Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Multiple network interconnecting
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-12
2002-04-16
Rinehart, Mark H. (Department: 2152)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Multiple network interconnecting
C709S224000, C359S199200, C379S114010
Reexamination Certificate
active
06374307
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to Internet network carrier billing devices, and more particularly to billing methods and systems that can operate at the extreme speeds and volumes provided by dense wave-division multiplexing optical backbones.
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
Up until very recently, data traffic volumes were relatively small compared to voice. In 1995, the highest-speed Internet backbone links operated at speeds of 155 million bits-per-second (Mbps). Even in 1997, the highest speed was 622 Mbps. Backbone link speeds for other data services, e.g., Frame Relay, have typically been less. To make more efficient use of optical fiber data capacities, time-division multiplexing (TDM) has been used that combines the Internet backbones with voice-call trunks. However, the increased carrier speeds have created a dilemma in designing billing devices that don't become network bottlenecks.
The current voice-communication infrastructure is a TDM and circuit-switching network for 64-kbps voice circuits. Such TDM part of the network includes digital cross-connects and synchronous optical network/synchronous digital hierarchy (SONET/SDH) network elements. Thousands of voice circuits are combined by a multiplexer to fully utilize the high-speed fiber optic transmission facilities. Currently, such optical fibers typically operate at 155 Mbps to 2.5 gigabits-per-second (Gbps). The higher 2.5 Gbps is more prevalent on long-haul backbone facilities and interoffice or metro areas. New OC-192/STM-64 systems operating at 10.0 Gbps are just now being deployed.
Both long-haul and short-haul computer networks are beginning to see the wide-scale deployment of OC-48 dense wave-division multiplexing (DWDM). Cisco Systems (San Jose, Calif.) has begun building its switches and routers to interface directly to WDM equipment to take advantage of WDM and the emerging optical network layer. Wave-division multiplexing (WDM) technology has emerged as a practical way to increase the capacity of optical fiber. WDM systems carry multiple channels of information, each operating at up to 2.5 Gbps, or even 10.0 Gbps, by using different wavelengths in the infrared light spectrum (near 1550 nm). To date, WDM systems have been designed primarily for point-to-point connectivity over long distances and have been widely deployed by interexchange carriers in the U.S. and other long-haul applications. New WDM systems are now appearing that are optimized for interoffice or metropolitan applications and that support more flexible topologies. Continuing advances in optical technologies are giving rise to an optical network layer that will be capable of routing wavelengths over complex networks and providing “lightpaths” to client layers above.
First-generation WDM systems supported only four to sixteen wavelengths, each operating at 2.5 Gbps. Second-generation systems now being deployed support thirty-two to forty wavelengths, and products have been promised that will support as many as one hundred wavelengths. Experimental systems have already demonstrated as much as one terabit (100 10-Gbps channels) transmitted on a single fiber. TDM rates are not keeping pace with data traffic growth. Only data devices that can access the enormous capacities made possible by WDM will be capable of meeting this demand.
High-speed switch and router interfaces are needed that provide cost-effective interconnection with optical network elements and that are able to efficiently use the capacity provided by each WDM wavelength, e.g., big fat pipes (BFPs). The OC-48 c (2.5-Gbps) interface for Cisco's 12000 gigabit switch router has an OC-48 c clear channel interface delivered on a data platform. Such allows for the most efficient transport of data for backbone applications, providing significant bandwidth gain through statistical multiplexing compared with the OC-12 solutions currently delivered via TDM. BFPs significantly reduce the complexity and management of the network by eliminating the need for TDM capabilities in the backbone hierarchy of the transport infrastructure. Higher-speed BFPs will be delivered in the future to take advantage of increases in WDM channel capacities and densities.
Wide-area computer data traffic continues to expand exponentially. In response, we are seeing the emergence of the optical Internet, a new data-optimized service infrastructure that will become the foundation for these data services. High-speed internetworking devices and optical networking technologies will provide this foundation. Connecting internetworking devices directly with optical technologies will enable service providers to deliver data services at dramatically reduced costs. By directing capital expenditures toward a data-optimized infrastructure rather than a legacy voice/circuit switched infrastructure, service providers can ensure their competitiveness in the new network landscape beyond the year 2000.
There appears to be no end to the explosive growth of data traffic. The Web-driven growth trends of recent years will be followed by successive waves of demand resulting from voice over IP/ATm/Frame Relay, video, and high-speed subscriber access via digital subscriber lines and cable. The adoption of intranets and extranets for networked commerce will bring further changes to the IP-service infrastructure, both through bandwidth demands and feature requirements. Service providers know that their future lies in data, which is expected to account for the majority of the traffic volume on the networks and bring most of the lucrative new service opportunities in the coming years. According to one industry analyst, in the future, eighty percent of service providers' profits will be derived from data services.
Profitability for service providers depends on increasing service revenue and decreasing delivery costs. The revenue side of this equation depends on the ability to move up the value chain and deliver value-added services that are attractive to businesses and consumers. The Cisco IOS® software provides the foundation for the delivery of high value-added, end-to-end services that can be delivered over a broad set of technologies.
The total investment in the public service infrastructure today in North America alone is estimated at roughly one quarter of a trillion dollars. This investment has primarily been made to address the requirements of voice services, which in North America represent about $150 billion annually.
While investments in voice/TDM infrastructure are enormous, intense competition in the voice market brought about by deregulation has led most observers to expect low margins on voice traffic in the coming years. This fact combined with enormous opportunities in data creates a strong motivation to limit future expenditures in legacy voice/TDM equipment and focus investments in the data arena. The role of SONET/SDH in the future remains important as the transition from TDM to optical internetworking takes place. Important key aspects such as performance management, fault isolation, and protection will need to be carried forward into the optical internet architecture.
While data traffic volumes are still relatively small compared to voice, they are increasing dramatically. Leading Internet providers report bandwidths doubling on their backbones approximately every six to nine months. In 1998, the largest Internet backbone providers will deploy 2.5-Gbp links between routers. Data volumes are now capable of consuming entire optical fibers operating at the prevalent speed of 2.5 Gbps. It is therefore neither necessary, nor possible, to continue using SONET/SDH equipment to multiplex high-speed data links with other traffic. In optical internets, high-performance internetworking devices (switches and routers) are interconnected via optical networking technologies. They may be directly connected with optical fiber, or they may be connected to an optical network layer that provides wavelength routing for various clients including internetworking devices and SONET/SDH network elements. In either
Main Richard Brewster
Ristau Steve A.
Rinehart Mark H.
Thompson Marc D.
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