The Open Optical & Packet Transport group is a project group within the Telecom Infra Project that works on the definition of open technologies, architectures, and interfaces in optical and IP Networking. Edgecore’s open packet transponder, Cassini, integrates 100GbE L2/L3 switching with L1 optical transport functions as line-card modules, and covers data center interconnect, metro, and access backhaul use cases.

Cassini is an open optical packet transponder (OOPT) whose design was contributed to the Telecom Infra Project (TIP). Cassini is the industry’s highest capacity and first modular open packet transponder, offering a flexible mix of 100 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) packet switching ports and 100/200 Gbps coherent optical interfaces for data center interconnect, service provider metro, and backhaul use cases. Cassini reduces network operator costs and allows for a choice of optical and software technology. The OOPT supports coherent DSPs and optical transceivers from leading optical partners – Acacia Communications, Finisar Corporation, Fujitsu Optical Components Ltd., Lumentum, and NTT Electronics – and supports a choice of commercial software from IP Infusion and open source software, including SONiC and the Open Networking Foundation (ONF) Open Disaggregated Transport Network (ODTN) platform.

This year in South America, Edgecore cooperated with TIP community members to initiate the first field trial of Cassini. The field trial deployed Edgecore’s Cassini running IP Infusion’s OcNOS between the cities of Lurín, Lima, and Trujillo on an existing third-party optical line system. Cassini was equipped with CFP2-DCO modules from Lumentum, CFP2-ACO modules from Lumentum, and Fujitsu Optical Components (FOC). All these elements together provided an end-to-end solution that operators can use to increase the capacity of their existing optical networks.

The tests were performed on the production optical transport network operated by Telefónica del Perú, where channels were reserved for alien wavelengths and established without affecting existing production traffic. Cassini was successfully operated at 200Gbps over a distance of more than 600 km, and at 100Gbps over a distance of more than 1,200 km with successful packet stress testing results. This successful field trial has defined a new milestone in open networking and disaggregated optical systems.

Another live demo in the 2019 CableLabs exhibition, the Cassini used OcNOS from IP Infusion to configure ACO and DCO modules from Lumentum and Finisar to link with Ciena, Juniper, and Adva aggregation platforms. With the OOPT disaggregated platform, this new technology can offer more flexible and cost-effective optical networks for service providers, as well as drive innovation for mobile infrastructure. For more information, please refer to the Cassini at a glance.