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By deploying high-performance, carrier-class, intelligent routers at the edge of the network, cable operators can efficiently manage bandwidth while delivering next-generation services over cable infrastructure.
They can develop effective partnerships with revenue-sharing partners and can scale new services as they become increasingly popular. Multiservice cable networks require carrier-class edge routers with high levels of intelligence so that all traffic flows can be efficiently classified and treated according to network policies. Operators and their partners will increasingly deliver diverse services over cable networks, and they can prepare for growing demand by ensuring that the network is architected for scalability and flexibility.
Edge routers must also support high-speed packet inspection, filtering, and forwarding. They need to be able to identify and classify traffic flows and provide per-flow treatments according to network policies. After treating the flows, the routers must efficiently forward the traffic to the appropriate destination. Traffic treatments include applying the appropriate Quality of Service (QoS) controls as well as implementing Admission Control and other traditional router services.
For edge routers to be effective, they need to offer routing through Layer 4 to ensure application-aware, end-to-end transport and support advanced-load balancing features to ensure the optimization of network infrastructure assets. Cable operators can deploy high-performance routers at the edge of the network that also support MultiProtocol Label Switching (MPLS). The routers at the distribution hubs then serve as MPLS Label Edge Routers (LERs). They identify and classify traffic flows, and then apply MPLS labels so that operators can provide per-flow treatments according to network policies.
BSR 64000 Offers Intelligence at the Edge of the Network
Motorola offers integrated Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) platforms with carrier-class intelligent edge routing so operators can efficiently classify and treat traffic at the edge of the network.
The Broadband Services Router 64000 (BSR 64000) allows broadband providers to rapidly introduce differentiated data, voice, and multimedia services for both corporate and residential subscribers, and deliver QoS levels end-to-end from the network edge to the network core. The system performs content-aware packet filtering to provide exceptional QoS flexibility and it serves as an MPLS LER.
The design of the BSR 64000 is based on centralized routing and distributed forwarding and provides the benefits of simple configuration (single router appearance), scalable performance (each additional line card brings an associated forwarding engine), and low cost-of-entry (operators only purchase the forwarding power required).
The BSR 64000 provides carrier-grade policy enforcement at the edge of the network to support mission-critical services and third-party partnerships.
Implementing QoS Control
The BSR 64000 allows operators to provide end-to-end QoS treatments across their metropolitan networks. The key to successful implementation is to add intelligence to the edge of the network so operators can support multiple business and residential services. The BSR 64000 marks packets with MPLS labels, which instruct switches throughout the network on which QoS levels to apply to enable efficient end-to-end routing.
The edge router becomes even more critical in multiservice applications, since the operator has the opportunity to efficiently treat each flow at the edge of the network to eliminate costly and unnecessary routing of all traffic back to one-or-more central locations.
Since all the processing-intense filtering, forwarding, accounting, and QoS functions are performed in hardware at wire-speed, the BSR 64000 reduces latency to a fraction of that commonly found in mainstream, software-based routers. The BSR 64000 is DOCSIS 1.0, DOCSIS 1.1, and PacketCable 1.0 qualified, and it includes flexible interfaces for Ethernet and SONET connectivity. It offers unified management of routing, QoS, and access aggregation functions and scales economically to meet ever-increasing subscriber demands and the introduction of new services.
Routing at the Edge
Intelligent packet classification and treatment at the edge of the network allows operators to efficiently utilize infrastructure resources across metropolitan and core networks. The BSR 64000 serves as an MPLS LER, and it offers carrier-class routing software implementations that can scale as operators expand their networks and develop new partnerships with revenue-sharing partners. The robust routing software ensures high-availability for the network and superior network reliability. Each routing protocol implemented on the BSR 64000 offers maximum expansion to support new services, subscribers, and providers.
With the BSR 64000, providers benefit from carrier-class routing and can scale their networks in terms of numbers of routes, interfaces, and peering relationships. This allows them to provide high-growth, business-class services over broadband networks and add more subscribers with additional pools of IP addresses without modifying the equipment or adding hardware. Broadband providers can implement policy-based routing to efficiently classify and forward traffic to support connectivity to multiple service providers or corporate networks.
High-Speed Backbone Transport
After traffic is aggregated onto the BSR 64000 and packets are classified according to network policies, it is transported across the metro ring using the Multiservice Broadband Transport (MBT) platform.
The MBT natively aggregates and switches Ethernet traffic and offers support for all key Ethernet standards. It supports Ethernet-over SONET/SDH and delivers advanced traffic capabilities and the levels of reliability needed for carrier-class services. Broadband cable operators can efficiently aggregate and transport traffic across metro networks while delivering the QoS levels required for mission-critical enterprise services. They can map Ethernet traffic into SONET/SDH frames to create secure tunnels through the metropolitan network.
The MBT is a full-featured Add/Drop Multiplexer that grooms traffic for high-speed transport across the metropolitan network. Operators can further benefit from Motorola's Dense Wave Division Multiplexers (DWDMs) and high-powered optical amplifiers to improve utilization of fiber bandwidth.
End-to-End Solutions
The BSR family also includes the BSR 1000
platform that can be deployed to extend the service area. All BSR products are managed using the DOCSIS
Device Manager, and the MBT is managed using the MBT Management System. Both element management platforms offer full-featured Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and integration with higher-level network managers for end-to-end visibility into the network. Motorola's NETsolutions Group is also available to help operators design and deploy edge routing solutions as well as end-to-end solutions that leverage intelligent edge routing and high-speed optical switching on metro and core backbone networks.
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