PRESS RELEASE: Massive digital transformation makes large-scale deterministic networking a necessity
The development of emerging technologies such as industrial 4.0, intelligent manufacturing and autonomous driving, telemedicine, Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) has put forward higher requirements for real-time performance, reliability, and QoS of the network, a deterministic network with ultra-low latency, ultra-low jitter, and ultra-high reliability appears to enable these applications to operate stably. Various industries seek for digital transformation, so large-scale deterministic networking will be inevitable.
Innovative EDN system assures resource, routing and time determinacy for large-scale networks
According to ZTE, large-scale determinacy means that millions of data streams (e.g., massive industrial-level control and sensors) are supported on IP networks with a large number of devices, deterministic services are guaranteed, and latency and jitter strictly satisfy service demands. The large-scale deterministic networking gradually shows three typical features: larger deterministic networks, more deterministic connections, and multiple types and mechanisms of deterministic connections. To address these challenges, ZTE innovatively comes up with the EDN (Enhanced Deterministic Networking) system to precisely transmit heterogeneous, cross-layer, and cross-domain diversified services. The system innovates control-plane and forwarding-plane technologies in the large-scale deterministic transport network field from three aspects: resource, routing and time determinacy. “Resource determinacy” is the basis. Network resources with deterministic capabilities are planned and modeled in a unified manner to form enhanced deterministic links and solve the differences between resources such as multiple forwarding and queue mechanisms. “Routing determinacy” is used to build assurance paths with deterministic capabilities, calculate deterministic assurance paths based on deterministic links modeled at the resource layer, orchestrate timeslots, and deliver intra-domain or cross-domain deterministic routes for deterministic transport. “Time determinacy” is used to provide end-to-end deterministic services according to different demands, plan traffic features for monitoring at ingress nodes, and identify deterministic QoS based on classification and grading to map services to different resources and routes for forwarding.
With industry first in-built EDN chip, ZTE IP network provides enhanced deterministic performance
To facilitate the construction of 400GE transport networks, ZTE launches a new generation of evolvable chips and products, which can offer large-capacity deterministic services on large-scale WANs for future service growth. The new 6-in-1 network processor embedded with the EDN solution is the industry’s first chip for the wide-area deterministic network solution. In combination with the original TQF and Deadline mechanisms, it secures high-speed forwarding and determinacy on 400GE/800GE router ports. Similar to precise scheduling of a high-speed railway, the TQF performs accurate end-to-end scheduling as demanded. After getting on a train, the user automatically changes trains as scheduled. Similar to ticket check in a transfer, the deadline preferentially selects a train according to the urgency of different tickets. With the above algorithm and innovative scheduling mechanism, end-to-end latency and jitter are ensured, and large-scale deployment is available. Other products incapable of large-scale determinacy will be replaced and upgraded in the face of future service development. The 400GE/800GE deterministic router with the ZTE built-in EDN solution can better protect CAPEX and cope with possible uncertainty.
Study deterministic technology systems to boost digital transformation of industries
The EDN system has become the latest hotspot. Up to now, ZTE, together with industry partners, has jointly promoted more than 20 draft standards, involving EDN requirements, architecture, data-plane encapsulation, queue mechanism, TE, and control-plane protocol extension, in multiple IETF working groups, which have attracted great attention and recognition. In the future, ZTE will continue the research on the deterministic technology system, and drive the application of deterministic network technologies, the digital transformation of related industries, and the development of new business models to build a new intelligent world of the Internet of Everything.