from 3.3V to 48V Featuring Current-Sharing, PFC and Built-In EMI Filtering
CARLSBAD, Calif. - August 30, 2005 - Emerson Network Power, a business of Emerson (NYSE:EMR), has announced the addition of five new models to the popular high-density 3 x 5 LPS120 switching power supply family from Astec Power (www.astecpower.com). At 6.7 Watts per cubic inch, the units will deliver up to 130 Watts of total power with output voltages of 3.3V, 12V, 15V, 24V and 48V in addition to the 5V output offered by the recently introduced LPS122 model. Units can deliver their full rated output of 130W with 30 CFM forced air or 80W with convection cooling. Featuring active power factor correction to minimize input harmonic distortion, the LPS120 Series compact 85-264 VAC power supplies are ideal for 1U (1.75-inch) rack installations and other low-profile applications. All models also offer a 12V 1/2A auxiliary output and 5V at 1/2A standby output, as well as overload, over-voltage and thermal protection.
"These compact low-power switchers are a great solution for a wide range of uses including telecommunications, networking, test and measurement, single-board computers and gigabit Ethernet devices," noted Astec Power product line manager Tom Tillman. "At only 1.29 inches high, they have a compact footprint of only 3 inches by 5 inches and can be set up for lengthwise or crosswise airflow to give designers layout flexibility that's especially useful in high-density rack installations," he added.
The new units include built-in Class B EMI filtering, remote sense, remote inhibit and single-wire parallel on the primary output that enables current-sharing to balance loads. With a wide operating temperature range from zero to 50[degrees]C without derating, LPS120 models can function up to 70[degrees]C by derating the output 2.5 percent per degree C. The also comply with IEC EN61000-3-2 harmonic and IEC EN61000-4-X susceptibility requirements. All models have a demonstrated mean time between failures (MTBF) of over 550,000 hours at full load in 25[degrees]C ambient conditions. They comply with international safety and performance standards including those from UL, CSA, AUSTEL, NEMKO, CB and CE.
Samples of the new models are available now with prices starting at $95.00 in OEM quantities. For more information, please contact an Astec Power representative in your area. To locate a representative, go to the Astec Power Web site at www.astecpower.com and click on the SALES OFFICE button on the home page.
About Astec Power
Astec Power (www.astecpower.com), an Emerson Network Power company headquartered in Carlsbad, Calif., is a leading international supplier of power conversion solutions. Dedicated to advanced research and development, state of the art design, sophisticated automation and in-process testing, Astec Power produces standard, modified standard, and custom AC/DC and DC/DC power supplies, which range in size from one to 18,000 watts. In order to satisfy and continue to grow its international customer base, Astec Power has operations on three continents. Through this strategic allocation of its manufacturing resources, Astec Power delivers competitively priced quality products worldwide, in a timely and reliable manner.
About Emerson Network Power
Emerson Network Power is an Emerson business that provides a full spectrum of reliable power solutions, including inbound power, connectivity, power supplies, power systems and precision cooling, backed by the largest global services organization in the power industry. These Emerson companies serve the needs of telecommunications networks, data centers, health care and industrial facilities worldwide. For more information, visit
About Emerson
Emerson (NYSE: EMR), based in St. Louis, is a global leader in bringing technology and engineering together to provide innovative solutions to customers through its network power, process management, industrial automation, climate technologies, and appliance and tools businesses. Sales in fiscal 2004 were $15.6 billion.
Software enables standards-based real-time networking
With architecture that targets data-critical applications, NDDS v4.0 includes DDS-compliant API, direct end-to-end messaging, and pluggable transports that support any media. Product also features programmable parameters, Quality of Service (QoS), and custom types. Pre-allocated memory prevents allocation and fragmentation delays, while endpoint design accelerates messaging. Applications do not share address space through middleware.
- Targets Broad Array of Data-Critical Applications
- Includes Direct End-to-End Messaging, "Pluggable" Transports and Customizable QoS and Types
SANTA CLARA, CA - August 29, 2005 - Real-Time Innovations, Inc. (RTI), today announced the immediate availability of NDDS 4.0, its high performance implementation of the Object Management Group's (OMG's) Real-Time Data Distribution Service (DDS) standard.
NDDS 4.0 has already been running as a beta release at nearly 50 sites in many different mission-critical applications. The general-access release is now available for these sites, as well as for the hundreds of applications currently running NDDS 3.x in military/aerospace, transportation, finance, industrial automation and other industries.
This release represents the fulfillment of a multi-year strategic plan," explained Stan Schneider, chief executive officer of Real-Time Innovations. "We leveraged our extensive experience in distributed systems to create an optimal, standards-based solution based on proven success. System architects can rely on our mature technology, our experience with hundreds of real-world systems and the security of an accepted OMG standard. Our intention is to provide the highest-performance, most versatile, most proven DDS product on the market."
New Architecture Features
In addition to the new DDS-compliant API, NDDS 4.0 features an advanced architecture that targets a broad array of high-performance, data-critical applications. New objectives and features in the architecture include:
- Flexibility: NDDS 4.0, based on RTI's broad-based customer experience, adapts seamlessly to a wide range of application demands.
- Pluggable transports support any media, from wireless to switched fabrics.
- Programmable parameters, Quality of Service (QoS) and custom types ease complex system integration.
- Performance: The NDDS 4.0 architecture optimizes performance.
- Direct end-to-end messaging eliminates context-switch delays and supports message prioritization.
- Pre-allocated memory prevents allocation and fragmentation delays.
- The endpoint design dramatically accelerates messaging since there are no shared threads or memory requiring locking.
- Reliability: NDDS 4.0 targets mission-critical nonstop applications.
- There is no server process to crash, preventing catastrophic middleware failure.
- Applications do not share address space through the middleware, so the OS process isolation fully protects all applications.
- Dedicated buffers immunize against corrupted shared memory.
Schneider stated, "As embedded and real-time systems become more distributed, they need to share information between many sources. For many data-critical applications, the ability to deliver the right data to the right place at the right time drives success."
The DDS standard defines high-performance, configurable publish-subscribe networking. It directly addresses the needs of data-critical applications. RTI was the lead author of DDS, and the standard is now building widespread acceptance in many industries. NDDS 4.0 is RTI's premier high-quality DDS implementation.
Price & Availability
The RTI NDDS 4.0 Developer Package is immediately available starting at $46,920 USD for a three-user permanent license. Packages include NDDS middleware, NDDS tools and one year of support. NDDS is available on many operating systems, including Microsoft Windows, Sun Solaris, Linux, LynxWorks LynxOS, Wind River VxWorks and Green Hills INTEGRITY.
About RTI
Real-Time Innovations, Inc., the expert in real-time information networking, leads the industry with high performance standards-based software solutions for data-critical applications. Its products and consulting services provide the infrastructure for national railways, air traffic control, traffic monitoring, mission-critical combat systems, financial transaction processing and industrial automation. RTI's flagship product, NDDS, is middleware based on the Object Management Group's (OMG) Data Distribution Service (DDS). NDDS provides the essential foundation for real-time communication in a networked system and enables a new class of embedded to enterprise (e2E) applications. Companies such as Raytheon, Nikon, Omron, Harmonic, Applied Materials, Schneider Automation, Boeing, Lockheed Martin and the US Military rely on RTI technology for their real-time, data-centric, distributed applications. Headquartered in the heart of Silicon Valley since 1991, RTI is a privately held company.
- Targets Broad Array of Data-Critical Applications
- Includes Direct End-to-End Messaging, "Pluggable" Transports and Customizable QoS and Types
SANTA CLARA, CA - August 29, 2005 - Real-Time Innovations, Inc. (RTI), today announced the immediate availability of NDDS 4.0, its high performance implementation of the Object Management Group's (OMG's) Real-Time Data Distribution Service (DDS) standard.
NDDS 4.0 has already been running as a beta release at nearly 50 sites in many different mission-critical applications. The general-access release is now available for these sites, as well as for the hundreds of applications currently running NDDS 3.x in military/aerospace, transportation, finance, industrial automation and other industries.
This release represents the fulfillment of a multi-year strategic plan," explained Stan Schneider, chief executive officer of Real-Time Innovations. "We leveraged our extensive experience in distributed systems to create an optimal, standards-based solution based on proven success. System architects can rely on our mature technology, our experience with hundreds of real-world systems and the security of an accepted OMG standard. Our intention is to provide the highest-performance, most versatile, most proven DDS product on the market."
New Architecture Features
In addition to the new DDS-compliant API, NDDS 4.0 features an advanced architecture that targets a broad array of high-performance, data-critical applications. New objectives and features in the architecture include:
- Flexibility: NDDS 4.0, based on RTI's broad-based customer experience, adapts seamlessly to a wide range of application demands.
- Pluggable transports support any media, from wireless to switched fabrics.
- Programmable parameters, Quality of Service (QoS) and custom types ease complex system integration.
- Performance: The NDDS 4.0 architecture optimizes performance.
- Direct end-to-end messaging eliminates context-switch delays and supports message prioritization.
- Pre-allocated memory prevents allocation and fragmentation delays.
- The endpoint design dramatically accelerates messaging since there are no shared threads or memory requiring locking.
- Reliability: NDDS 4.0 targets mission-critical nonstop applications.
- There is no server process to crash, preventing catastrophic middleware failure.
- Applications do not share address space through the middleware, so the OS process isolation fully protects all applications.
- Dedicated buffers immunize against corrupted shared memory.
Schneider stated, "As embedded and real-time systems become more distributed, they need to share information between many sources. For many data-critical applications, the ability to deliver the right data to the right place at the right time drives success."
The DDS standard defines high-performance, configurable publish-subscribe networking. It directly addresses the needs of data-critical applications. RTI was the lead author of DDS, and the standard is now building widespread acceptance in many industries. NDDS 4.0 is RTI's premier high-quality DDS implementation.
Price & Availability
The RTI NDDS 4.0 Developer Package is immediately available starting at $46,920 USD for a three-user permanent license. Packages include NDDS middleware, NDDS tools and one year of support. NDDS is available on many operating systems, including Microsoft Windows, Sun Solaris, Linux, LynxWorks LynxOS, Wind River VxWorks and Green Hills INTEGRITY.
About RTI
Real-Time Innovations, Inc., the expert in real-time information networking, leads the industry with high performance standards-based software solutions for data-critical applications. Its products and consulting services provide the infrastructure for national railways, air traffic control, traffic monitoring, mission-critical combat systems, financial transaction processing and industrial automation. RTI's flagship product, NDDS, is middleware based on the Object Management Group's (OMG) Data Distribution Service (DDS). NDDS provides the essential foundation for real-time communication in a networked system and enables a new class of embedded to enterprise (e2E) applications. Companies such as Raytheon, Nikon, Omron, Harmonic, Applied Materials, Schneider Automation, Boeing, Lockheed Martin and the US Military rely on RTI technology for their real-time, data-centric, distributed applications. Headquartered in the heart of Silicon Valley since 1991, RTI is a privately held company.
Corning To Supply PureGain Amplifiers To Nortel Networks For Its Industry-Leading High-Capacity Optical Networking Systems - Product Information
Corning Incorporated announced Thursday that Nortel Networks (NT) will incorporate Corning's PureGain EDFA (erbium doped fiber amplifier) modules into its OPTera 1600G long-haul optical-amplification system. Announced last spring for availability in 2000, Nortel Networks' OPTera 1600G system will be capable of providing five times the maximum per-fiber capacity of optical networking systems available today, or the equivalent of 28 million simultaneous Internet connections over a single optical fiber.
This family of optical amplifier modules that have been designed by Corning and will be incorporated into Nortel Networks OPTera 1600G amplification systems, will allow network operators to incrementally expand the capacity of the system from 10 channels up to 160 channels (1.6 Tb/s), each operating at 10 Gb/s.
"Corning has drawn upon its expertise in optical amplification, and its successful relationship with Nortel Networks, to create a family of state-of-the-art amplifier modules custom designed for the OPTera 1600G system," said Wendell Weeks, Corning executive vice president, Opto-electronics Group. "This system and its suite of advanced amplifiers will allow for an unprecedented amount of bandwidth and speed."
Corning previously supplied the optical amplifier modules for Nortel Networks' first commercially available line of amplifiers designed for the 10 Gb/s transmission market. These DWDM (dense wavelength division multiplexing) systems are used in more than 90% of today's 10 Gb/s networks.
"We believe the current demand and level of industry acceptance of this new, configurable network architecture will significantly increase our amplifier module shipments to Nortel Networks in 2000," said Gerry Fine, vice president and general manager, Corning Photonic Technologies Division.
As the world's leading supplier of EDFAs, Corning has designed a family of seven PureGain amplifier modules to meet the needs of the OPTera 1600G system. These new EDFA modules operate in both the conventional 1550nm-transmission window (C-band), and the neighboring long or L-band (1570-1605nm) window. They provide high-output power; are engineered for flattened gain across wide bandwidths, and have a mid-stage access design to accommodate dispersion compensation, wavelength add-drop and other devices vital for DWDM operation.
Established in 1851, Corning Incorporated (www.corning.com) creates leading-edge technologies for the fastest-growing markets of the world's economy. Corning manufactures optical fiber, cable and photonic products for the telecommunications industry; and high-performance displays and components for television and other communications-related industries. The company also uses advanced materials to manufacture products for scientific, semiconductor and environmental markets. Corning's revenues in 1998 were $3.5 billion.
This family of optical amplifier modules that have been designed by Corning and will be incorporated into Nortel Networks OPTera 1600G amplification systems, will allow network operators to incrementally expand the capacity of the system from 10 channels up to 160 channels (1.6 Tb/s), each operating at 10 Gb/s.
"Corning has drawn upon its expertise in optical amplification, and its successful relationship with Nortel Networks, to create a family of state-of-the-art amplifier modules custom designed for the OPTera 1600G system," said Wendell Weeks, Corning executive vice president, Opto-electronics Group. "This system and its suite of advanced amplifiers will allow for an unprecedented amount of bandwidth and speed."
Corning previously supplied the optical amplifier modules for Nortel Networks' first commercially available line of amplifiers designed for the 10 Gb/s transmission market. These DWDM (dense wavelength division multiplexing) systems are used in more than 90% of today's 10 Gb/s networks.
"We believe the current demand and level of industry acceptance of this new, configurable network architecture will significantly increase our amplifier module shipments to Nortel Networks in 2000," said Gerry Fine, vice president and general manager, Corning Photonic Technologies Division.
As the world's leading supplier of EDFAs, Corning has designed a family of seven PureGain amplifier modules to meet the needs of the OPTera 1600G system. These new EDFA modules operate in both the conventional 1550nm-transmission window (C-band), and the neighboring long or L-band (1570-1605nm) window. They provide high-output power; are engineered for flattened gain across wide bandwidths, and have a mid-stage access design to accommodate dispersion compensation, wavelength add-drop and other devices vital for DWDM operation.
Established in 1851, Corning Incorporated (www.corning.com) creates leading-edge technologies for the fastest-growing markets of the world's economy. Corning manufactures optical fiber, cable and photonic products for the telecommunications industry; and high-performance displays and components for television and other communications-related industries. The company also uses advanced materials to manufacture products for scientific, semiconductor and environmental markets. Corning's revenues in 1998 were $3.5 billion.
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