FREMONT, Calif. -- The Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF) announced today that its newly merged Architecture and Signaling Working Group has completed two implementation agreements (IAs) that address control plane protocols needed for end-to-end optical connections. The Intra-Carrier External Network-to-Network Interface (E-NNI) 1.0 Signaling IA enables end-to-end connection management by providing a uniform way for carriers to interconnect network domains.

"The UNI and E-NNI IAs exemplify the OIF's commitment and contribution to the optical telecommunication industry," said Vishnu Shukla, Technology Planning, Verizon. "These IAs will facilitate Carriers in end-to-end auto provisioning of cost effective bandwidth services."

The advent of the automatic switched transport network has made it necessary for carriers to employ interoperable procedures for requesting and establishing dynamic connection services across diverse networks.

"E-NNI is important to the telecommunications industry at large because it was derived directly from carrier requirements,” said Jim Jones, Alcatel, OIF Architecture/Signaling Working Group chair. “At a time when the industry needs direction and structure with rapidly changing technology, OIF’s E-NNI 1.0 helps carriers establish a way for multiple networks to interconnect.”

The second IA the OIF membership has approved is an update to the UNI 1.0 Signaling IA, addressing extensions to RSVP-TE signaling protocols. While not changing UNI 1.0 functionality, the new agreement reflects recent developments in other standards bodies and builds upon lessons learned from the OIF’s multi-vendor interoperability event conducted at the OFC 2003 show in Atlanta.

The UNI 1.0 Signaling Release 2 IA defines a set of services, signaling protocols and mechanisms used to transport signaling messages and the auto-discovery procedures that aid signaling. The agreement is aimed at assisting client and transport network equipment vendors in supporting UNI 1.0 and defines UNI signaling based on adapting GMPLS RSVP-TE specifications.

“The OIF welcomes the opportunity to update existing IAs based on the technical outcome of interoperability demos,” said Amy Wang, Avici Systems, Interoperability Working Group co-chair. “The successful integration of multi-vendor implementations plays a significant role in industry adoption.”

Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF)