Leading Vendors Successfully Complete Interoperability of Advanced IP, MPLS, Generalized MPLS and Optical Control Plane Features at Isocore Internetworking Lab.

RESTON, Va. -- Isocore, the technology validation leader in next generation IP and optical networking, today announced the successful completion of its Spring Leading Edge Code testing event at which leading vendors from the MPLS and GMPLS industry participated. This semi-annual event, open to the Isocore Internetworking Lab members, was a follow-up to the Isocore-sponsored iPOP 2005 conference held in Japan earlier this year where the first live demonstration of trans-pacific dynamic GMPLS Label Switched Paths (LSPs) was held. Results from the Spring Leading Edge Code testing and the forthcoming Fall leading edge code testing (scheduled for August/September) will be showcased live following the MPLS 2005 International Conference to be held October 16-19 in Washington DC.

Vendors participating at the Leading Edge Code testing included Alcatel, Avici Systems, Chiaro Networks, Cisco Systems, IXIA, Juniper Networks, MRV Communications, Navtel, Redback Networks, Spirent Communications, Sycamore Networks, and Tellabs. KDDI R&D Laboratories, Inc. and NTT supported the effort by on-site participation.

"The interoperability event was an excellent opportunity for us to work with carriers and vendors in a non-competitive environment," said Dr. Masatoshi Suzuki, Executive Director, of KDDI R&D Laboratories, Inc. "This is an important and necessary step in implementing and providing flexible and reliable optical networks based on GMPLS."

"NTT is pleased that through the strong participation of vendors and carriers, and the successful demonstration at the iPOP 2005 conference as well as the recent Spring Leading-Edge Code testing at Isocore, GMPLS technology is becoming mature and close to commercial deployment phase," said Tohru Matsunaga, Executive Manager, NTT Network Service Systems Laboratories, Tokyo, Japan. "These activities by Isocore drive the IETF standardization on GMPLS protocols in a profound way, and Isocore's plans to test in the areas of MPLS/GMPLS migration and interworking as well as multi-region/multi-layer networking, will lead us to provide large-capacity network services in an efficient way."

The IP/MPLS service testing effort included verification of the Multicast layer 3 VPN (M-VPN). M-VPN testing also required that all core routers in the setup support protocol- independent multicast in sparse mode (a standard in the IETF). Redback Networks SE800, Cisco GSR, Juniper Networks M20 and Ixia participated as Provider edge nodes supporting multicast capable sites. MPLS differentiated services using three classes of services were used in the layer 2/Layer 3 Unicast VPNs. The layer 3 VPNs were tested with Route Reflectors configured in the core, which helped in reduced configuration and better scalability verification of the Layer 3 MPLS/BGP VPNs.

The MPLS QoS was also verified in the Hierarchical VPLS environment. During this effort the user end applications were verified over MPLS QoS capable core and edge by using Fiber To The Home Technology (FTTH) and Optical Network Terminal (ONT) devices that offered Triple Play Services to the multi-service network built during the Spring testing. Spirent and Ixia's VoIP test tools were deployed to verify the successful voice service over H-VPLS network. Alcatel 7750 SR-7, MRV, Cisco 7600, Tellabs 8820 and Ixia participated in this effort. All of the tests were performed over a core made up of Avici TSR/SSR, Chiaro's Enstara, Cisco XR 12000, and Juniper M Series routers enabled for MPLS QoS and other resiliency mechanisms.

In addition to the IP/MPLS service with leading edge code feature, Isocore continues to examine these services on top of the dynamic GMPLS network as part of its IP-Optical Integration program. During this effort, for the first time, a common addressing was used for optical and GMPLS capable edge routers. During the week long test effort, constraint based shortest path first (CSPF) was verified amongst the optical and GMPLS edge devices. The effort also included the MPLS-GMPLS migration scenarios that validate the usability of the GMPLS core in the IP layer to map the traffic dynamically. GMPLS UNI models were also considered as part of this test effort. The devices that contributed to the GMPLS setup included Cisco Systems CRS-1 platform, Juniper Networks M series routers, Navtel Communication, and the Sycamore Networks SN 16000 Intelligent Optical Switch. KDDI and NTT also participated in this effort with their protocol emulation further ensuring the success of the test event.

About Isocore:

The goal of Isocore's Internetworking Lab is to advance internetworking through technology validation and product verification and to promote development and rapid deployment of innovative networking technologies. For more information about Isocore, visit http://www.isocore.com.