International Transport Gateway

• Simplifies international optical networks and dramatically reduces costs by eliminating the need for multiple separate platforms
• Scalable I nternational Gateway solution seamlessly inter-connects ANSI (SONET) and ITU-T ( SDH ) networks, providing full high-order and low-order conversion
• Integrates advanced Layer 2 Ethernet aggregation and service switching to support the delivery of both packet and TDM services with maximum efficiency
• Supports a wide variety of ANSI , ITU-T and Ethernet interfaces for inter-connections with diverse long-haul and local transport networks

Business globalization and the rapid adoption of new IP-based services continue to drive the growth and transformation of international optical networks. In addition to expanding network capacity to meet ever-growing bandwidth demands, leading global carriers are also looking to deliver advanced Ethernet services to large enterprise customers and to other carriers on a wholesale basis.

While upgrading metro area networks to support these requirements is challenging enough, the complexity increases significantly for networks that operate on an international scale. Because global carriers’ networks extend to POPs on multiple continents, they must inter-connect with several diverse types of local/terrestrial networks rangingfrom SONET, SDH and DWDM to Ethernet and IP/MPLS.

To optimize bandwidth utilization on undersea networks, global carriers must also find ways to efficiently aggregate, switch and transport both packet-based and TDM-based traffic. Fulfilling all of these needs typically involves deploying a multitude of network elements, including a DCS that supports SONET to SDH signal conversion, separate SONET and SDH MSPPs, as well as Ethernet switches - inflating both capital and operational costs.

Force10 Networks addresses these challenges with the company's flagship Traverse® Multiservice Transport Switch. As a unified Ethernet and TDM platform with global versatility, the Traverse simplifies international optical networks and dramatically reduces costs by eliminating the need for multiple separate platforms.

Leveraging the ability to operate in either ANSI (SONET) or ITU-T (SDH) environments - or seamlessly inter-connect the two types of networks - the Traverse platform is a powerful and scalable "International Gateway" solution. In addition to providing full high-order and low-order SONET to SDH conversion and switching (STS-n to AU-3/4 and VT1.5 to VC-12), the Traverse platform integrates advanced Layer 2 Ethernet aggregation and switching to enable the delivery of both packet and TDM services with maximum efficiency. The Traverse platform also supports a wide variety of interfaces, including 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet, 10GbE, DS1/E1, DS3/E3, OC-3/12/48/192, STM-1/4/16/64 and DWDM/CWDM allowing seamless inter-connections with diverse long-haul and local transport networks.