nanog mailing list archives

Re: IP and Optical domains?


From: Jason Iannone <jason.iannone () gmail com>
Date: Wed, 22 Jun 2016 09:56:56 -0600

The IP and Transport groups are customers of each other.  When I need
a wire, I ask the Transport group to deliver a wire.  This is pretty
simple division of labor stuff.  Transport has the intimate knowledge
of the layer 1 infrastructure and IP has intimate knowledge of
services.  Sure there is information share, but I don't need to assign
wavelengths or protection groups or channels.  I don't need to know if
I'm getting an OTU or some other lit service (except when I do need to
know).  We use clear jargon to order services from each other.
"Please deliver two diverse, unprotected circuits between cilli1 and
cilli2."  If I want LACP or spanning-tree, I want OTU or another means
of ensuring L2 tunneling, so I either predefine these requirements
before we start our relationship or I explicitly order it.

When I think of converging IP and Transport, I think of combining the
extraordinary depth of knowledge required by each group's individual
contributors.  You just turned your 100k employee into a 175k
employee.  On top of that, add that we're all becoming software
developers and you've got a three horned unicorn.  In the end I guess
this is the cycle of convergence to distribution and back writ HR.

On Sat, Jun 18, 2016 at 3:27 PM, Glen Kent <glen.kent () gmail com> wrote:
HI,

I was reading the following article:
http://www.lightreading.com/optical/sedona-boasts-multilayer-network-orchestrator/d/d-id/714616

It says that "The IP layer and optical layer are run like two separate
kingdoms," Wellingstein says. "Two separate kings manage the IP and optical
networks. There is barely any resource alignment between them. The result
of this is that the networks are heavily underutilized," or, from an
alternative perspective, "they are heavily over-provisioned."

Can somebody shed more light on what it means to say that the IP and
optical layers are run as independent kingdoms and why do ISPs need to
over-provision?

Thanks, Glen


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