Cutting-edge communications researchers rely on Fujitsu for next-generation optical networking

TUCSON, USA: Fujitsu, a leading supplier of business, information technology, and communications solutions, announced that the Center for Integrated Access Networks (CIAN) has selected the Fujitsu FLASHWAVE 9500 Packet Optical Networking Platform (Packet ONP) for its state-of-the-art optical communications testing facility.

The Fujitsu platform was selected to support their goal of driving toward a higher level of integration through optical aggregation.

“We chose the FLASHWAVE 9500 Packet ONP because it can aggregate, switch, and deliver Connection-oriented Ethernet (COE) services across any type of access network,” said Bob Norwood, professor and CIAN industry liaison officer at the University of Arizona.

“This capability affords us maximum flexibility for our research while being able to maintain a standardized set of Ethernet service definitions regardless of access network technology. By incorporating COE, ROADM, and SONET/SDH transport technologies in a single, addressable optical networking element, the FLASHWAVE 9500 platform will allow us to reconfigure our network to allow efficient cross-collaboration among system, sub-system, and device research efforts.”

CIAN, a premier engineering research center, is comprised of member universities working together to broadly enhance technology in optical communications. Their telecommunications industry research is designed to create transformative technologies for optical access networks where virtually any application requiring any resource can be seamlessly and efficiently aggregated and interfaced with existing and future core networks.

“We view continued advances in optical communications at both the component and system level as extremely important to the growth and future success of our country,” continued Norwood. “With Fujitsu we get a rare partner who is both a leading research entity and an equipment supplier who still maintains a high degree of vertical integration (from component to system). We appreciate that Fujitsu can look at CIAN research programs and provide feedback to us from multiple perspectives.”

“Research collaboration between corporate and university entities often generate fresh ideas and perspectives that can result in true optical networking breakthroughs,” said Rod Naphan, vice president of product and strategic planning at Fujitsu Network Communications. “CIAN is performing telecommunications research to speed development of products that advance the information-sharing capabilities of our country.”