FUNET and SUNET transport 400Gbit/s over record 10,000km distance with ADVA FSP 3000 TeraFlex™

News summary:

• World-first trial used live FUNET and SUNET R&E infrastructure with multi-degree ROADMS and RAMAN amplifiers
• ADVA’s FSP 3000 TeraFlex™ with CoreChannel™ sled sets another industry milestone
• Field trial opens the door to high-capacity ultra-long-haul data transmission over cross-continental links

ADVA (FSE: ADV) today announced that CSC – IT Center for Science, which operates the Finnish University and Research Network (FUNET) and the Swedish University Computer Network (SUNET), have conducted a world-first trial carrying data at 400Gbit/s over more than 10,000km. Using both FUNET and SUNET, the demo harnessed the ADVA FSP 3000 TeraFlex™ CoreChannel™ to transmit services at unprecedented line speeds for a live ultra-long-haul network. The trial shows how data-intensive applications can be connected over inter-continental distances using existing links. This offers significant benefits to FUNET and SUNET customers in the R&E community who will be able to leverage high-throughput technologies and collaborate by sharing huge data sets over longer distances than ever before.

“Our multi-domain field trial with the ADVA FSP 3000 TeraFlex™ CoreChannel™ terminal evaluated flexibility and the terminal’s capabilities to adapt to use cases where ultra-long-haul 400GbE services are needed. The results that were achieved – trans-oceanic reach over terrestrial systems – were far beyond our expectations and typical real-life service requirements,” said Jani Myyry, senior network specialist at FUNET. “Nordic research and education networks are shifting towards a federated next-generation model where optical spectrum resources are shared within the region. We have already built multiple programmable cross-border interconnection links between the FUNET and SUNET ADVA open line systems to exchange spectrum transparently. The trial utilized these interconnection links and the FUNET and SUNET network footprint to create the extremely transparent optical routes used during the tests.”

The industry-first long-distance demo was conducted over a live flexgrid network, including both ROADMs and RAMAN amplifiers. Covering FUNET in Finland and Sweden’s SUNET network, the trial crossed international borders and achieved a reach of more than 10,000km. The trial solution used two 200Gbit/s streams to achieve 400Gbit/s data transport in a 200GHz window while delivering the highest levels of performance. It was built on ADVA FSP 3000 optical transport technology, which provides a truly open line system fully ready for open spectrum services. Other recent field trials conducted by FUNET using ADVA FSP 3000 TeraFlex™ technology include an industry-first demo of 800Gbit/s over a 2280km network and a successful trial of two 200Gbit/s streams in the 150GHz band able to transmit 400GbE services over more than 7,000km.

“FUNET’s latest demo using our ultra-flexible TeraFlex™ terminal demonstrates a way to release untapped potential even in deployed transport infrastructure stretching across huge distances and crossing optical domains. It shows how our technology can enable networks like FUNET and SUNET to deliver enhanced inter-continental connectivity and provide rapid access to the high-performance supercomputing resources to researchers across the world,” commented Cornelius Fürst, director of product line management at ADVA. “Our FSP 3000 TeraFlex™ CoreChannel™ solution continues to break records while at the same time addressing the growing demand for data transport at the lowest possible cost per bit per kilometer.”

“SUNET operates a highly available, redundant and secure network as well as other related e-infrastructure services that ensures connectivity for our users both nationally and internationally. Being able to provide high-capacity connectivity to our scientists, researchers and educators over an extremely long-distance infrastructure without regeneration is a great advantage,” said Dennis Wallberg, network architect at SUNET. “We’re happy to be a part of this trial to show that optical networks that are designed and engineered with performance and high OSNR in mind can deliver ultra-long-haul 400Gbit/s transport with ease.”