Cyan Reaches for the Metro Core

Cyan Inc. is adding a packet and OTN switch fabric to its Z77 packet-optical transport system (P-OTS), stretching its capabilities to fit the metro core.

The XC-2800 switch fabric, announced Tuesday, goes into Cyan's flagship Z77 system. The fabric has capacity for 2.8 Tbit/s of traffic and can support 100Gbit/s OTN feeds, Cyan claims.

Why this matters
This is partly about core-router bypass, a design that allows the network to send Layer 2 label-switched paths (LSPs) across the core, rather than going up to Layer 3 and using a core-router port.

It's an architecture Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) has championed and is implementing, using the Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE: ALU) 7950 XRS router in the metro core. The XC-2800 marks Cyan's entry into the metro core as well, after previously targeting the Z77 at access and aggregation networks.

Juniper Networks Inc. (NYSE: JNPR) is targeting this market, with its PTX series Packet Transport Switch, while Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: CSCO) is addressing it with dense MPLS cards for the CRS-3 router.

Cyan, incidentally, is a Light Reading Leading Lights awards finalist for Company of the Year (Private), and AlcaLu's 7950 is a finalist for Best Telecom Product.

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