SAN Backup Solution with Redundancy
PacketLight builds point-to-point DWDM network using internal cross-connect to duplicate each service, and create a protected SAN network.
At a Glance
Company: Iusacell
Location: Mexico
Industry: Wireless and Wireline Carrier
Challenge: Build a SAN backup solution with low latency for the largest convenience store chain in Latin America.
Solution: PacketLight’s PL-1000TE multi-rate transponder was deployed. The solution comprises 8 low latency transponders and supports a mix of services. A redundant Fibre Channel (FC) transport network was built, using PacketLight’s internal cross-connect to duplicate each service, creating one working and one protecting link.
Success: The initial investment was optimized and enabled flexible future pay-as-you-grow network, to up to 40 DWDM wavelengths in the same redundant fiber optic cable.
Background
Iusacell, today under Unefon Holdings, started in 2007 with over 3.4 million subscribers, approximately 7% of the Mexican market. The company has national coverage, and integrates the only two providers of wireless telecommunications services in the country using CDMA technology.
Challenge
Iusacell needed to build a SAN backup solution for OXXO, the largest convenience store chain in Latin America. The solution needed to be simple to install, manage and maintain.
"The solution provided by PacketLight... solved our customer’s request... [and] greatly impressed us with their expertise in handling SAN solutions."
Mr. Victor Acevedo, Telecommunications Director, Iusacell
Solution
In order to transmit Fibre Channel (FC) over distance between data centers, with full throughput, a very low latency solution was required.
PacketLight’s DWDM PL-1000TE Multi-rate Transponder was deployed to build a point-to-point link using PacketLight’s internal cross-connect to duplicate each service, so two links were created - one working and one protecting. With switching time of less than 50ms.
The solution provides 8G Fibre Channel (FC) redundant transport for as many as 8 signals per 1U chassis, optimizing the initial investment and enabling future migration to up to 40 DWDM wavelengths in the same redundant fiber optic cable.
The system provides a high-density solution for a key backup link to expand the SAN capacity of an almost saturated data center operation. The PL‑1000TE 1U unit supports up to 8 transponders with any mix of services 1G/2G/4G/8G/16G FC, GbE/10GbE, STM-4/OC-12, STM-16/OC-48, STM‑64/OC-192, and HD-SDI/3G-SDI (PAL and NTSC), bringing unprecedented flexibility and real pay-as-you-grow architecture.
The system also includes bi-directional performance monitoring that enables constant remote monitoring of the link by Iusacell’s NOC (Network Operation Center).
Success
Mexican Wireless and Wireline Carrier Iusacell, successfully deployed PacketLight's DWDM compact, redundant transport solution. The devices are easily managed via PacketLight’s GUI, with no need for special experties, and is easily expandable for future growth.
“The solution provided by PacketLight not only solved our customer’s request”, said Mr. Victor Acevedo, Telecommunications Director at Iusacell, “but also greatly impressed us with their expertise in handling SAN solutions. The knowledge that PacketLight's engineers displayed was very important when troubleshooting the connectivity together with the SAN switch provider when performing the link setup.”
PacketLight’s PL-1000TE Solution Diagram
About Optocosmo
Optocosmo is a Mexican integrator for the telecommunications, video and security industries. Optocosmo provides solutions that range from simple connectors to complex integration projects, implementation and administration of equipment, personnel, resources and signals. Optocosmo personnel includes highly skilled personnel in engineering, design, logistics, customer service, administration and operations that work together for the success of the projects.