Short Courses

This short course will cover practical applications of SDN in optical transport networks. It aims at bridging the gap between pure architectural concepts and real-life implementations. Following a problem-and-solution approach, it will use concrete network examples to explain the challenges service providers, internet content providers and enterprises face, and how transport SDN (T-SDN) enables addressing these challenges.

The first part will introduce the T-SDN architecture and related data models, protocols, concepts and frameworks. It will also provide a practical guide to standards, industry bodies, and open source alliances and illustrate how their contributions fit the overall architectural picture. Standard and open source data models are mapped to disaggregated networks and open systems to allow software based control, management and automation.

The second part will investigate commercial use cases from (named) service providers and data center operators. Starting with the optical layer, it will delve into the role of T-SDN for pure play DWDM transport, specifically including open optical line systems and disaggregated WDM platforms. Multi-layer use cases comprising packet-optical transport and IP-over-WDM scenarios will be addressed next. Finally, the application of T-SDN in multi-domain networks will be discussed.

The third part of the short course is a life demonstration of a T-SDN application using an experimental implementation in conjunction with real equipment. As an example, it will be shown how open source software and open APIs can be used to create an intent-based service management framework for a disaggregated packet-optical transport network. APIs and user interfaces will be illustrated and the information flow between the different constituting entities will be visualized.

This course should enable you to:

• Explain the challenges service providers, internet content providers and enterprises face, and how transport SDN (T-SDN) enables addressing these challenges

• Describe the T-SDN architecture and related data models, protocols, concepts and frameworks

• Compare standard and open source data models and map them to disaggregated network and open systems for software based control, management and automation

• List commercial use cases for Optical Transport SDN for service providers and data center operators

• Apply SDN protocols, data models and APIs to open optical line systems and disaggregated WDM platforms, multi-layer packet-optical transport scenarios, and multi-domain network interoperability

• Identify the technical challenges and operational benefits of an intent-based service management framework using open source software and open APIs for the control and operation of an open optical transport network

• Summarize and discuss the most relevant Transport SDN concepts, data models, protocols and open source frameworks and their practical application in real-world implementations

The short course targets managers, network/system architects, engineers, and researchers who already have a basic understanding of SDN and would like to broaden their knowledge about architectures, applications and implementations in the optical transport space. As such, it complements SC448 which gives an entry level introduction to the field and SC472 which teaches hands-on software development skills.

Achim Autenrieth is Director Advanced Technology at ADVA Optical Networking, where he is leading the Networking Technologies team addressing SDN and NFV concepts and the design and evaluation of multilayer network architectures. Achim is member of IEEE and VDE/ITG, he authored or co-authored more than 100 scientific publications and he is technical program committee member of OFC, ECOC, ONDM, and DRCN.

Jörg-Peter Elbers is Senior Vice President Advanced Technology, Standards and IPR at ADVA Optical Networking. He directs research activities in the optical and packet area such as SDN and NFV, high speed optical transmission, packet-optical networking, and next-generation optical access. Jörg is member of the IEEE, board member of European Technology Platforms on Photonics (Photonics21) and Networks (Networld2020), chair of German VDE ITG expert committee for communications, OFC 2019 general chair, member of the ECOC management team, and associate editor of JOCN.