GANT Network Infrastructure and Services Evolution Guy Roberts

GÉANT Network, Infrastructure and Services Evolution Guy Roberts Transport Network Architect, GÉANT TNC 16 13 th June 2016 Networks ∙ Services ∙ People www. geant. org

Agenda • Why the need for change? • Network Architecture • SDN in Backbone Networks ∙ Services ∙ People www. geant. org 2

The need for change. • • Exponential Bandwidth Increase Highly unpredictable traffic No application awareness in the network hence no application-based path selection Integration with other e-Infrastrcture Improve network visibility and reduce operational costs Programmability, offer ability to use API to link applications to the network Support for virtual networks Cost Reduction Networks ∙ Services ∙ People www. geant. org 3

Bandwidth Increase • LHCONE Traffic increase over last 12 months Networks ∙ Services ∙ People www. geant. org 4

Core Network Architecture • Current GÉANT Core network is utilizing fully functional routers • • • For IP services, peering, packet forwarding, MPLS services, etc Deployed in sparse mesh (minimal router off-load) Backbone trunks follow fibre path Many packets transit through intermediate router hops Each transit packet consumes portion of the optical interface and forwarding capabilities • Does this add any value? • Transit through a backbone router incurs unnecessary costs • Increases latency • Increases utilisation of interfaces at IP layer Networks ∙ Services ∙ People www. geant. org 5

Evaluation of Network Architectures • IPo. WDM (Thin Core) • Router manages optical link • Moves the cost of transponder/optics from optical layer equipment to the router • Still a sparse mesh topology – unnecessary transit packets • Hollow Core • Mesh routers through OTN core • GÉANT uses single routers in a Po. P which performs functionality of both core and edge router • In a 100 G backbone full mesh would result in both increased complexity and costs Networks ∙ Services ∙ People www. geant. org 6

Evaluation of Network Architectures • IP over OTN • • • Interconnect router with appropriate capacity trunk link Increase meshing between core routers Trunk links can be multiplexed by OTN layer into 500 G super channel Transit traffic is kept at OTN layer instead of transiting through multiple routers Maximizes slot capacity at both IP and Optical layer Enables GÉANT to scale and converge the two networks • Testing of Infinera PXM (OTN) Cards completed • Will be rolled out in Eastern part of the network Networks ∙ Services ∙ People www. geant. org 7

Current and Proposed Architecture • Current Architecture • • Follows the physical fibre Significant amount of transit traffic Requires two 100 G interfaces per trunk Over provisioned • Proposed Architecture • • IP Trunks based on traffic requirements between the two Po. Ps Significantly reduces the amount of transit traffic through routers Multiple trunk links can be setup on a single 100 GE interface Reduces the amount of 100 GE interfaces required on both IP and DWDM layer Networks ∙ Services ∙ People www. geant. org 8

Why SDN in Backbone? • Fully functional core routers require significant CAPEX and OPEX • Incur significant operational, support and maintenance cost • Router or Po. P centric view instead of a network centric view • Solving problem of traffic growth with overprovisioning • Ensure network reliability and delivery of traffic despite failure • No traffic differentiation • Use protocol metrics to route based on shortest path (no consideration of link utilisation) Networks ∙ Services ∙ People www. geant. org 9

Control Plane and Data Plane • In GÉANT network the control plane and data plane separation somewhat already exists • Jun. OS Space to Control and Manage Juniper equipment • Infinera NMS to Control and Manage Infinera equipment • Hundreds of features in these management systems • Most of them not used by GÉANT • Some features that GÉANT need don’t exists • GÉANT can’t develop any new features for those management system • Expensive and takes long time • Vendor specific controller/management system • If GÉANT equipment is changed the management system will also have to be changed Networks ∙ Services ∙ People www. geant. org 10

SDN in Backbone • What we need? • A high performance network which can handle exponential growth in traffic and large flows. • Reduce the cost of the network while making it more efficient and fault tolerant without too much over provisioning • Separation of hardware and software • Buy hardware based on the feature we need • Choose software based on the services and protocol we need to support Networks ∙ Services ∙ People www. geant. org 11

SDN in Backbone How are we planning on getting there? • SA 1 and JRA 2 have been working together on several use cases to transform the backbone: Bo. D BGP PCE • • Programmable Substrate App Vendor Agnostic Rapid Application Development Environment which support and encourages innovation App Network Operating System/Controller Forwarding Devices Networks ∙ Services ∙ People www. geant. org Forwarding Devices 12

Requirements for SDN Networks ∙ Services ∙ People www. geant. org 13

Multi-Table Pipeline • Most of the scalability requirements aren’t supported by white-box solution based on To. R switch and single table OF implantation • In a single table implementation for a 500 -port switch to support 100 k mac addresses 50 million entries will be required • While a two table model would require only 100, 500 entries • Map the pipeline on the fly doesn’t work Networks ∙ Services ∙ People www. geant. org 14

Vendor Collaboration • Working with CORSA to evaluate their switches as replacement for routers • Working with On. Lab to develop new applications like Bo. D and fixing SDN-IP • Working with Infinera to develop the REST plugin for ONOS Networks ∙ Services ∙ People www. geant. org 15

Why Infinera? • Infinera is the current transmission equipment provider for GÉANT backbone • Working closely with us to develop a solution for managing OTN (PXM) cards using an Open. Flow controller • Paves the way to multi-layer interaction • Use standard open APIs • Enables us to bring more intelligence to the core network • Reduce overprovisioning • Reduce number of transit packets going through intermediate routers • In future dynamically modify capacity on OTN layer to cater for peaky traffic on Layer 2 and 3 Networks ∙ Services ∙ People www. geant. org 16

Why Corsa and ON. Lab? CORSA • Support for 10/40/100 GE • Transceiver Agnostic • Enhanced Qo. S (Deep buffers) • OF 1. 3 compliant and support multi-table pipeline • Eager to work with us in developing the pipeline that support our use cases • Working very closely to help us develop and enhance our use cases • We have also helped by giving service provider requirements and help develop some features ON. Lab • Supported far more features/requirements compared to other controller framework • Showed eagerness to work with us • Networks ∙ Services ∙ People www. geant. org 17

Transport SDN Current network architecture GÉANT Router NREN GÉANT Router GÉANT WDM/OTN NREN GÉANT Router ODU 4/2 e links GÉANT Router Networks ∙ Services ∙ People www. geant. org

Transport SDN Revised architecture with PXM cards GÉANT Router Legacy ODU 4/2 e links to routers via TIM ports NREN 100 Gb. E Trunks follow traffic rather than fibre Networks ∙ Services ∙ People www. geant. org 100 Gb. E GÉANT Router IP trunks. ODUflex used to manage bandwidth between PXM cards. These are static (not OTS controlled) 100 Gb. E GÉANT Router GÉANT WDM/OTN PXM cards support termination of EVPL circuits on vlans GÉANT Router NREN

SDN Phase 2 B/W management with transport SDN • • SDN controller WAN-optimised switch operates as full layer 3 device and replaces the GÉANT router Layer 2 service supported on the same box GÉANT Router OTSv OTSc L 2 SDN switch • • 100 Gb. E 100 G b. E GÉANT Router WAN-optimised switches connected to the WDM/OTN cloud via a 100 GE port on a PXM card Both IP trunks and p 2 p L 2 circuits all are provisioned in the same way – ODU 4/2 e or ODUflex circuits terminating on PXM or TIM All circuits may be provisioned statically or dynamically via the OTSv Networks ∙ Services ∙ People www. geant. org Nx 10 Gb E 100 Gb. E NREN GÉANT Router N x 10 Gb. E • 100 Gb. E GÉANT WDM/OTN N x 10 Gb. E NREN N x 10 Gb. E 0 G 1 Nx L 2 SDN switch ODUflex and OTSv used to dynamically insatiate these links. GÉANT Router Trunks now controlled by OTS

Summary • summary Networks ∙ Services ∙ People www. geant. org 21

Mian. usman@geant. org Thank you and any questions Networks ∙ Services ∙ People www. geant. org Networks ∙ Services ∙ People © GEANT Limited on behalf of the GN 4 Phase 1 project. The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 691567 (GN 4 -1). www. geant. org 22