Technology

Network resources will always be heterogeneous. They will be based on a mix of different technologies with different functionalities and programming models.  Note to technology bigots:  every technology has a finite life and will eventually be superseded.  X.25, SNA, ISDN, ATM, Banyan vines, Novel Netware, all had their day.  I am sure that you can think of a few more technologies to add to the list.  Technology evolves.  New methods become available that obsolete older methods.  

Choices in network architecture and design are constrained by timing requirements.  The requirement to get something done within some limited time period results in many familiar design patterns, including specialized hardware and software optimizations.

Virtualization is a form of abstraction that hides underlying implementation details.  Virtualization is an abstraction that simplifies, through interface minimization and standardization, and through isolation of applications.   Virtualization is a step along an a progression of abstractions.  The preceeding steps are modularization, standardization, and commoditization.

G.709 Amendment 3 was approved by the ITU in April of 2009. Amendment 3 will have important implications for network operators all over the world. It defines new multiplexing capabilities that support both higher and lower speed interfaces. Cyan’s range of packet optical transport network platforms are designed to provide network operators solutions that support every advantage of G.709 based networking.

Ethernet has matured from an interface, to a service, to a transport-network. Cost and revenue considerations will inevitably drive network expansion that is biased toward Ethernet in all three of these dimensions.