What Is Xingmai PEN?

Deployment Differences Between Traditional All-Optical Networks and Traditional Ethernet Networks

All-optical networks and Ethernet networks are two network technologies that differ in architecture, transmission media, devices, and application scenarios. Traditional all-optical networks mainly use optical fibers for transmission, and feature high bandwidth, long-distance transmission, and low loss. Traditional Ethernet networks use copper cables or optical fibers as well as devices such as switches for data transmission and switching. All-optical networks and Ethernet networks each have their own advantages. All-optical networks excel in bandwidth, transmission distance, energy saving, and maintenance, while Ethernet networks are more flexible and have a wider application scope.

Challenges of Traditional All-Optical Networks

As an advanced network technology, traditional all-optical networks offer high speed, large bandwidth, and low latency. However, they still face many challenges in actual deployment and application.

• Technical complexity

  Traditional all-optical networks are complex in terms of optical signal processing, device integration, and network architecture design.

  Optical signal processing: Traditional all-optical networks rely on complex optical signal processing technologies (such as optical modulation, optical amplification, and optical switching), which impose extremely high requirements on the precision and stability of devices.

  Device integration: Traditional all-optical networks require highly integrated optoelectronic devices (such as optical modulators, optical amplifiers, and optical switches), which are costly in R&D and manufacturing.

  Network architecture design: Traditional all-optical networks have a complex architecture design and are impacted by a range of factors such as the transmission distance of optical signals, bandwidth allocation, and dynamic routing. All of this poses higher requirements on network planning and design.

• High costs

  Traditional all-optical networks are costly in terms of fiber deployment, device investment, and maintenance.

  Optical fiber deployment: The deployment and maintenance costs of optical fibers are high, especially in the early phase of large-scale deployment.

  Device investment: Optical devices (such as optical amplifiers and optical switches) required by traditional all-optical networks are expensive, resulting in high overall network construction costs.

  Maintenance: The maintenance and upgrade costs of traditional all-optical network devices are high, especially the maintenance of optical fibers and replacement of devices for long-distance transmission.

• Insufficient compatibility

  Traditional all-optical networks mainly encounter issues in compatibility with legacy networks and interoperability between devices from different vendors.

  Compatibility with legacy networks: Traditional all-optical networks need to maintain compatibility with legacy telecom networks and the Internet. This may require additional devices and converters, increasing complexity and incurring additional costs.

  Interoperability between devices from different vendors: Optical devices from different vendors may use different technical standards, which lead to interoperability issues and affect the overall network performance.

• Few application scenarios

  Traditional all-optical networks have few application scenarios due to low efficiency in short-distance transmission and dynamic bandwidth assignment limitations.

  Low efficiency in short-distance transmission: In short-distance transmission, it is not possible to take full advantage of all-optical networks, and they may even have lower transmission cost-effectiveness than traditional copper cables.

  Dynamic bandwidth assignment limitations: Although all-optical networks support dynamic bandwidth assignment, it is still difficult to efficiently implement dynamic bandwidth assignment in actual applications.

To address the challenges faced by traditional all-optical networks, Huawei has proposed the Xingmai Passive Ethernet Network (PEN) Solution.

Ultra Broadband

• A PEN central switch, deployed at the core layer of the Xingmai PEN Solution, provides 6 x 160GE ports, each supporting 16 x 10GE SFP+ channels, 16 times that of the conventional optical fiber solution. One PEN central switch supports up to 96 x 10GE access points.
• The Xingmai PEN Solution benefits from the high-bandwidth point-to-point transmission of Ethernet. Both uplink and downlink ports use optical fibers for access, bandwidth oversubscription is eliminated, and 10GE to the room is supported, enabling access terminals to exclusively enjoy 10 Gbit/s bandwidth.

Smart Architecture

• The Xingmai PEN Solution uses Ethernet protocols in an end-to-end manner, requiring no protocol conversion. This solution works with RUs and APs. RUs are plug-and-play and configuration-free.
• On the entire network, only one O&M platform is required, reducing network construction costs.
• The Xingmai PEN Solution supports intelligent O&M. With the network digital map, network health, user experience, and application experience can be visualized and optimized, reducing network O&M costs.

Rock-Solid Security

• The Xingmai PEN Solution supports multiple security authentication modes, such as NAC authentication and terminal identification, and supports abnormal traffic detection, implementing zero spoofing and zero unauthorized access.
• The Xingmai PEN Solution can detect and locate optical module faults in seconds. It also supports multiple reliability solutions, such as stacking and Multichassis Link Aggregation Group (M-LAG), minimizing the fault impact and preventing services from being interrupted.

Energy Saving

• The Xingmai PEN Solution adopts the passive design at the aggregation layer, reducing the number of ELV rooms required by the network and lowering the electricity fees of devices and air conditioners in the equipment room.
• RUs use an all-new heat dissipation architecture, with the power consumption of a single port less than 1 W. Through the AI tidal dynamic energy saving algorithm, the optimal energy saving policy is recommended, reducing network energy consumption by more than 20%.

PEN Central Switch

The CloudEngine S6730-H6FX4Y2CZ-V2 is a passive all-optical Ethernet central switch, which offers six CFP2 PEN ports, supports ultra-broadband 160GE central optical modules, and connects to up to 96 x 10GE access units. It also supports 4 x 25GE SFP28+ uplink ports and 2 x 100GE QSFP28 uplink ports.

PEN Passive Aggregation Module

Two PEN passive aggregation modules are available: HW-PEN-16LC-2KM and HW-PEN-16LC-10KM, which support uplink 2:1 backup and 16 x 10GE downlink ports. The PEN passive aggregation module chassis HW-PEN-BOX-03 has three slots, each of which can house one PEN passive aggregation module.

PEN Remote Device

PEN remote devices include RUs, access switches, and APs.

CloudEngine S5751-L series switches

RUs: The CloudEngine S5751-L series can be used as RUs in the Xingmai PEN Solution.

Access switches: The figure above shows the major CloudEngine S5700 series switch models. All CloudEngine S5700 series switches can function as access switches in the Xingmai PEN Solution.

PEN Central Optical Module

One PEN central optical module is available: CFP2-160G-LR-CORE, which is installed on the CFP2 PEN port of the S6730-H6FX4Y2CZ-V2 central switch.

PEN Remote Optical Module

Eight PEN remote optical modules are available: SFP+-10G-LR-A1 to SFP+-10G-LR-A8. These optical modules are used to connect RUs, access switches, and APs to PEN passive aggregation modules.

Classroom

As terminals in classrooms become more diversified and more intelligent, classrooms face challenges such as insufficient bandwidth and difficult access point expansion.

Huawei's Xingmai PEN Solution implements fiber to the room, provides 10 Gbit/s bandwidth exclusive to terminals, and saves on equipment room space since no ELV room is required. This in turn eliminates fire hazards and enables more flexible, efficient network deployment and operations, making it an ideal choice for building smart classrooms.

Deployment in the classroom scenario

Deployment solution overview:

• Core switches and PEN central switches are deployed in the core equipment room, and connect to PEN passive aggregation modules through optical fibers. PEN passive aggregation modules are deployed in ELV rooms, and connect to RUs through optical fibers.
• One noise-free and energy-saving RU is deployed in each classroom and is connected to the PEN central switch through a PEN passive aggregation module. The RU supports plug-and-play and provides 10GE uplink and 2.5GE downlink connections to Wi-Fi 7 devices.
• Each RU connects to APs and terminals such as cameras and PCs, and provides PoE power for APs and cameras.
• The native WAC function is deployed on the core switch to implement unified management of both wired and wireless networks.

Hospital

In hospital settings, services such as appointments, treatments, online follow-up consultations, information bulletins, result queries, and telemedicine are provided over the network.

However, due to low network bandwidth, image reading is time-consuming and inefficient, and video lag may disrupt teleconsultations, wasting medical resources. Worse yet, there is a lot of equipment within consultation rooms, and Ethernet cables are disorganized. As a result, it is currently difficult to meet the daily work requirements of hospitals.

Huawei's Xingmai PEN Solution provides ultra-broadband 10GE bandwidth and enables image reading in seconds, greatly improving diagnostic efficiency. This solution also implements fiber to the consultation room, facilitating cabling and flexible expansion. With this solution, passive networks can be deployed in advance, significantly shortening the construction time.

Deployment in the hospital scenario

Deployment solution overview:

• Core switches and PEN central switches are deployed in the core equipment room, and connect to PEN passive aggregation modules through optical fibers. PEN passive aggregation modules are deployed in ELV rooms, and connect to RUs or APs through optical fibers.
• Consultation rooms: Quiet RUs are deployed in indoor multimedia cabinets, obtain power locally, and supply PoE power to terminals.
• Medical technology departments: One RU is deployed in each room, and the RU obtains power locally.
• Hospital wards: RUs can be deployed in wards or corridors and obtain power from the central switch through hybrid cables. One wall plate AP is deployed in each ward and obtains PoE power from an RU.