Cisco has announced the successful demonstration of 600 Gigabits per second (Gbps) on the Australia’s Academic and Research Network (AARNet) production network.
This was possible by using Cisco Network Convergence System (NCS) 1004 with tests also being performed with NCS 2000 FlexSpectrum Single Module ROADM.
Tests were performed under real world conditions, the companies stated, without disruption to any customer traffic.
"Our network supports cross-institutional global research collaborations, scientific instruments and the transport and storage of some of the world’s largest data-sets," AARNet CEO Chris Hancock said.
"This trial with Cisco opens up opportunities for AARNet to provide customers with unprecedented levels of scale to support massive data flows for data-intensive projects such as the Square Kilometre Array."
AARNet is a not-for-profit National Research and Education Network (NREN) owned by the Australian universities and CSIRO. Its network connects more than one million users.
The organisation is also part of the consortium responsible for the build of the international subsea cable system Indigo along with Google, Indosat Ooredoo, Singtel, SubPartners, Telstra and Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN).
"Cisco and AARNet have a long-standing partnership in networking co-innovation," said Bill Gartner, vice president and general manager, optical systems and optics at Cisco. "From here we look forward to applying the same technology and best practices from terrestrial configurations to help AARNet expand trials in subsea and beyond."
The trials
When conducting trials, Cisco used its NCS 1004 flexibility to adjust modulation format and baud rate to achieve the maximum data throughput over different distances.
Different configurations were put in place and all had a successful result. Those configurations are:
- 600G single wavelength in a metro data centre to data centre environment – approximately 15km;
- 500G single wavelength over regional distances greater than 300km – roughly equivalent from Sydney to Newcastle, Wollongong or Goulburn;
- 400G single wavelength over inter-capital distances greater than 750km – roughly equivalent from Sydney to Melbourne.
According to the networking giant, its NCS 1004 was designed to maximize wavelength and fibre capacity with low space and power requirements.
The system supports up to 4.8Tbps of client and 4.8Tbps of trunk traffic at two racks per unit, Cisco said.
Cisco has just announced a partnership with NBN Co that resulted in a partner program for MSPs. The program, which will start in April, will reward MSPs with cash rebates for deploying bundles using Cisco and the National Broadband Network (NBN).
The move follows Cisco’s $61 million Country Digital Acceleration (CDA) program announced last week, which is aimed at funding skills development and innovation in Australian industries.