For network operators preparing for the next wave of technology evolution, choosing vendors and platforms that have proven interoperability allows them to quickly integrate needed technology and protocols with minimal operational risks. Ciena’s Don Jacob explores Ciena’s participation in EANTC interoperability tests and what it means for our customers.

IP networks undergo constant change. Adopting new technologies and upgrading IP/MPLS infrastructure allows operators to scale their networks and services to meet next generation application and user demands, many of which are driven by AI, 5G, and cloud. But as technology is added and changes are made, network operators must also ensure that their multi-vendor network continues to operate uninterrupted. A key factor is having a standards-based approach. A standards-based approach ensures that newly introduced technology or network functions are fully interoperable within the existing network infrastructure, allowing for seamless operations and service delivery across multi-vendor networks.

At Ciena, we are an active member with consistent contributions to many industry-standard bodies such as IETF, MEF, OIF, and IEEE. Our extensive routing and switching platforms have been designed based on standards, and beyond this, we have a strong commitment to ensuring that our platforms and our Navigator Network Control Suite (Navigator NCS) are standards-based and can truly interoperate in a real-world network. This is why Ciena’s active participation in EANTC interoperability testing is noteworthy.

But what is EANTC?

EANTC, or European Advanced Networking Test Center, provides manufacturer-neutral testing, and there is no better option than to quote verbatim from EANTC website:

“EANTC is internationally recognized as one of the world's leading independent test labs for telecommunication technologies. Based in Berlin, Germany, we offer vendor-neutral, realistic, and high-quality testing and consultancy services for vendors, service providers, and enterprises.”

And why is interoperability testing important?

Adding new technology or network functions into a large, complex network with minimal impact to mission-critical and revenue-generating services is critical to business continuity. EANTC testing assures network operators that a specific network platform can interoperate seamlessly with their existing network, allowing operators to build networks with different vendors, routers, and protocols. This makes it easier for our customers to trust our platforms.

Beyond that, EANTC testing also pushes us to achieve interoperability success prior to customer deployment, minimizing risks in customer networks. In fact, participating in EANTC interoperability testing and being showcased at the MPLS & SRv6 AI Net World Congress is a priority for Ciena – as covered in this show highlight newsreel.

EANTC 2025 - What was tested?

EANTC 2025 was the 23rd edition of the EANTC interoperability test. This year, testing focused on the following key areas:

  • Segment Routing
    • SR-MPLS
    • SRv6
  • EVPN
  • Time Synchronization
  • Orchestration and Automation

In addition to testing interoperable services between participating vendors, the test areas also focused on the latest innovations in each area. This included cloud data center and data center interconnect services, and advanced 5G/6G transport use cases.

The full test results can be found in EANTC’s recently released Multi-Vendor MPLS & SDN Interoperability Test Report 2025: EVPN, Orchestration and Automation, Segment Routing, and Time Synchronization.

Ciena at EANTC 2025

Ciena participated in EANTC 2025 along with other vendors to conduct extensive tests. The event resulted in the participating vendors generating 1448 test results across 82 test cases while testing the interoperability of 123 devices. Ciena participated in every test area and the overall results show Ciena emerging as a reliable and trusted vendor in each area.

Ciena’s participation in EANTC is important to us as well as our customers. EANTC allows Ciena to establish our credibility in interoperability while allowing customers to see Ciena as a vendor that can fit into their multi-vendor network.

— Jahanzeb Baqai, Director, Product Line Management at Ciena

Ciena presenting an EANTC live demo at MPLS & SRv6 AI Net World Congress in Paris

Figure 1: Ciena presenting an EANTC live demo at MPLS & SRv6 AI Net World Congress in Paris

At the MPLS & SRv6 AI Net World Congress in Paris, EANTC also presented eight live demos showcasing the key results from the tests – five of which included Ciena.

Ciena platforms tested

The following Ciena routing and switching platforms – powered by Ciena’s Service-Aware Operating System (SAOS) – were used for the tests:

Additionally, Ciena’s Navigator NCS was the network controller used in the Orchestration and Automation test area.

Ciena’s SAOS is the software foundation of our extensive routing and switching platform offerings. Built from the ground up for IP/MPLS services, it is a secure, robust, and scalable carrier-grade OS that powers Ethernet and IP networks in major service provider, hyperscale, and enterprise networks across the globe.

In addition, with our Navigator NCS, operators gain a single point of control to visualize, manage, and optimize multi-vendor networks across multiple technology layers, from IP to Ethernet to optical. This simplifies and accelerates network operations, driving down operational costs, yet enabling rapid delivery of next-generation services.

The below list summarizes Ciena’s participation in each test area.

Segment Routing

Segment Routing was the focus of most tests, with 46% of test outcomes highlighting it as the primary transport network technology for next-generation networks. Segment Routing test areas included both SRv6 and SR-MPLSv4 test cases.

  • SR-MPLSv4
    • Ciena successfully demonstrated interoperability in the planned test cases with multiple iterations within the stipulated time, showing stability in our SR-MPLS implementation
    • IS-IS was the IGP in focus among all vendors, but some scenarios with OSPF as IGP were also demonstrated
    • L3VPN over SR-MPLS, TILFA, and TI-LFA with Flex-Algo over SR-MPLS interoperability test cases were also validated
    • Ciena also tested interoperability with 400ZR/ZR+ optical plugs
  • SRv6
    • Extensive test cases were executed in this area, including 5G x-haul transport use cases
    • Ciena covered multiple test cases for L3VPN over SRv6, EVPN services over SRv6 with VPWS and Route Type 5, SRv6 Flex-Algo and SRv6 Transposition
    • The participating vendors tested SRv6 compressed with IS-IS
    • Topology was multi-level where traffic was forwarded between level 1 to level 2 and vice-versa via ABR
    • Also verified was the flow of traffic using a summarized route which was originated by the ABR

EVPN

  • EVPN E-Line and E-LAN with different data planes were tested this year
  • Ciena successfully completed multiple EVPN test use-cases, including E-Line and E-Lan service tests with other vendors
  • Ciena’s SAOS-powered platforms remained robust throughout multiple test iterations and network failure test cases

Time Synchronization

  • Time synchronization is integral to uninterrupted functionality of networks across domains and geo locations
  • This was a major focus area, and Ciena did well in these test cases. Some of the test cases executed were around:
    • Time synchronization in a 5G xHaul network,
    • Measure performance of PTP traffic over a DWDM interface
    • Verify the ability of a T-BC to measure time error of a PTP port (either active or passive) against a GNSS signal (that is used as primary reference)
    • Verify the ability of the network devices to detect, and measure the delay asymmetry, on PTP enabled links

Orchestration and automation

  • Unified interface for management of multi-vendor IP infrastructure eliminates need for separate operational tools. Tests covered include:
    • Provisioning of L3/L2 VPNs across multi-vendor routers via NETCONF/YANG standards-based interfaces
    • Telemetry gathering via open gNMI for real-time visibility of network performance
    • Management of Ciena and third-party coherent pluggables hosted in multi-vendor routers, showing comprehensive multi-layer visibility and control
Not to forget

Participating in EANTC interoperability tests is a step in the right direction for vendors and network operators alike. Showcasing that our technology can seamlessly interoperate in a multi-vendor network and assure end-to-end service delivery and performance is critical.

Ciena’s commitment to standards and interoperability, along with a comprehensive portfolio of products, puts us in a position to help operators on this journey, and we believe we can play a key role in building your next-generation network while retaining operational efficiency and remaining cost-effective.