The traditional OLT architecture, which consolidates control and management functions within the hardware, is evolving towards a more flexible and scalable approach. Disaggregation, a key concept in this evolution, separates these functions from the hardware, enabling them to be virtualized and deployed in a centralized software environment.
Key Benefits of Disaggregation:
- Increased Flexibility: Network operators can choose different hardware components (OLTs / ONTs) from various vendors, optimizing their network based on specific needs.
- Reduced Vendor Lock-in: By decoupling hardware and software, operators can avoid vendor lock-in and explore a wider range of solutions.
- Faster Innovation: Virtualized functions can be updated and deployed more rapidly, accelerating innovation and service delivery.
Demonstrating Disaggregation with Virtualized OMCI:
The OMCI (ONT Management and Control Interface) server function, responsible for configuring and managing ONTs, is a critical component of the OLT. Virtualizing the OMCI function (vOMCI) allows for greater flexibility and interoperability between different vendor equipment.
The BBF TR-451 specification outlines the architecture and interfaces for vOMCI, enabling the deployment of OMCI stacks in the cloud. This approach can facilitate the coexistence of ONTs from different vendors within the same network.
The 2024 Network X BBF innovation demo showcased a vOMCI implementation based on two vOMCI stacks -Altice Labs vOMCI and Broadband Forum’s Open Broadband – Broadband Access Abstraction (OB-BAA) vOMCI- through which a high speed data service was configured on, respectively, Altice Labs and Nokia ONTs.
The Future of Network Architecture
The disaggregated OLT and virtualized OMCI represent building blocks towards a more flexible, scalable, and interoperable CloudCO network architecture. By embracing these technologies, network operators can unlock new opportunities for innovation and service delivery.