Introduction to planning software product

Overview

It is well known that the bearer network features small scale and simple network structure (such as chain, ring) in its initial development stage, and the planning of network topology and network services are completed manually. Increasing equipment complexity and network scale make it more and more complicated for network planning and design. Manual mode has low efficiency and is error-prone, especially under the situation that the emergence of intelligent network and large-capacity cross-connect equipment leads to much higher network complexity and unpredictability.

Compared with legacy network, the intelligent network introduces MESH structure, control domain, SLA, routing policy and SRLG technologies. Therefore, the development of intelligent optical network and large-capacity cross-connect equipment brings new challenges to network construction and maintenance:

Differing greatly from the static resource structure of legacy network, ASON network resources are scheduled and distributedly dynamically across the network, making it difficult to evaluate network reliability and security simply in manual mode.

MESH networking adopts multi-degree network architecture and results in escalating complexity in service planning, and the designer can hardly perform network planning and optimization only by manual operation.

As WDM network involves complicated computation of physical parameters (such as OSNR, DC and loss), manual operation is tedious and error-prone.

In conclusion, confronting network development and challenges mentioned above, manual network planning and manual network design are not viable, and manual network evaluation, optimization and failure emulation can no longer address the requirements. Planning software is emerged as a result.

Product function

ZXTOP 500 is the specialized network planning software developed by ZTE. On basis of core algorithm, it enables rapid and efficient planning of transmission network capacity, service and route. ZXTOP 500 supports transmission network planning based on SDH, WDM and OTN, supports diversified network topologies, as well as green field planning and incremental planning of network.

ZXTOP 500 has simplified, convenient and friendly user interface, with core functions including capacity planning, route planning and failure planning. Through flexible and rich condition settings, ZXTOP 500 can generate the network planning approach with the optimal route, cost and reliability in accordance with user network requirements. During network planning, ZXTOP 500 offers users with a variety of detailed reports, and allows network planning engineers to further adjust and optimize network based on these reports.

Network planning and design, network analysis and failure emulation of ZXTOP 500 are based on data provided by resource management, which include node, fiber, SRLG, protection group and region. In terms of data interaction, ZXTOP 500 supports import and export of NM data and enables output of varieties of reports. Its major functions are shown below:

 

ZXTOP 500 outputs service route and network configuration approach, performs network analysis and emulation, and evaluates the conformity of planning optimization results with customer requirements according to customers' service requirement matrix and network physical resources. Its planning flow chart is shown below. Input information contains service matrix (typically dependent on service requirement of customer project, including service type, service quantity and service class) and physical resources (typically dependent on the equipment requirement, site requirement and fiber resource situation of customer project, including node information, fiber information and equipment model); direct output information contains service route and network configuration.

　

Product positioning

Combined use of ZTE bearer network NM products and value-added products can deliver E2E solution for customer operation.

ZXTOP 500 targets network planning and design stage, and supports SDH/WDM/OTN planning. As shown in the following figure, customer E2E operation is comprised of such a closed loop and moves in cycles from requirement/predicted requirement, and then to planning, design deployment, maintenance and evaluation. ZXTOP 500 can offer efficient support for operators in the planning & design stage, guarantee future network deployment, maintenance and evaluation, prevent from occurrence of problems in early project stage, and avoid amplification of problem effects, thus effectively reducing the risk in project implementation and network operation, and boosting operator's integrated competency.