Access systems provider Adtran has launched an open software defined access architecture capable of supporting rapid service creation and delivery for both business and residential broadband services.
Dubbed ‘Mosaic’, the new architecture combines modern web-scale technology with open source platforms to facilitate rapid innovation in multi-technology, multi-vendor environments, according to the vendor.
Adtran says this architecture already serves as the foundation for all of its next-generation platforms, including its NG-PON2 and G.fast products currently being trialled by Tier 1 carriers around the world (see Adtran boasts more than 60 G.fast trials worldwide).
Adtran is not the only vendor out there with a software-defined networking (SDN) approach to the access environment (see Calix unveils AXOS for access network virtualisation).
US operator Verizon is already kicking the tyres on both, putting NG-PON2 equipment on trial from Adtran and Ericsson/Calix (see Verizon evaluates suppliers ahead of NG-PON2 deployment).
Mosaic is designed to accelerate service providers’ transition to open, programmable and scalable networks. Building upon open source control and orchestration platforms provides the development environment that will facilitate crowdsourcing of new features and functionality while also being inherently vendor neutral – an Android for the telecom world, if you will.
‘SDN provides network operators the opportunity to move away from a hardware-centric view of deploying services,’ said Scott Raynovich, vice president of research and analysis at SDN Central. ‘Customers, both residential and business, have told us they want greater control and flexibility with the services they buy and the only way to deliver that is with an open, software defined services infrastructure.’
Adtran’s new architecture has two key elements. Mosaic Cloud is a service delivery platform that combines modular apps with open source control and orchestration platforms. Complementing this, Mosaic OS is a network operating system that has been optimised for virtualisation and multi-vendor app integration. Both software components are designed to work with hardware network elements from a variety of vendors, including and especially Adtran of course.
Mosaic Cloud provides a set of translation applications that allow a natively SDN-controlled access architecture to be deployed with the existing operations support systems (OSS). It is aimed at those service providers that need more time before undertaking OSS transformation initiatives but want to ensure that their underlying network is SDN-ready.
Adtran says it was an early adopter of the agile development model, making it the basis of all of its R&D over the past five years. The Mosaic architecture represents the culmination of work done at Adtran over that period in partnership with its customers.
Jay Wilson, senior vice president of technology and strategy, Adtran commented: ‘Mosaic will enable a fundamental transformation of the access network, streamlining service innovation, eliminating vendor lock-in, optimising network programmability and creating the framework for user-defined service creation.’