Text/Haifeng looks at technology
Since the State Information Center released the All-Light Smart City White Paper in December 2020 and first proposed the development concept of all-light smart city, a large number of all-light smart city development benchmarks have emerged in the mainland.
On the one hand, operators accumulate OTN optical nodes. For example, Beijing Mobile built 1,000 OTN optical nodes, Guangdong Mobile and Guangdong Unicom built more than 2,000 OTN optical nodes, and Yunnan Mobile deployed 450 OTN optical nodes in Kunming.
On the other hand, many provinces and municipalities have actively created differentiated development models. Among them, Shanghai has built an urban delay circle of 0.2 to 1 to 2 to 3 milliseconds, and Shandong Province has built an urban delay circle of 1 to 3 to 10 milliseconds.
In the past 2021, how are the advanced provinces in the mainland making progress in building all-light cities? What are the explorations and practices of the three major operators in terms of all-optical computing power networks? What technical challenges and breakthroughs have been encountered? In this regard, the author found the answer at the "All-Optical City Seminar" of the "2022 China Optical Communication High-quality Development Forum" held recently.
The seminar invited experts from the State Information Center, local management bureaus, the Academy of Information and Communications Technology, China Unicom, China Mobile, China Telecom and other relevant experts to talk about the development of all-light cities. After listening to it, the author has gained a lot and summarized the following dry goods for everyone.
Government benchmark: Shenzhen "double gigabit", Shandong gigabit optical network
Two guests from Shenzhen And Shandong Province talked about the advanced experience of building an all-light smart city. Shenzhen's "double gigabit" network construction has entered the fast lane because of its accurate "double gigabit" strategic positioning, policy measures and industrial base and development advantages.
Huang Zhengyu, deputy director of the Radio Management Department of the Shenzhen Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, pointed out that Shenzhen is making every effort to build an all-optical network benchmark city, on the one hand, the coverage rate of gigabit optical fiber network in urban households has reached 106.3%, the proportion of users with 500Mbps and above has reached 29.2%, and the number of gigabit broadband users is 463,400. On the other hand, 5G independent networking has taken the lead in comprehensive coverage, taking the lead in achieving full coverage of rural 5G networks in the country, and completing the layout planning task of 5G base stations in Guangdong Province ahead of schedule.
In terms of innovative applications, Shenzhen has created a large number of benchmarking applications in the fields of smart manufacturing, smart ports, smart energy, smart medical care, smart transportation, and smart government, and realized the butterfly change from "1" to "N".
It is worth mentioning that during the survey, Minister Xiao Yaqing fully affirmed Shenzhen's "leading 5G network, leading 5G market, and leading 5G application", and highly affirmed Shenzhen's efforts to promote the digital transformation of the manufacturing industry, promote the comprehensive and coordinated development of 5G, and deeply promote the practice of 5G empowering thousands of industries.
According to Huang Zhengyu, it is expected that by 2025, Shenzhen will achieve full coverage of urban household gigabit optical networks, 3.7 million gigabit optical network users, FTTR users accounting for 8%, 5G users accounting for 80%, and other specific indicators, and build a new information infrastructure benchmark city with a global leading network construction scale and service level.
Shandong Province
Shandong Province has also achieved fruitful results in the construction of various major communication networks. Meng Qiang, deputy director of the Shandong Provincial Communications Administration, summarized the following five points. First, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology released the first batch of 29 "Gigabit Cities" in the country, Jinan, Qingdao, Rizhao listed; second, Jinan, Qingdao national-level Internet backbone direct connection points were approved at the same time, after completion Shandong will become the first "dual hub" province with two state-level direct connection points; third, the province's Gigabit users reached 2.414 million households, ranking second in the country; fourth, 344,000 ports with 10G PON and above were built, and the coverage rate of household Gigabit fiber optic network reached 58.3%; fifth, The total number of 5G base stations reached 101,000, and the number of 5G end users reached 32.206 million.
At the same time, Meng Qiang also stressed that a large number of benchmarking applications of gigabit optical networks have emerged in Shandong Province. First, qingdao all-optical technology community, based on FTTR technology, has created a gigabit dead-end coverage of the whole house, while meeting the high-quality experience of home ultra-high-definition video, online education, cloud office, VR and other applications. Second, the smart optical network project of Jinan Supercomputing Center has strongly supported the application services of marine meteorology, industrial manufacturing, scientific and technological research in the province through the synergy of all-optical network and computing power.
China Unicom: Aiming at the three major points, Shandong Unicom created six major practices
The construction of an all-optical city is inseparable from the all-optical computing power network, and as the vanguard of network deployment, what work deployment and exploration practices do operators have?
China Unicom actively builds a low-latency, high-bandwidth, high-reliability and high-security all-optical transmission base for computing network integration services to promote the development of all-optical computing power networks, Tang Xiongyan, vice president and chief scientist of China Unicom Research Institute, pointed out that China Unicom focuses on the following three aspects.
The first is to build a low-latency backbone optical cable network around the computing power center and the service flow center. On the basis of the existing "eight vertical and eight horizontal" optical cable network, accelerate the construction of optical fiber cables in Beijing-Shanghai, Shanghai-Sui, Beijing-Han-Guangzhou, Guiguang and other sections, continue to optimize the low-latency direct optical cables between the eight major hub nodes, and focus on the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Yangtze River Delta, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao, Chengdu-Chongqing, Luyu-Shaanxi and other computing power cluster areas to achieve optimal access to optical cables.
The second is to build a backbone transmission network with large bandwidth, low latency and high security. China Unicom will achieve full coverage of 24 Unicom's own data centers ROADM network, deploy super 100G systems and OXCs in key sections, create a super-large bandwidth all-optical transmission base, carry out ultra-long-distance open optical network experiments, realize a direct jump between clouds, and enhance the ability of optical layer to be independently controllable.
The third is to focus on creating low-latency circles in the four major urban agglomerations. Ensure that the transmission delay in beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Yangtze River Delta, Greater Bay Area, Chengdu-Chongqing and other regions is less than 10ms, and strive for 2 to 3ms between core cities.
For the service goals and realization methods of all-optical computing network, Tang Xiongyan gave the following explanation. "All-optical computing power network" aims to realize the integrated service of computing network, improve the basic bearing capacity and service provision capacity of optical network, promote the intelligent opening of all-optical base and cloud-optical integration services, and provide high-quality and low-latency transportation capacity guarantee for the efficient connection and scheduling of ubiquitous computing power resources.
Tang Xiongyan pointed out that the above goals are achieved through three aspects. First, improve the basic bearing capacity of the all-light base to provide a strong capacity guarantee for computing capacity scheduling. With the goal of ultra-high speed, ultra-large capacity, ultra-long distance, ultra-wide flexibility and super intelligence, it ensures the efficient connection and scheduling of computing power resources.
The second aspect is to achieve high-speed ubiquitous optical access and promote the development of high-quality optical service networks. Construct a comprehensive business area and all-optical anchor point with stable architecture and full coverage, and provide high-speed ubiquitous optical access with a variety of technical systems to achieve flexible and convenient all-optical cloud access.
In the third aspect, we will promote the open decoupling and intelligent enhancement of optical networks, and evolve towards self-wisdom optical networks. Take SDN as the starting point to promote the opening and decoupling of optical networks, and continuously improve the level of optical network automation and intelligence through technological innovations such as network AI, digital twins, and intent drive.
Under the guidance of the general policy and strategy of China Unicom Group, Shandong Unicom has formulated a "three-step" strategy and created a "six major" innovation and practice in order to comprehensively move towards the all-optical computing network.
Li Zhuangzhi, deputy general manager of Shandong Unicom's network department, introduced that in 2019, Shandong Unicom innovatively launched the "SD-FAST" smart optical network, which provides high-quality government-enterprise special line connection solutions for various industries such as party, government, military, finance, medical care, and manufacturing through packet-enhanced OTON technology, self-developed cloud network synergist and intelligent control engine NCE.
From 2020 to 2021, Shandong Unicom took the lead in opening the exploration and construction from the smart optical network to the smart optical cloud, and proposed the construction plan of the intelligent "Guangyun Sixteen Cities"; and through the integration of the powerful all-optical network with xinchuang cloud, government affairs cloud, medical cloud, financial cloud, etc., it provides the service capability of optical cloud integration step by step.
In 2022, Shandong Unicom began to move towards an all-optical computing network, consolidating the base of a smart optical cloud city, building a data high-speed rail between enterprises and computing power, and exploring new scenarios of F5G+X to serve thousands of industries.
From the road of smart optical network to intelligent optical cloud to all-optical computing network, Li Zhuangzhi shared the "six major" innovations and practices carried out by Shandong Unicom. First, the all-optical computing power network has a "spindle-type" architecture of cloud + tube + end integration to create a network that is, to enter the cloud/ into the computing; second, the edge-end connection, providing diversified access methods and differentiated pipelines; third, the all-optical base, to create a Jiqing MS-level delay circle, to build a visual capacity map; fourth, the computing network collaboration, to create automated integrated services, to maximize the energy efficiency of the computing network; fifth, the all-optical network + supercomputing center, super transportation capacity, fully release the ultimate computing power; sixth, innovative construction of the Yellow River, ocean private network, Accelerate the transformation and upgrading of enterprises and help the high-quality development of the regional economy.
China Mobile: Guangdong Mobile builds the world's largest all-optical network
How to build a new generation of efficient, low-carbon and intelligent "green all-optical network" is a problem that Guangdong Mobile has been thinking about. Shen Wenkai, deputy general manager of Guangdong Mobile's planning and construction department, said that in 2016, Guangdong Mobile and the industry jointly proposed three innovative areas of all-optical networks, namely all-light bases, all-optical brains and all-optical businesses, taking the lead in completing the construction of all-optical networks, supporting the high-quality needs of individuals, families and industry digitalization.
In 2018, Guangdong Mobile introduced all-optical cross-OCC technology to build an all-optical base, which has the characteristics of minimalist architecture, ultra-high capacity and economic and energy saving.
In terms of minimalist architecture: OCC all-optical switching is used to achieve a one-hop direct connection and a 40% reduction in latency. OXC's 32-dimensional all-optical scheduling capability realizes three-dimensional core nodes and MESH networking.
In terms of ultra-high capacity: the speed of a single channel is increased from 100G to 200G, the system is upgraded from the traditional 80 waves to 120 waves, and the total network capacity is increased by 3 times.
In terms of economic and energy saving: the use of OCC technology saves 70% of the room space, reduces the power consumption by 40%, and saves 30% of the investment.
Not only that, Guangdong Mobile has also carried out a series of all-optical network innovation practices. By 2021, Guangdong Mobile has built the world's largest all-optical network, and has practiced all-optical service applications such as government-enterprise OTON Jingzhi Private Network, OTV Ultra HD Video Transmission, Gigabit VR Golden Pipeline and OVPN All-Optical Slice.
Supporting the thriving development of all-optical computing networks are specific technologies, which serve the business while also being tested by the business and spawn technology iterations. Focusing on optimizing the network architecture, improving network bandwidth, and achieving flexible and open networking, China Mobile proposes the concept of a new generation of OCC-based photoelectric linkage all-optical network.
Zhang Dechao, deputy director of the Institute of Basic Network Technology of China Mobile Research Institute, introduced that the concept tackles key technologies and challenges from three dimensions: new architecture, super capacity and flexible access.
Dimension 1, new architecture: photoelectric linkage all-optical network based on OCC. The photoelectric linkage all-optical network based on OXC has three major technical characteristics: the ability to form a large network, the photoelectric linkage and intelligent control. Among them, the network capacity requires long-distance and large-capacity 400G/800G transmission technology, as well as integrated optical cross OCC technology with flexible scheduling ability; in order to achieve photoelectric linkage, OAM mechanism is formulated in the optical layer to pull through photoelectric control, multi-particle scheduling in the electric layer and wavelength-level scheduling coordination in the electrolayer; in terms of intelligent control, based on soTN centralized control system, to achieve photoelectric collaborative management and resource allocation.
Dimension two, super capacity: 400G/800G ultra-high-speed optical interconnection prospects can be expected. Integrated optical crossover (OXC) performance is a core factor limiting the optical crossover capacity and the improvement of flexible scheduling capabilities. For the improvement of the cross-capacity of the backbone network, the capacity and performance of OCC need to be further improved; for the development of smart cities, the flexible scheduling capability of the low-cost optical base in the urban area needs to be improved.
Dimension Three, Flexible Access: Decoupling CPE/OSU enables next-generation OTN networks. As OTN gradually sinks to metropolitan area networks and access networks, it faces the need to access and carry small particle services below 1G such as high-quality private lines and high-definition video. Optical Service Unit OSU (Optical Service Unit) has become an important technical means to efficiently carry 2M-1G small particle customer signals. While inheriting the advantages of OTN high-quality service bearer, OSU can improve the bandwidth utilization and support quantity of small particle services.
China Telecom: Provides integrated service bearer solutions with M-OTN/OSU technology
As a key part of the all-optical computing power network, the technological development of OTN technology has always attracted much attention and encountered many challenges. According to the author's understanding, it is mainly divided into the following three aspects.
First, the OTN network sinks to the edge of the metropolitan area network, which requires the OTN network to support the efficient bearing and low-cost access to small particle services below GE; second, in the context of the cloud-network integration strategy, the high-quality service requirements for OTN into the cloud are proposed, including high security/small particle multi-branch, and multi-cloud/large bandwidth/low latency/service bandwidth elastic adjustment; Third, the ability of rapid provisioning, flexible speed regulation, and service visibility of government and enterprise private line services has become a new focus for customers to choose operators.
In view of the service development needs and the problems of the OTN live network, Huo Xiaoli, a senior expert of the China Telecom Research Institute, said that China Telecom innovatively proposed and led the M-OTN/OSU technology, and the goal of M-OTN technology based on OSU is to provide a low-cost, low-latency, low-power integrated service bearer solution based on metro applications.
According to Huo Xiaoli, at present, China Telecom has completed the industry's first cross-vendor M-OTN/OSU live network pilot, verifying that M-OTN/OSU has commercial capabilities, which means that the standardization, equipment research and development and interconnection of M-OTN/OSU technology have made important progress in stages, laying a solid foundation for the large-scale commercial deployment of M-OTN/OSU technology in the next stage.
Industry representatives: create a 1ms delay circle, deterministic all-optical connection to build an all-light city
The all-light smart city exploration experience shared by provincial and municipal representatives and operator guests is very valuable, in addition, guests from the upstream and downstream of the industrial chain also brought their wonderful views.
Shan Zhiguang, director of the Department of Informatization and Industrial Development of the State Information Center, believes that as a new paradigm for the development of smart cities, the all-light smart city is based on gigabit optical networks, integrating information technologies such as 5G, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence to build a three-dimensional perception, global coordination, accurate judgment and continuous evolution, and an open smart city system. The core of the all-light smart city is based on the all-light base, creating a 1 millisecond delay circle of the city, and the deterministic all-light connection promotes the application innovation of the smart city.
In addition, Shan Zhiguang said that the key capabilities and value of Gigabit optical networks lie in three "new": one is to achieve the "new capability" of the deterministic network with low latency, low jitter and low packet loss, and to achieve visual fiber management; the second is to achieve a highly reliable, highly secure, and highly available simplified network "new architecture" to achieve low expansion and maintenance costs; the third is to achieve intelligent control "new operation and maintenance" that flexibly provides bandwidth and non-destructive adjustment of bandwidth, so as to achieve good energy saving and consumption reduction effects.
Ao Li, chief engineer of the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, said that the three-layer bearing network of backbone network, metropolitan area network and optical transmission network (OTN) constitutes the comprehensive network bearing base of the all-light city. At present, many provinces and cities in the mainland are also actively promoting the construction of all-light city demonstration models and promoting the construction of low-latency networks between cities (groups), such as the construction of urban delay circles of 0.2 to 1 to 2 to 3 milliseconds in Shanghai and the construction of urban delay circles of 1 to 3 to 10 milliseconds in Shandong.
Ao Li believes that the all-light city based on the Gigabit optical network will be able to fully realize the function of smart city. From the perspective of the final realization effect, Gigabit optical network integrates information technology such as the Internet of Things, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence, and comprehensively supports the smart city system of three-dimensional perception, global collaboration, accurate judgment and continuous evolution, which can meet the innovative application needs of various connection scenarios of smart cities with low latency, provide end-to-end ultra-high bandwidth capacity guarantee, from "best effort" to "deterministic experience", realize the high availability rate of 5 "9s", combine AI technology, and realize optical network from manual operation to tool-assisted execution. Then to the whole process of intelligent operation of self-service decision-making.
As a leading equipment manufacturer in the field of optical networking, Huawei has made great contributions in this field. In the view of Feng Guojie, vice president of Huawei's optical transmission field, computing optical network will build an information artery with vigorous development of computing economy, and it will become the general trend to move from cloud network to computing network.
First of all, industry digitalization brings exclusive, diversified, and distributed demand for computing resources; secondly, the combination of end-side-cloud, "diverse computing power" + deterministic "network", so that the computing network is deeply integrated; third, the network will provide quality capacity guarantee (bandwidth, security, stable latency, etc.).
Feng Guojie said that to build an all-optical city, the foundation computing power network will bring three major upgrades: one is the coverage upgrade, 500 meters in the urban area, 3 kilometers in the county and township, and one-point access is ready to use; the second is the architecture upgrade, building an end-to-end all-optical network, a jump into the calculation, "1 millisecond" capacity system; the third is the operation upgrade, B-O-N integration, the integration of the computing network, to achieve the optimal allocation of the computing network.
In addition, Feng Guojie also shared the progress of building OTN optical nodes in various provinces and cities across the country. Among them, Beijing Mobile has built 1,000 OTN optical nodes, Guangdong Mobile and Guangdong Unicom have built more than 2,000 OTN optical nodes respectively, and Yunnan Mobile has deployed 450 OTN optical nodes in Kunming.
Bidding farewell to the past achievements and standing at a new starting point in 2022, I hope that the industry can integrate the existing all-optical network practice results with computing power, create an all-optical base with high efficiency and experience guarantee for smart cities, promote the digital transformation of thousands of industries, and achieve the development vision of "network omnipresence, computing power is omnipresent, and intelligence is omnipresent" as soon as possible.