Tokyo, November 17, 2016 - NEC Corporation (NEC; TSE: 6701) today announced the completion of the third multi-vendor Wireless Transport SDN Proof of Concept (PoC) with the Open Networking Foundation’s (ONF) Open Transport Working Group. The PoC took place in October 2016, hosted by AT&T in the “Winlab” at Rutgers University in New Jersey, USA, for a period of five days. A total of 13 companies, including NEC, took part in the PoC.

The aim of the PoC was to build on the achievements from the first and second PoC extending the standardization of a common information model for SDN-enabled wireless transport environments for both microwave and mmwave radio, simplifying the operations, management and control of network elements, and facilitating the integration of distinct multi-vendor solutions under a common and single control framework. A standard OpenDaylight (ODL) based controller was used for the PoC.

The third PoC demonstrated the capabilities of the full extent of the microwave information model developed by the ONF for multi-vendor control of wireless network elements through open management interfaces. The third PoC consisted of enhanced use cases from the second PoC and introduced three new use cases. The enhanced use cases were used to demonstrate richer dynamic network view, configuration, monitoring and detection of configuration discrepancy as well as event handling. The new use cases demonstrated additional functionality and capabilities of the SDN controller to demonstrate new network automation and spectrum management. The following enhanced use cases from the second PoC were demonstrated:

• Detection and configuration of new microwave devices
• Semi-automated configuring of microwave devices according to reference data
• Receiving,displaying and storing of alarm information

In addition, the following newly added use cases were performed successfully:

• Test automation -> automatic NetConf test of the model
• Spectrum management
• Closed loop automation (including performance management)

For this PoC, NEC provided its latest iPASOLINK EX Advanced ultra-compact All Outdoor Radio mmwave communications systems capable of 10 Gbps link capacity equipped with a NETCONF interface with embedded mediator functionality. The PoC successfully demonstrated that iPASOLINK EX Advanced completed all the test cases for configuration, management, test automation and closed-loop automation of wireless network elements in an open environment with an OpenDayLight-based controller.

"By participating in this third PoC, NEC has proven yet again its commitment to promote development and innovative mobile backhaul and wireless transport solutions with SDN features to meet the requirements of the emerging 5G networks and services," said Hideyuki Muto, Deputy General Manager, Mobile Wireless Solution Division, NEC Corporation. "NEC has participated in this third PoC with its latest iPASOLINK EX Advanced radio capable of 10 Gbps link capacity and large enough processing power to embed SDN functionalities into the iPASOLINK EX Advanced, demonstrating its readiness to be developed for SDN and enabling it to operate without the need for an external or separate mediator unit. Furthermore, the available computing power in the EX Advanced allows it to perform additional Mobile Computing functions, such as the one considered in the 5G MEC, making it the ideal future proof solution for operators’ networks."