By Deependra Malla, Cox Communication Inc.
To accommodate the exponential growth of internet-connected devices and the increasing demand for bandwidth-intensive applications and services, Multi-Service Operators (MSOs) are adapting to evolving technologies, expanding their network infrastructure, and optimizing their operational activities.
However, the traditional approach of running a network is not enough to support today’s as well as tomorrow’s network infrastructure that is becoming more complex and diverse.
In this paper, the author explores contemporary approaches and strategies shaping the network architecture of service providers that are used to route packets inside the provider’s network with a focus on MSOs. The emphasis is on optimizing routing protocols, addressing evolving security challenges, and harnessing innovative technologies to meet the demands of modern network environments. Current routing protocols used in provider networks have served the networking industry very well, but they are not safe from the evolving cyber security threats. The importance of Internet can’t be underestimated and to make it secure and reliable we must mitigate threats like BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) hijacking through the implementation of Resource Public Key Infrastructure (RPKI) and protect protocol adjacencies with robust authentication mechanisms.
The advancement in network processor chips such as merchant silicon and custom silicon havetransformed the network architecture into a service specific architecture which is helping providers to optimize their network deployment. Similarly, the advancement of coherent optics has enabled network operators to move to higher bit rates such as 400G ZR/ZR+, and 800G ZR/ZR+ thereby helping service providers realize economic benefits, maximize fiber usage, and ultimately reducing data transport costs.
The new network infrastructure and routing design should adapt to these evolving technologies.
The paper also highlights the role of Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS), and Segment Routing (SR) in enhancing scalability, efficiency, flexibility, and network programmability in service providers’networks.
In general, end-to-end provider networks can be visualized using the following diagram. While this diagram is very high-level, it illustrates how modular and hierarchical network design facilitates data communication for customers. This paper discusses the general practices seen in multi service providers network design based on Figure 1. Majority of the discussion provided in the paper is based on author’s experiences on designing, implementing, and supporting Cox Communication’s metro and backbone networks, but the concepts discussed in this paper is equally applicable to other providers.