Cable-Tec EXPO, Philadelphia, PA + San Jose, CA - May 12, 2003 - Cisco Systems Inc. today announced a next-generation Digital Video Network solution that enables Multiple System Operators (MSOs) to more easily and cost effectively deliver scalable Video-on-Demand (VOD) services. The Cisco VOD-optimized Gigabit Ethernet solution enables video content to be delivered where it's needed, when it's needed; ensures investment protection by providing flexibility to embrace evolving architectures and services; scales from small networks to large networks with a "pay as you grow" capital profile; and reduces overall network complexity and operational costs by building intelligence into the network.
When compared to hardwired DVB-ASI infrastructures, VOD-optimized Gigabit Ethernet networks deliver more bandwidth per interface (240 Mbps compared to 1000 Mbps) and significantly lower costs due to reduced interface costs and fewer required wavelengths and fibers. In addition, the switched Gigabit Ethernet connections between the VOD server and the Quadrature Amplitude Modulators (QAMs) enable the optimization of each VOD server's port, resulting in the need for fewer overall VOD server ports.
"Cisco's new Digital Video Network is at the forefront of the shift to Gigabit Ethernet, allowing MSOs to take advantage of the inherent networking and switching benefits of the Gigabit Ethernet infrastructure," said Deb Mielke, Trelliage Network Strategies. "As MSOs inevitably shift from broadcast to on-demand unicast delivery, and as subscriber demand for VOD increases, the requirements for network flexibility and intelligence become critical."
Cisco's VOD-Optimized Gigabit Ethernet Solution: Asymmetric Transport and Switching to Cost-effectively, Scale VOD Services
Drawing from the company's industry leadership in Gigabit and 10 Gigabit Ethernet networking, Cisco's VOD-Optimized Gigabit Ethernet solution is an asymmetric transport and switching system that delivers the cost advantages of a unidirectional transport system with the operational advantages of a bidirectional transport system. The tested, interoperable system is comprised of Cisco's industry-leading Catalyst Gigabit Ethernet switches, Cisco IOS' intelligent Network Control Plane, new Dense Wave Division Multiplex (DWDM) pluggable integrated optics (GBIC), and new optical filtering capabilities.
The new Cisco DWDM pluggable optics, which plug directly into the GBIC-based Gigabit Ethernet interfaces on Cisco Catalyst Switches, provide cost savings by launching a DWDM wavelength directly from the switch, eliminating the need for separate optical transponder. To further cost optimize the asymmetric transport and switching solution, Cisco is also releasing receive-only versions of these GBICs that will accept any incoming wavelength in the DWDM or CWDM bands.
The addition of Cisco's new ONS 15216 FlexLayer product family provides MSOs with additional cost savings and flexibility. These products provide transport flexibility along with optical filtering by offering unidirectional optical add or drop multiplexing along with optical splitters and combiners, all in a modular form factor. The ONS 15216 FlexLayer modularity delivers a "pay-as-you-grow" CAPEX profile that can start with just a single wavelength, and provide in-service upgrades to scale wavelength capacity up to the maximum 32 wavelengths. This flexibility allows MSOs to add capacity only when and where it is needed, freeing them from the need to pre-engineer wavelengths and bandwidth on a per location basis.
A key enabler of the Asymmetric VOD-optimized Gigabit Ethernet solution is the intelligent control plane, the first deliverable of a standards-based control plane to provide more efficient network operation of VOD services. Cisco has leveraged Unidirectional Link Routing (UDLR) to allow bi-directional connectivity in the network, even if VOD transport networks are optimized to be highly asymmetric or even unidirectional. UDLR allows MSOs to deploy sizeable, dedicated amounts of bandwidth downstream out to the hubs without the need to provision the same amount of bandwidth in the upstream direction, thus saving capital cost without imposing the manual provisioning expense of unidirectional transport solutions. UDLR is one demonstration of the significant value MSOs can accrue from Cisco IOS' comprehensive Ethernet support.
Cisco will demonstrate its next-generation Digital Video Network Architecture at SCTE Cable-Tec EXPO, May 11-14 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, Booth #2237.
