Simple-to-deploy platform enables mass availability of on-demand cloud connectivity and high-capacity services

HANOVER, Md. - Feb. 22, 2017: Ciena^® (NYSE: CIEN) has introduced Waveserver Ai, bringing industry-leading capacity and power efficiencies to data center interconnect (DCI) applications, along with a well-established server-like operational model that operators have come to expect from its Waveserver family. The easy-to-automate packet-optical platform enables ultra-high capacity connections between data center locations while reducing network costs for enterprises and content providers. Waveserver Ai also addresses the interconnection of multiple clouds for multi-tenant data center and cloud providers so they can offer more competitive high-speed, high-capacity services.

Key Facts:

• Today’s web-scale providers are challenged with the need to bring more content closer to end users while data center operators are expected to deliver more high-speed connectivity to interconnect users across multiple environments. These key factors are driving surging demand for more high-capacity DCI. According to IDC, worldwide spending on public cloud services will grow at a 19.4 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from nearly $70 billion in 2015 to more than $141 billion in 2019.
• Waveserver Ai provides greater capacity and service densities with minimal footprint in data centers where space comes at a premium. Leveraging Ciena’s WaveLogic Ai coherent technology, the platform scales to 2.4T in a single rack unit of space, which equates to 50–100 percent more density compared to other compact DCI platforms. Additionally, with ultra-low power per bit, operators can reduce overall energy consumption and see a positive impact on the bottom line.
• Another key benefit of Waveserver Ai is that it simplifies DCI planning and deployment with a programmable coherent chipset that can tune from 100G to 400G to maximize capacity for any distance – from metro, regional to long-haul. Using a single, compact Waveserver Ai platform, operators can deliver single wavelength 400G capacity for short-haul and 200G for long-haul DCI, doubling the capacity potential of today’s networks.
• Bringing web-scale attributes to DCI applications, Ciena’s Waveserver Ai platform offers a simplified lifecycle – from planning and ordering to provisioning and maintenance – and a server-like deployment model. With a full set of open APIs and management interfaces, the platform is easily integrated into existing or new DCI networks as well as existing operational processes.
• Operators will also be able to use Ciena’s Emulation Cloud simulation environment to create, test and fine-tune customized applications.
• Waveserver Ai will be generally available in the second quarter of 2017.

Executive Comments:

“Internet content providers and data center operators demand open and programmable networks, the ability to provide ultra-high capacity metro and ultra-long reach subsea applications, as well as the ability to minimize power and space requirements. Ciena’s Waveserver Ai is the hammer that hits this nail on the head. By incorporating the latest generation of its WaveLogic coherent DSP technology, this new platform will be the industry benchmark in high performance data center interconnect.” Don Frey, Principal Analyst, Intelligent Networks, Ovum

“An inexorable rise in bandwidth demand from cloud computing, IoT, video and more continues to put pressure on today’s networks. By pairing a high-performance optical engine with a familiar web-scale IT operational model, our Waveserver Ai platform delivers more capacity with minimal footprint and greater power efficiency for DCI and other high capacity applications.” Steve Alexander, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer,Ciena