Who Makes What: Infrastructure EquipmentWho Makes What: Infrastructure Equipment
Help update Light Reading's telecom equipment taxonomy * Connectivity devices * Where's your company? * Where's your product?
September 30, 2004

The time has come for an update of Light Reading's taxonomy of telecom equipment, an effort to categorize products and identify suppliers that has become something of an industry reference point.
This is the fourth taxonomy of basic telecom equipment that Light Reading has published, and it's by far the simplest.
This is partly because we've divided the market in two. This "Who Makes What" report only covers basic infrastructure elements -- the devices that provide the IP connectivity in converged carrier networks, over which services are provided. We plan to publish a companion "Who Makes What" report, covering service-enabling hardware and software, in the next few weeks.
The other reason why this taxonomy has gotten a lot simpler is that technologies have matured. It's no longer necessary to differentiate between different types of multiservice access devices, for instance. They can be lumped together.
The bottom line? There's just nine product categories in this report, compared to 24 in last year's taxonomy (see Who Makes What: Equipment 2003).
In fact, it's instructive to look at how far the industry has evolved since our original taxonomies, when all sorts of strange new product categories, such as optical packet nodes, were making the rounds (see Optical Taxonomy and A New Optical Taxonomy).
Last year's "Who Makes What" report invited readers to suggest improvements to the taxonomy -- in terms of suggesting other product categories, suggesting improvements to category definitions, pointing out supplier names that have been missed, or conversely should be deleted.
The 2003 report also became the foundation for a market perception survey conducted by Heavy Reading, Light Reading's market research division (see Heavy Reading's 2003 Telecom Equipment Market Perception Study).
All of this applies to this report as well. In other words, if your company is a supplier in this market, please take the time to check that you're comfortable with the way we're defining the market and make sure you're listed in all of the appropriate places.
If you want to propose changes, use the message board linked to the article or email us at [email protected] and include "Who Makes What" and your company name in the subject field.
Here's a hyperlinked list of the current product categories:
12: Edge Routers
15: Core Routers
16: Traffic Managers
17: Content Switches
This category includes all types of "fiber-to-the-X" equipment, X being curb, home, the Pope, or whatever (see Interoute Buys Fiber-to-the-Pope). It also includes passive optical network (PON) equipment and free space optics gear, which carries data through transmitters and receivers in devices that are typically mounted on rooftops. There's some overlap with the gear listed as Ethernet access equipment.
Adtran Inc.
Advanced Fibre Communications
AFL Telecommunications
Alcatel SA
Allied Telesyn Inc.
Alloptic Inc.
Cisco Systems Inc.
ECI Telecom Ltd.
Entrisphere
FiberHome Telecommunication Technologies Co. Ltd.
FlexLight Networks
Fujitsu
Harmonic Inc.
Hitachi Ltd.
Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.
Iamba Networks Inc.
IMC Networks
LG Electronics Inc.
Lucent Technologies Inc.
Motorola Inc.
MRV Communications Inc.
NEC Corp.
OnePath Networks
Optical Solutions Inc.
Paceon (a division of Mitsubishi Electric & Electronics USA Inc.)
Pandatel AG
RAD Data Communications Ltd.
Salira Optical Network Systems Inc.
Samsung Corp.
Siemens Communications
Sumitomo Corp.
Telindus Group NV
Terawave Communications
Zhone Technologies Inc.
Wave7 Optics Inc.
World Wide Packets Inc.
Zhone Technologies Inc.
ZTE Corp.
For further education, visit the archives of related Light Reading Webinars:
Access Technologies: Fiber to the Future
Fiber to the Premises: Closing the Capacity Loop
These are pairs of devices, often mounted on roof tops, that provide high speed communication links over relatively short distances, using low-poweered infrared lasers.
AirFiber Inc.
Alcatel SA
Aoptix Technologies
Cablefree Solutions Ltd.
Canon Inc.
Celerica Inc.
Communication by light GmbH (CBL)
Corning Cable Systems
Dominion Lasercom Inc.
fSona Communications Corp.
Furtera Inc.
Holoplex Technologies Inc.
Infrared Technologies America
iRLan Ltd.
LaserBit Communications Corp.
LightPointe Communications Inc.
LSA Photonics
Maxima Corp.
Mostcom Ltd.
MRV Communications Inc.
Omnilux Inc.
OrAccess Ltd.
PAV Data Systems Ltd.
Plaintree Systems Inc.
Quantum Beam Ltd.
Sceptre Communications Ltd.
Silcom Manufacturing Technology Inc.
Sunflower Technologies Ltd.
For further education, visit the archives of related Light Reading Webinars:
Access Technologies: Free Space Optics
Free-Space Optics: Access for the Future
Metro DWDM equipment boosts the capacity of storage, access, and metro networks by carrying multiple wavelengths per fiber. Metro DWDM systems now have physical reaches of hundreds of kilometers for multiple 2.5-Gbit/s wavelengths and generally around 60 km for multiple 10-Gbit/s wavelengths, though these distances are constantly being pushed out.
ADVA Optical Networking
Alcatel SA
Arris Group Inc.
BTI Photonics Inc.
Ciena Corp.
Cisco Systems Inc.
ECI Telecom Ltd.
Fujitsu
Hitachi Ltd.
Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.
LastMile AG
Lucent Technologies Inc.
Lumentis AB
Luminous Networks
Marconi Corp. plc
Meriton Networks Inc.
Movaz Networks Inc.
MRV Communications Inc.
NEC Corp.
Nortel Networks Corp.
OpVista Inc.
PacketLight Networks
Pandatel AG
Photonic Bridges Inc.
Sycamore Networks Inc.
Tellabs Inc.
Transmode Systems AB
Tropic Networks Inc.
White Rock Networks
ZTE Corp.
For further education, visit the archives of related Light Reading Webinars:
Economics of Metro WDM
Light Reading’s 2002 Metro DWDM Carrier Survey
Metro DWDM 2002: The State of the Art
Metro DWDM Economics
Coarse WDM systems offer a lower-cost alternative to metro DWDM systems, supporting fewer wavelengths (generally up to eight) with a more limited physical reach.
ADVA AG Optical Networking
Advanced Fibre Communications Inc. (AFC)
Alcatel SA
Allied Telesyn Inc.
BTI Photonics Inc.
Ciena Corp.
Cisco Systems Inc.
ECI Telecom Ltd.
Entrada Networks
FiberHome Telecommunication Technologies Co. Ltd.
Fujitsu
LastMile AG
Lumentis AB
Meriton Networks Inc.
Microsens GmbH & Co. KG
Movaz Networks Inc.
MRV Communications Inc.
Net Insight AB (via its acquisition of Q2 Networks)
Nortel Networks Corp.
Pandatel AG
Photonic Bridges Inc.
PhotoniXnet Corp.
RAD Data Communications Ltd.
RBN Inc.
Transmode Systems AB
White Rock Networks
ZTE Corp.
For further education, visit the archives of related Light Reading Webinars:
CWDM: Optical Capacity, Without the Cost
CWDM: Technology & Business Case
ROADM is one of the hot technologies of the moment. These systems allow network operators to remotely change which wavelengths are taken in and out of a particular optical switching node, instead of having to manually reconfigure a network. This saves money and speeds up service provisioning, and explains why the vast majority of carriers polled by Infonetics Research Inc. recently said they intended to deploy ROADM technology at some point in the future. (See Who Makes What: ROADMs).
Alcatel SA
Ciena Corp.
Cisco Systems Inc.
Fujitsu Network Communications Inc. (FNC)
Mahi Networks Inc.
Marconi Corp. plc
Meriton Networks Inc.
Movaz Networks Inc.
Nortel Networks Ltd.
OpVista Inc.
Siemens AG
Tropic Networks Inc.
For further education, visit the archives of related Light Reading Webinars:
Highly Available Enterprise Networks: AT&T Ultravailable Services & Cisco Optical Solutions
Optical Gateways: The Portal to Profitability
Optical Signaling Systems Update
Reconfigurable Optical Networks: Optical Performance Monitors
The Role of ROADMs in Optical Networks
These are descendants of crossconnects and add/drop multiplexers. They sit at the junction points and at the edge of optical backbones and enable carriers to create end-to-end connections from a central console.
There are three main types:
Wavelength switches that string together connections comprising whole wavelengths. These come in two flavors: those with electrical switching fabric where the data rate handled by each wavelength is fixed; and those with optical switching fabric, which can handle any data rate.
Grooming switches that take incoming wavelength signals that carry Sonet/SDH payloads and switch the payloads at STS-1 (51.84 Mbit/s) granularity in North America or VC-4 (139.264 Mbit/s) granularity elsewhere, through a non-blocking electrical switch fabric. Switch capacities typically range from 120 Gbit/s to 640 Gbit/s and are scaleable to multiple terabits per second (see Tutorial on Grooming Switches).
Data-aware optical switches that boast native data interfaces such as Gigabit Ethernet and perform some kind of Layer 2 aggregation and/or switching.
Alcatel SA
Calient Networks Inc.
Ciena Corp.
Cisco Systems Inc.
Corvis Corp.
ECI Telecom Ltd.
Glimmerglass Networks Inc.
Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.
Infinera Inc.
Lucent Technologies Inc.
Mahi Networks Inc.
Marconi Corp. plc
Meriton Networks Inc.
Movaz Networks Inc.
MRV Communications Inc.
Nortel Networks Corp.
Polaris Networks
Polatis Ltd.
Siemens AG
Sycamore Networks Inc.
Tellabs Inc.
Wavium AB
Zhone Technologies Inc. via its acquisition of Tellium Inc.
ZTE Corp.
For further education, visit the archives of related Light Reading Webinars:
Grooming Switches: Technology & Market Prospects
Optical Gateways: The Portal to Profitability
This equipment boosts the capacity of long-haul networks by carrying multiple wavelengths per fiber. In some cases, long-haul DWDM gear is packaged with optical switches and network management systems, to offer complete optical transport networks.Terrestrial SystemsAlcatel SA
Celion Networks Inc.
Ciena Corp.
Cisco Systems Inc.
Corvis Corp.
ECI Telecom Ltd.
Fujitsu
Hitachi Ltd.
Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.
Infinera Inc.
Lucent Technologies Inc.
Marconi Corp. plc
NEC Corp.
Nortel Networks Corp.
Siemens Information and Communication Networks Inc.
Tellabs Inc.
Xtera Communications Inc.
ZTE Corp.
Submarine Systems
Alcatel SA
Fujitsu
KDDI Submarine Cable Systems Inc.
NEC Submarine Systems
Siemens Information and Communication Networks Inc.
Tyco Telecommunications
For further education, visit the archives of related Light Reading Webinars:
Long Haul DWDM: Where Is Its Future?
Optical Gateways: The Portal to Profitability
Optical Signaling Systems Update
Reconfigurable Optical Networks: Optical Performance Monitoring
DSLAMs sit at the edge of carrier networks, where DSL access lines fan out to customer sites. The basic components are a stack of line cards plus an ATM switch, which helps set up and control the quality of virtual circuits running between customers and the upstream B-RAS (broadband remote access server).
Large DSLAMs sometimes aggregate traffic from smaller DSLAMs. And remote DSLAMs -- usually line-powered and hermetically sealed -- are now getting heavy promotion as they can help carriers reach customers that were previously way outside the copper loop. Notably, SBC and Verizon were among the many carriers in 2004 that asked vendors for remote DSLAM solutions (see SBC RFP Refreshes Remotes and Verizon Wrangles Remote DSLAMs).
Some vendors promote the use of Ethernet rather than ATM in DSLAMs. Some vendors are combining DSLAMs and digital loop carriers and adding routing and other functions to them, notably Third Generation Digital Loop Carriers (3GDLCs). Also, as you'll note below, this development encouraged Light Reading to stop tracking DLCs and DSLAMs separately.
Third Generation DLCs allow carriers to offer a multiplicity of business and residential voice, data, and video services over copper or fiber access networks, all from a single box. So, depending on their configuration, they can function as DSLAMs, FTTH devices, ATM switches, Ethernet switches, routers, etc., in addition to serving traditional POTS lines.
The original digital loop carriers (DLCs) simply extended the reach of copper local loops fanning out of telephone switches to subscribers. "Next-Generation DLCs" came along in the late 1980s and began incorporating fiber uplinks. "Third-Generation DLCs" (Light Reading's term; see DLC Vendors in Next-Gen Name Game) are purpose-built for broadband and include a plethora of extra functions, most of which were listed in the preceding paragraph (And, yes, some of them even have cupholders [see Calix: First in Liquid Refreshment]).
Cable Modem Termination Systems (CMTS) are the equivalent of DSLAMs in the cable/MSO networks.
DSLAMs and DLCsAdtran Inc.
Advanced Fibre Communications Inc. (AFC)
Alcatel SA
Allied Telesyn Inc.
Anda Networks
Calix Networks
Catena Networks Inc.
Critical Telecom Corp.
ECI Telecom Ltd.
Entrisphere Inc.
Ericsson
Fujitsu Ltd.
Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.
Keymile AG
Lucent Technologies Inc.
Marconi
Motorola
NEC Corp.
Nokia Corp.
Occam Networks Inc.
Paradyne Networks Inc.
Pedestal Networks
RAD Data Communications Ltd.
Samsung
Sentito Networks
Siemens Information and Communication Networks
Sumitomo Corp.
Teledata Networks
Telindus Group NV
Telspec Ltd.
TelStrat
UTStarcom Inc.
Zhone Technologies Inc.
CMTS
Arris Group Inc.
BigBand Networks Inc.
Cisco Systems Inc.
Motorola
Terayon Communication Systems Inc.
For further education, visit the archives of related Light Reading Webinars:
Increasing ARPU With Mass-Market DSL Development
Third-Gen DLCs: The Secret to Class 5 Switch Replacement
Next-Gen DSLAMs
The Role of DSLAMs in Delivering Next-Gen Services
Upstream of the DSLAM: Beating Broadband Bottlenecks
Most of these devices are descendants of Sonet (Synchronous Optical NETwork) and SDH (Synchronous Digital Hierarchy) add/drop multiplexers (ADMs) that aim to enable carriers to deploy a wide range of services using a single box, placed either at the edge of the metro network or sometimes at customer sites or in the basement of multi-tenant buildings.
They combine the functions of a Next-Gen Sonet ADM with a variety of additional functions, such as time-division multiplexing, Internet Protocol (IP) routing, Ethernet, Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) switching, and Resilient Packet Ring Technology. Some of them also boast software that enables carriers to provision services remotely. Some equipment in this category incorporates Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM).
SonetAdtran Inc.
Alcatel SA
Ciena Corp.
Cisco Systems Inc.
Corrigent Systems Inc.
ECI Telecom Ltd.
Fujitsu
Lucent Technologies Inc.
Luminous Networks
Mahi Networks
Mangrove Systems Inc.
Net Insight AB
Nortel Networks Corp.
Pandatel AG
Photonic Bridges Inc.
RAD Data Communications Ltd.
Sycamore Networks Inc.
Telco Systems Inc.
Tejas Networks India Ltd.
Tellabs Inc.
Transmode Systems AB
Turin Networks Inc.
White Rock Networks
SDH
Adtran Inc.
Alcatel SA
Axxessit ASA
Cisco Systems Inc.
Corrigent Systems Inc.
ECI Telecom Ltd.
LM Ericsson (Marconi reseller)
FiberHome Telecommunication Technologies Co. Ltd.
Fujitsu Network Communications Inc. (FNC)
Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.
Lucent Technologies Inc.
Luminous Networks
Mahi Networks
Mangrove Systems Inc.
Marconi Corp. plc
NEC Corp.
Net Insight AB
Nortel Networks Corp.
Photonic Bridges Inc.
Siemens Information and Communications Networks Inc.
Sycamore Networks Inc.
Tejas Networks Pvt. Ltd.
Telco Systems Inc.
Tellabs Inc.
Transmode Systems AB
Turin Networks Inc.
White Rock Networks
For further education, visit the archives of related Light Reading Webinars:
GFP Systems: Enabling the Multiservice Edge
Integrating WDM, Sonet, and SDH in Metro Networks
Metro Next-Gen Sonet Equipment
Next-Gen Sonet: Beyond MSPPs
Multiservice Edge Platforms: Empowering 21st Century Services – US Event
Metro RPR Equipment
RPR: Ready for Prime Time
RPR: Ringing the Bells
This category of equipment is used for running Ethernet over copper access lines (using various DSL standards) as well as fiber (including passive optical networks). The uplink for the Ethernet access gear is typically 1-Gbit/s Ethernet or Sonet/SDH. Downstream, large numbers of access lines operating at lower speeds (10 or 100 Mbit/s) fan out to individual customers.
Some DSLAMs can be equipped to run Ethernet rather than ATM over DSL lines, and thus also fit in this category.Actelis Networks Inc.
Adtran Inc.
ADVA Optical Networking
Allied Telesyn Inc.
Alloptic Inc.
Anda Networks
Axerra Networks Inc.
BATM Advanced Communications Ltd.
Calix Networks
Ceterus Networks
Ciena Corp.
Cisco Systems Inc.
Covaro Networks Inc.
Enterasys Networks Inc.
LM Ericsson
Extreme Networks Inc.
Fujitsu
Hatteras Networks
IMC Networks
Lucent Technologies Inc.
Luminous Networks
Metrobility Optical Systems
MRV Communications Inc.
Native Networks Ltd.
Nortel Networks Corp.
Overture Networks Inc.
PacketLight Networks
Pandatel AG
RAD Data Communications Ltd.
Salira Optical Network Systems Inc.
SMC Networks Inc.
Telspec Ltd.
Verilink Corp.
World Wide Packets Inc.
For further education, visit the archives of related Light Reading Webinars:
GFP Systems: Enabling the Multiservice Edge
Multiservice Edge Platforms: Empowering 21st Century Services – US Event
Metro RPR Equipment
RPR: Ready for Prime Time
RPR: Ringing the Bells
The market for 10-Gbit/s Ethernet technology may have gotten off to a slow start, but prices have plummeted in the past year to as low as $3,000 per port in some of the smaller models, compared with more than $50,000 two years ago, and supporters are becoming ever more bullish (see Stitt: Sonet's Even More Dead).Alcatel SA
Atrica Inc.
Cisco Systems Inc.
Enterasys Networks Inc.
Extreme Networks Inc.
Force10 Networks Inc.
Foundry Networks Inc.
NEC Corp.
Nortel Networks Corp.
Riverstone Networks Inc.
For further education, visit the archives of related Light Reading Webinars:
Metro Ethernet Equipment
Putting 10-Gigabit Ethernet to Work
Stress-Testing 10-Gig Ethernet
10-Gig Ethernet Switches
10-Gigabit Ethernet Switches: Price & Performance – Asia Event
10-Gigabit Ethernet Switches: Price & Performance – US Event
These are aggregation devices installed either at the perimeter of a service provider's network, or within the metro network at the perimeter of the core. Edge routers typically provide multiple services in addition to IP routing, such as ATM, IPSec, and/or some form of MPLS-based VPNs. A key application for edge routers is aggregating multiple customers' traffic for switched transport across the service provider's core network.Alcatel SA
Adtran Inc.
Allied Telesyn Inc.
Caspian Networks
Cisco Systems Inc.
CoSine Communications Inc.
Enterasys Networks Inc.
Extreme Networks Inc.
Foundry Networks Inc.
Fujitsu
Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.
Juniper Networks Inc.
Laurel Networks Inc.
MRV Communications Inc.
Nortel Networks Corp.
Quick Eagle Networks Inc.
RAD Data Communications Ltd.
Redback Networks Inc.
Riverstone Networks Inc.
Seranoa Networks Inc.
Tasman Networks Inc
Telindus Group NV
For further education, visit the archives of related Light Reading Webinars:
Scaleability & Reliability of Routing Protocols and OS in Public Networks
Edge Routing: Evolution and Economics
IP: Routers – the State of the Art
Metro Edge Router Test Results
Metro Edge Router Test: A Second Look
Carrier VPNs: Secure and Flexible Solutions That Can Scale
The Challenges and Rewards of Building Profitable MPLS VPN Services
Enterprise Convergence: The Cost of Change
Interworking: Making the transition to MPLS
IP: MPLS – 21st Century Traffic Engineering
IPSec VPN Stress Test Results
IP: VPNs – Making IP Safe for Services
MPLS-Based Ethernet Equipment for Service Provider Networks
MPLS: Five Key Convergence Questions
Multiservice Edge Platforms: Empowering 21st Century Services – US Event
Next-Generation Network Residential & Business Services
Next Generation Services: Management Matters
Security & VPNs
The Service Edge
SSL-Based VPNs: Access Unlimited
SSL Virtual Private Networks
VPLS: Virtual Technology, Real Money
VPN Interworking: The Next Level
Most multiservice switches are ATM switches with an extra IP/ Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) control plane. The combination allows them to be used by carriers to boost the capacity of old ATM infrastructures and, at the same time, pave the way for the introduction of next-generation IP services such as virtual private networks (VPNs). There are two classes of multiservice switch:Core ones used to form backbones, which typically have an aggregate capacity exceeding 100 Gbit/s;
Edge ones that usually sit in access networks where the number of virtual circuits they can handle is just as important as their overall capacity.
Advanced Fibre Communications Inc. (AFC)
Alcatel SA
Ciena Corp. (via its acquisition of WaveSmith Networks)
Cisco Systems Inc.
Fujitsu
Hammerhead Systems Inc.
Hitachi Ltd.
Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.
Juniper Networks Inc.
Lucent Technologies Inc.
Marconi Corp. plc
MRV Communications Inc.
NEC Corp.
Net Insight AB
Network Equipment Technologies Inc. (net.com)
Nortel Networks Corp.
Tellabs Inc. (via its acquisition of Vivace Networks)
For further education, visit the archives of related Light Reading Webinars:
Carrier VPNs: Secure and Flexible Solutions That Can Scale
The Challenges and Rewards of Building Profitable MPLS VPN Services
Converged Backbones: Technology Update
Enterprise Convergence: The Cost of Change
Interworking: Making the transition to MPLS
IP: MPLS – 21st Century Traffic Engineering
IPSec VPN Stress Test Results
IP: VPNs – Making IP Safe for Services
MPLS-Based Ethernet Equipment for Service Provider Networks
MPLS: Five Key Convergence Questions
Multiservice Edge Platforms: Empowering 21st Century Services – US Event
Multiservice Switches: Approaches to Network Design
Multiservice Switches: Future-Proofing the Public Network
Next-Generation Network Residential & Business Services
Next Generation Services: Management Matters
Security & VPNs
The Service Edge
SSL-Based VPNs: Access Unlimited
SSL Virtual Private Networks
VPLS: Virtual Technology, Real Money
VPN Interworking: The Next Level
These are multiservice platforms installed at the edge of the network, upstream of the DSLAM, to terminate PPP sessions from the customer premises, maintain quality of service (QOS), enforce class of service (COS), provision services, and provide a central collection point for data that can be used to bill customers for their network and service usage. B-RAS equipment often started life as something else -- an edge router, IP service switch, subscriber management system, or even a plain old ATM switch.Advanced Fibre Communications Inc. (AFC)
Alcatel SA
Cisco Systems Inc.
Copper Mountain Networks Inc.
CoSine Communications Inc.
Fujitsu
Juniper Networks Inc.
Laurel Networks Inc.
Network Equipment Technologies Inc. (net.com)
Nortel Networks Corp.
RAD Data Communications Ltd.
Redback Networks Inc.
For further education, visit the archives of related Light Reading Webinars:
B-RAS Developments
Next-Gen B-RAS: The Money Makers
Working Text 81: The B-RAS Blueprint
Designed to connect backbone circuits of large IP networks, core routers are noted for extremely high capacity both in the control plane (for example, by maintaining large routing tables) and in the data plane (with high port densities and high forwarding rates across all interfaces adding up to capacity that is measured in hundreds of gigabits or even terabits per second).Alcatel SA