TECHNICAL
controlled chassis. Core line cards handled raw network traffic, while access line cards processed subscriber services. The control plane—the intelligence behind the system—was proprietary, making it impossible to mix and match components from different vendors. This closed, vendor-locked approach made networks expensive, complex and inflexible. Operators had little choice but to stick with a single supplier, replacing entire systems when they needed to scale up. Instead of relying on proprietary chassis- based routers, telcos are moving to bare-metal switches—low-cost, high- performance devices powered by merchant silicon. These switches, often built in the same outsourced factories that produce traditional routers, are vendor-neutral and interoperable, allowing operators to replace expensive proprietary hardware with software-driven, cloud- native solutions. Carrier-grade routing software transforms these bare-metal switches into fully functional IP/MPLS routers. The software runs in a containerised Linux environment, bringing hyperscaler-like efficiency to telco networks. This cloud-native model supports zero-touch provisioning, reducing deployment complexity and costs. Disaggregated networks replicate the chassis-based model but in an open, flexible, and scalable way. Instead of proprietary hardware cards, operators deploy single or double RU (Rack Unit) systems optimised for different functions.
Example: Key functions provided by a disaggregated edge network: n Broadband Network Gateway (BNG): Handles subscriber authentication and management. Open BNG software runs on bare- metal switches, leveraging a Spine- Leaf architecture for scalability. Connects customer networks to the telco’s backbone. A disaggregated PE router replaces vendor-locked hardware with agile, software-based routing. n Peering Router: Manages traffic n Provider Edge (PE) Router: exchange between ISPs and large networks at internet exchange points (IXPs), providing more flexibility and cost control.
n Carrier-Grade Network Address Translation (CGNAT): Extends IPv4 networks by translating private addresses into public ones. Integrated CGNAT runs in line with BNG, eliminating the need for separate hardware. n L2 Metro Ethernet Switch: Supports high-speed Metro Ethernet services using Open Network Linux (ONL) containerised software. What are the benefits of network disaggregation? 1. Automation Single-browser interfaces and out-of-the-box automation eliminate the manual configurations required in legacy systems, reducing human errors and improving efficiency. Cloud-native
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Volume 47 No.1 MARCH 2025
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