Juniper Networks, on Friday announced that it has became the first networking vendor to announce it is disaggregating optical line system hardware from network control software, rolling out a new optical solution that brings unprecedented levels of flexibility, cost control and multi-layer visibility to packet-optical transport. Juniper’s end-to-end metro packet transport portfolio gives service providers the necessary building blocks to deploy new services built on cloud, 5G, IoT, multi-gigabit broadband and other advanced technologies.

Closed, proprietary optical-transport networks that bind the transponder, optical line system and control software together significantly hinder service providers’ ability to deploy an agile service delivery model. Juniper’s new cloud-grade solution, including an open, programmable optical line system, as well as a microservices-based management and control platform, allows operators to deploy any transponder solution to keep costs down, optimize the photonic layer control plane, and maintain unmatched service continuity.

Aligning with Juniper’s Cloud-Grade Networking initiative announced in June, the company’s Programmable Photonic Layer open line system features the new TCX1000 Series Programmable ROADM. Combining open, standards-based application programming interfaces (APIs), the new proNX Optical Director management and control platform makes it easier for customers to deploy coherent DWDM transponders – whether from Juniper, a service provider or third parties. Taking this platform-first approach, Juniper customers can rest assured they are operating a future-proof system, free from vendor lock-in.

• Juniper Programmable Photonic Layer featuring the new TCX1000 Series Programmable ROADM: Part of a complete open line system solution, the TCX1000 Programmable ROADM, enabled by Lumentum, is a colorless, directionless, flex-grid ready programmable ROADM that allows operators to seamlessly upgrade to emerging high-capacity bit rates – 100G, 200G, 400G and beyond – without having to upgrade line system hardware. Operators can now confidently disaggregate the line system hardware from the transponder layer and from the photonic layer control plane to better optimize the network for use cases such as data center interconnect.

• proNX Optical Director microservices-based optical network management and control software platform: Building on the strengths of proNX Service Manager’s automated service activation and network management capabilities, proNX Optical Director uses a microservices-based architecture to enable operators to scale more effectively and simply integrate customer and third-party applications in an agile operational environment. Additionally, proNX Optical Director uses a standards-based YANG API to integrate seamlessly with Juniper Networks NorthStar Controller, providing full network visibility and coordination from Layer 0 to Layer 3.

“The continuously evolving dynamics presented by the cloud requires that all elements of the network be agile, open and easily disaggregated – and Juniper is ensuring that the optical layer follows suit. Closed systems that prevent true agility abound, but Juniper understands the importance of disaggregation and we’re excited to give customers the power to move faster within the cloud era with a true turnkey solution forend-to-end packet optical network operation,” said Donyel Jones-Williams, Director of Service Provider Portfolio Marketing, Juniper Networks.

“Network operators require flexible, disaggregated optical line solutions supporting best-of-breed coherent modules. With the Programmable Photonic Layer and proNX Optical Director, Juniper becomes the first vendor to offer centralized, disaggregated open optical line system control software from the network hardware. Today’s announcement shows Juniper is helping customers accelerate migration towards open, programmable packet-optical transport networks,” said Don Frey, principal analyst, Ovum.