Sample Newsletter Article
Nortel Networks

Big system test demonstrates network deployment capabilities

Committed to delivering high-quality products to customers, Nortel Networks is successfully using the Big System Test (BST) to demonstrate the ability of OPTera Metro 5200 to be deployed in large networks as an open, scalable, survivable dense-wavelength division multiplexing optical transport platform.

The recent BST of OPTera Metro 5200 Release 2.1 was a complete success, demonstrating that OPTera Metro equipment can provide full functionality in systems containing up to 40 shelves. It proved that OPTera Metro 5200 works well in a network designed to exceed even the most challenging customer network requirements, and provides the flexibility to meet increasing bandwidth demands. The test addressed the following system boundaries:

• This BST contained forty optical add drop multiplexer (OADM) shelves and three amplifier shelves.
  
• The system simultaneously carried nine different protocol types: OC-3, OC-12, OC-48, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, digital video, ESCON, ISC, and fiber channel. All 32 wavelengths were present on the backbone fibers simultaneously. Both conventional-band and long-band optical amplifiers are used.
  
• The system was configured as a ring with nine different sites. Subsets of the 32 wavelengths were added and dropped at each site. Two sites were configured to add and drop all 32 wavelengths. The four wavelengths in Band 6 were added and dropped at each site.

The success of the BST for Release 2.1 required close collaboration between OPTera Metro Product Verification, the Development Teams, Network Engineering, and the Optical Networks Captive Office. The team is now working to expand the BST to Release 3.0, to be implemented in Q3 2000.

Customer Value & Quality Information Brief, Vol.2, page 7

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Liz Coleman Communications
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Montreal, Canada
liz@lizcoleman.com

Liz Coleman is a proud member of the Professional Writers Association of Canada and the Editors’ Association of Canada.