In Asia Pacific we have both ultra-modern and legacy architectures, and I’m not just referring to the buildings you see in Shanghai and Tokyo. With this region home to four of the top seven markets globally for smartphone adoption, the thirst for unlimited applications and skyrocketing bandwidth here are best quenched by leveraging streamlined packet technologies. However, many of our customers tell me they are still struggling with maintaining their outdated Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) network in parallel.

Specifically, customers across this region have shared these common themes with me:

  • They need to build out their networks for use cases in fast-emerging demand – whether 5G or other applications such as cloud computing or rich media streaming at the edge – while also keeping costs in check. They are under pressure to maximize profitability even while investing in extensive network upgrades. 
  • Legacy TDM networks continue to generate revenue, but are expensive to maintain. Therefore, they are using future-oriented network planning as an opportunity to also look at how to retire their legacy TDM network while migrating it’s services over to the new network.

    A network for modern Asia Pacific: The recommended elements

    To support TDM services in a packet network, you need to emulate the TDM circuits using Circuit Emulation (CEM) and transport that with Pseudowire Emulation Edge-to-Edge (PWE3). Three CEM types are typically used: Structure-Agnostic TDM over Packet (SAToP), CEM over Packet Switched Network (CEMoPSN), and Circuit Emulation over Packet (CEP). SAToP and CEMoPSN encapsulate payloads on low-speed services, while CEP encapsulates payload based on Virtual Connections (VCs). All of these encapsulations interoperate flawlessly with PWE3.

    Network Consolidation chart

    With Ciena’s TDM-to-Packet network solutions, if you just need a few ports at a given service end-point, then smart Small Form-factor Pluggables (SFPs) can support PWE3 to create a virtual, dedicated lane for TDM business services. Or if more ports are needed with the flexibility of future virtual services, then the Ciena’s 3926m Service Delivery Platform ensures strong future service delivery, from TDM to Virtual Network Functions (VNFs)s.

    Additionally, Ciena built the 6500 Packet Transport System (PTS) specifically to address TDM services scale and flexibility, enabling TDM-to-Packet migration and Ethernet services. With two form-factors, an 8-slot and 14-slot version, the 6500 PTS offers network providers DACS and MSPP replacement, packet switching and transport, Headend ADM ring consolidation, TDM to Ethernet Gateway, and network modernization. The 6500 PTS stands out from the pack by offering up to 5x lower power, 10x space saving, and 4x more TDM CEM capacity than competing platforms.

    Meanwhile, you can use Blue Planet’s open and extensible architecture, Blue Planet Manage, Control, and Plan (MCP), to provide end-to-end lifecycle management and operations.

    If you’re unsure where to start your network modernization planning, you can call on Ciena Insights Services. We’ll conduct a network audit and topology discovery then use our in-house expertise to engineer or plan migration and modernization TDM networks.

    So, get ready to connect all your network services across a single network, providing a migration to the future for legacy TDM business service.

    Learn more about how to evolve your network.

    Evolve your metro network: Modernize. Simplify. Automate. Succeed.