Realizing Packet/Optical Network Convergence and Efficient Router Interconnect through Packet-aware Optical Transport

In conventional network architectures, where IP/MPLS operates as a client layer over an optical transport layer, routers are employed throughout the WAN to provide a multitude of packet-centric bandwidth management functions, including packet services termination, aggregation, switching, QoS and transport. New emerging high-speed packet management functions at 100GbE rates are emerging within next-generation optical transport systems that combine WDM, OTN and packet functionality in a way that provides cable operators with more costeffective tools for optimizing packet traffic, increasing network resource efficiency, and reducing the total cost of the combined network. This paper compares and contrasts the current PMO with an architectural approach based on packet-aware OTN/optical transport, discusses typical use cases, and presents the benefits this provides operators.