Bandwidth usage continues to grow year-on-year, a trend driven by consumer video consumption from internet video services. Service providers are looking to extend their service offerings to deliver IP video, 4K video, and business services. Meeting network demand—as well as managing practical constraints in their network operations, including physical space, power consumption and cooling in head-end locations—is driving the evolution of the network.
Distributed access architecture (DAA) enables the evolution of cable networks by decentralizing and virtualizing headend and network functions. DAA extends the digital portion of the headend or hub domain out to the fiber-optic node and places the digital-to-RF interface at the optical-coaxial boundary in the node. Replacing the analog optics from the headend converts the fiber link to a digital fiber Ethernet link, increasing the available bandwidth by improving fiber efficiencies (wavelengths and distance) and directional alignment with the NFV/SDN/FTTx systems of the future.
HFC networks are defined by their analog fiber plumbing. DAA replaces analog fiber with IP connections (digital fiber) and creates a software-defined network that supports:
For service providers, the resources to run additional fiber, implement node splits, and upgrade head-end facilities require significant investment. DAA can be implemented gradually with normal plant and service upgrades and without disrupting legacy services.
With a long-term commitment to the cable industry, CommScope has over 20 years of experience and ongoing development and support in the delivery of broadband and video services:
In the data core, service providers need increased head-end bandwidth capacity from their integrated CCAP platforms, with the capability to scale services as they grow. They want the flexibility to support HFC, DAA and PON—all while optimizing the investment in their installed base of network hardware and services.
The CommScope E6000® Converged Edge Router (CER) is a flexible platform for integrated CCAP and distributed architectures, allowing service providers to optimize resources as a single platform for I-CCAP, CCAP core for DAA and PON with:
At the access edge, meeting subscriber bandwidth demand inevitably requires node splits—driving fiber deeper into the network to:
The CommScope roadmap includes both remote PHY and remote MAC-PHY architectures as part of the access network evolution framework—modular solutions for multiple network upgrade paths.
Remote PHY moves the physical RF modulation/demodulation layer from the CMTS to remote PHY nodes or to a remote PHY shelf in a hub site. Removing the analog laser from the headend converts the fiber link to a digital Ethernet (fiber) link. The analog portion of the network is shorter and removes noise that could be introduced by long analog fiber runs—improving the RF performance and resulting in increased available bandwidth. In addition, more wavelengths can be supported on the fiber between the headend and fiber node.
Remote MAC-PHY is another distributed access architecture option that moves the MAC (video and data) and PHY functionality to the remote node or shelf. Most signal processing and modulation occurs in the access network, not in the headend.
Both remote PHY and remote MAC-PHY have advantages. Remote PHY is an excellent way to serve smaller hubs and sparsely loaded nodes with less head-end equipment and fewer changes to provisioning and management infrastructure, while remote MAC-PHY is better suited to pinpoint deployments or nodes with long fiber runs. An additional benefit of remote PHY is that the CableLabs® specification activities enable standards-based, multi-vendor system integration.
In a remote PHY solution, a converged interconnect network (CIN) connects R-PHY devices (RPDs) to the CCAP core containing the MAC processing, such as the CommScope E6000. It also interconnects the CCAP core to the video core and management systems. The CommScope ICX family of switches provides robust, high-performance optical Ethernet switching with the flexibility to evolve from simple single-layer networks suitable for small/medium-sized deployments to highly scalable leaf-spine architectures.
In addition to the changes service providers are making to provide greater broadband capacity comes the need to address video distribution on their access networks. While subscribers continue to expand their demands for IP video, millions of subscribers continue to rely on traditional QAM video delivery.
Addressing this challenge falls to the video core, where video is prepared for delivery over the access network. This includes encryption, multiplexing, modulation and techniques to optimize bandwidth as video traverses the network.
Our Video Unified Edge (VUE) is a modular software product that virtualizes the video core (EQAM and video head-end functions). The virtualization of these functions enables the migration to a data center model.
The future video core becomes a set of virtualized network services, supporting DAA and unifying video processing and advertising around IP-based content. CommScope VUE provides the QAM video functions to support DAA and the transformation of IP content to MPEG-2 to unify the video backbone. Other functions of the video core focus on bandwidth optimization for MPEG-2 video (switched digital video) and IP video (multicast ABR).
Our Access Network Evolution Framework provides a modular approach that evolves with the network, supported by consulting and network evolution services to optimize service providers’ network migration strategies, plans and subscriber needs.
This approach allows service providers to start with common core elements in each of the major system areas affected (video delivery, broadband data services and the access infrastructure), enabling them to evolve as the service provider’s plans determine.
Network evolution is supported by a suite of professional services, from modelling, planning, and consultative services to deployment, operations and management. As both the technology and the service provider’s network infrastructure evolves, configuration, deployment and management capabilities will be data center driven, with functionality delivered as application containers and performance optimization and system orchestration built upon applied analytics.
The Access Network Evolution Framework provides a model to assess and determine access architectures and beyond:
The CommScope Access Network Evolution Framework enables long-term bandwidth growth for next-generation services by building on the existing capabilities within service provider networks and providing a migratory path to greater service flexibility and velocity through distribution of head-end functionality to the access network and virtualization of video and data systems functionality.
Analyst Report
Find out which development and technologies will be key to staying ahead in 2021.
Infographic
With bandwidth demand at an all-time high, now is the time to get familiar with new solutions that can increase network capacity and keep subscribers connected. Learn what technologies you should have on your radar this year.
Infographic
With bandwidth demand at an all-time high, now is the time to get familiar with new solutions that can increase network capacity and keep subscribers connected. Learn what technologies you should have on your radar this year.
Infographic
With bandwidth demand at an all-time high, now is the time to get familiar with new solutions that can increase network capacity and keep subscribers connected. Learn what technologies you should have on your radar this year.
White Paper
This paper defines and compares two Classes of Access Architectures that will emerge this decade for Cable Networking.
White Paper
Download this white paper and explore how a new approach to distributed access architecture (DAA) evolution can help unlock your network’s full potential.
Your trusted partner for access network transformation, deployments, infrastructure management and engineering projects
Your trusted partner for access network transformation, deployments, infrastructure management and engineering projects