Replacing OTN Core Networks with Packet Networks: Demonstration of 100Gb/s OTU4s over 400Gb/s Private Line Emulation (PLE) in Packet Networks

We demonstrate, for the first time, 100Gb/s OTU4 over 400GE PLE (Private Line Emulation) across a packet network with OTN like service over a packet backbone. With the decrease of interest in OTN and emergence of IP over DWDM, PLE is an attractive proposal in the IETF for provisioning leased-lines (which continue to be high-margin services for providers). PLE involves the mapping of high-speed OTN services (OTU4 typically, but also OTU2) on to packets and use a smart signaling infrastructure of the packet switched network to provision pseudo-wires. We developed PLE hardware and interfaces it with IP routers to create 100Gb/s OTU4 over 400Gb/s Ethernet. We showed deterministic latency and low jitter in addition to significant network-wide power saving (up to 50%). Results also conform to the requirements of traditional circuit (OTN) communication.