Network transition facility

Abstract

The invention relates to a network termination device for terminating an access network to a public wide area network and enabling access to this wide area network, comprising a network termination unit (1) equipped with remote maintenance and service functions and a transceiver (2) electrically connected to it and designed as a pluggable module. The network termination unit (1) is designed as a pluggable module that can be directly connected to a network access device (3) of a local network and plugged into a port (4) of this network access device (3). When the network termination unit (1) is plugged into the port (4) of the network access device (3), the transceiver (2) is supplied with power by the network access device (3) of the local network, which is connected to the wide area network via this access device.The network termination unit (1) includes a splitter (5) which separates functional units (7) for remote maintenance and service formed within this plug-in module from a data transmission path (6) which is transparently passable for user data exchanged between the network access device (3) and the transceiver (2) of the network transition device.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a network transition device, namely a device for terminating a public wide area network and for providing access to this wide area network. Such network transition devices are used in particular at the interface between the access network to a public wide area network and a user's local network.

[0002] Network transition devices, which logically separate the infrastructure of public networks (including the access network of a telecommunications provider, which in this sense constitutes a public network) from the communicative terminal equipment and associated devices of customers or users, are, according to the state of the art, designed as more complex devices encompassing both hardware and software. These devices are housed in a larger enclosure with standardized dimensions, including a height corresponding to a standardized grid, and are inserted into cabinet-like units (racks) using this enclosure, similar to a cassette. Within these racks, an electrical connection is then established between each network transition device and a network access device (switch, router, or similar) of the user.

[0003] These network transition devices include one or more electrical or optical-electrical transceivers, i.e., transmitting and receiving units, that enable data traffic (data exchange) with the wide area network. These transceivers are typically designed as pluggable modules, although in practice, modules with different form factors are used.

[0004] With the aim of minimizing the installation space required for corresponding technical units and equipment, compact pluggable modules with a small form factor, so-called Small Form Factor Pluggable (SFP), are particularly widespread. Depending on the application and the required performance and functionality, however, pluggable modules with larger form factors are also used, although not all modules grouped under the SFP category necessarily have completely identical dimensions. The housings of common network transition devices, which accommodate such modules and are installed in corresponding cabinets or racks, therefore typically have a larger number of slots for pluggable modules of different form factors. As already mentioned, this requires a certain amount of installation space.

[0005] On the other hand, access network operators who use corresponding network transition equipment typically have to rent the space required for this equipment in a cabinet or rack, at a cost. Furthermore, the access network operators must pay for the energy required to power their network transition equipment. Due to the compact design and the high data transmission bandwidths provided, operators also incur additional expenses for cooling their technical equipment, including further energy costs. With the increasing trend toward the use of so-called coherent networks, which employ different modulation methods simultaneously, and the resulting increase in achievable bandwidths, these aforementioned expenses are rising even further.

[0006] On the other hand, the operators of corresponding network transition facilities also strive to reduce their costs for economic reasons, and furthermore, with a view to their overall societal perception, to continuously reduce their ecological footprint caused by the operation of the technology.

[0007] Network transition devices, which, according to the previously described prior art, have a plurality of slots for pluggable modules, preferably with a small form factor (SFP), are disclosed, for example, in US 2009 / 0154493 A1 and in US 2015 / 0003793 A1. US 2015 / 0003793 A1 relates to a media converter that forms an interface between such a network transition device and a network switch, to which it is connected via an RJ-45 cable, with a matrix-shaped patch panel for RJ-45 connectors.

[0008] From US 2006 / 020 9886 A1, a pluggable transceiver module with a small form factor is known which, in addition to the conventional electrical / optical and / or optical / electrical conversion of communication signals, performs a protocol conversion with respect to the data transmitted by means of these communication signals and the protocols used therein.

[0009] The object of the invention is to provide a network transition device that meets the aforementioned requirements. Such a network transition device should therefore be designed in such a way that it requires little installation space, incurs low energy costs, and contributes to significantly reducing the ecological footprint of an access network operator using it.

[0010] The problem is solved by a network transition device with the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and further developments of such a network transition device are characterized by the dependent claims.

[0011] The proposed network termination device, designed to solve the problem, serves as a device for terminating an access network to a public wide area network (WAN) and for providing access to that WAN. It consists of a network termination unit and a transceiver electrically connected to it. As its name suggests, the network termination unit's primary function is to terminate the network of the provider of access to a WAN, or the access network of an access network provider, from the customer / user. It thus forms a logical separation point between the customer's / user's local network and the WAN, or the access network connecting the customer's / user's local network to the WAN.

[0012] Simultaneously, the network termination unit provides an electrical interface for the customer's / user's local network, which is equipped with a corresponding network access device (switch / router) and can be connected via this access device to the access network and thus ultimately to the wide area network. The network termination unit is also equipped with remote maintenance and service functions provided by the wide area network access provider. The transceiver electrically connected to the network termination unit is a pluggable module of a known design.

[0013] In the network transition device according to the invention, the network termination unit is also designed as a plug-in module. It is configured as a module that can be directly connected to a network access device of a local network, i.e., a switch or router, and can be plugged into a port of this network access device. When the network termination unit is plugged into the port of the network access device, the pluggable transceiver module (transceiver) is powered by the network access device of the local network, which is connected to the wide area network via this plug-in module.

[0014] The plug-in module forming the network termination unit includes a splitter. This splitter separates the functional units for remote maintenance and service measures, which are integrated within the plug-in module or the network termination unit, from a data transmission path for the data exchanged between the network access device (the customer's / user's local network) and the transceiver of the network transition device. The data transmission path, separated from the functional units for remote maintenance and service, is transparently passable for the aforementioned data, i.e., for customer data.

[0015] According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the transceiver, designed as a pluggable module, of the network termination unit is plugged into a separate housing designed as a plug-in socket, located away from the network termination unit. This separate housing and the pluggable module of the transceiver inserted into it are connected to the network termination unit by a cable. When the network termination unit is plugged into a port of the network access equipment (switch / router) of a local network, this cable supplies power to the transceiver module and transmits data between the customer's / user's network access equipment and the transceiver.

[0016] In a further development of the previously described design, the housing, which serves as a plug-in socket for the transceiver's pluggable module and is separated from the network termination unit, is additionally equipped with a passive heat sink, such as a metallic heat sink. This allows a transceiver module plugged into this housing to be passively cooled very efficiently, namely without any additional energy consumption.

[0017] Due to its very compact design, the network transition device described above, proposed for solving the problem, is very space-saving in its basic form as characterized by claim 1 and can therefore be advantageously used even in very confined spaces. For the operator of an access network using such a network transition device, the costs incurred are comparatively low, provided they have to rent the space. Furthermore, due to the minimal power supply requirements, their energy and environmental footprint is significantly reduced.

[0018] This is primarily due to the fact that the device, and especially its pluggable transceiver module (transceiver), does not require active cooling. If, as is preferred, the network transition device has a separate housing designed as a plug-in socket for inserting the transceiver module, and which is also equipped with a heat sink (metallic heat sink / heat plate arrangement) for cooling the transceiver, then even very powerful transceiver modules can be operated without active cooling.

[0019] In practice, the network transition device described above is made available in pre-configured combinations of different network termination units and transceiver modules (transceivers) with varying designs, or with different network termination units and housings connected to them via a cable for plugging in pluggable transceiver modules. This means that the network transition device as a whole no longer offers a multitude of different slots for pluggable transceiver modules of various designs. It is particularly suitable for customers / users such as cloud provider facilities or data centers of other types operating in a local network.In this context, it is typically immediately clear to the operator of an access network supplying a particular customer / user, in connection with each order processing, which combination of network termination unit and transceiver module is required with regard to its design.

[0020] However, even when used in control cabinets containing multiple network termination devices for connecting to local networks of different customers / users, the system is flexible enough to meet all requirements. For example, service technicians can easily carry different combinations of network termination units and pluggable transceiver modules, regardless of their form factor. Typically, the required pluggable transceiver modules will be xSFP (Small Form-Factor Pluggable) modules in various form factors.

[0021] Furthermore, the network transition device is advantageously designed so that, when its network termination unit is plugged into a designated socket on the customer's / user's network access device (switch / router), it largely configures itself automatically in an automated process using the MAC address and the DHCP protocol. This ensures very rapid connectivity between the customer's / user's local network and the access network of the respective network operator.

[0022] In connection with the network connection—that is, the public network and the customer's / user's local network—the functional units located in the network termination unit load all necessary configuration data and settings from the operator's network equipment for remote maintenance and service measures. However, the concept is flexible enough, and the network transition unit is designed in such a way that it can be reconfigured at any time, if necessary, in conjunction with a higher-level network management system.

[0023] Two exemplary embodiments of the invention are given below and briefly explained with reference to drawings. The figures show: Fig. 1 the components of the network transition device according to a first possible training form, Fig. 2 the form of training according to Fig. 1 after joining their two components, Fig. 3 another, particularly advantageous form of training for the network transition facility, Fig. 4 a rough, electrically functional representation of the network transition device according to Fig. 3.

[0024] The Fig. Figure 1 shows a first possible embodiment of the proposed network transition device. The figure depicts the two essential components forming the network transition device, namely the network termination unit 1 and the transceiver 2, implemented as a pluggable module, before they are assembled to form the network transition device and before it is connected to a network access device 3 of a customer's / user's local network. The aforementioned network access device 3 of the customer / user (switch, router, or the like), which as such is not part of the invention, is only indicated in the illustration.

[0025] The network termination unit forming the subject of this application consists, as already mentioned, of the aforementioned transceiver 2, which is designed as a pluggable module, and the network termination unit 1, which is specially designed and has a plug-in socket for the pluggable transceiver module (transceiver 2). Accordingly, as can be seen, the network termination unit 1 is itself also designed as a pluggable module. It is designed for direct connection to the customer's / user's network access device 3, namely for plugging into a port 4 (plug-in port) provided for this purpose on the relevant switch or router.

[0026] In the example shown, the pluggable transceiver module is a transceiver 2 in the form of a QSP module (Quad Small Form-Factor Plugable), which is already known from the prior art and is used in practice. The electrical and electro-optical functional units of the network termination unit 1 and the transceiver module are not shown in the illustration.

[0027] The Fig. Figure 2 shows the two components forming the network transition device again after they have been assembled, i.e., after the pluggable transceiver module (transceiver 2) has been inserted into the network termination unit 1, and after they have been connected to the customer's / user's network access technology, i.e., to a network access device 3. For connection to the network access device 3, or rather to the switch or router, the network transition device, namely its network termination unit 1, which is also designed as a pluggable module, has been inserted into a pluggable port (port 4) of the network access device 3.

[0028] The in the Fig. 1 and Fig. The second design of the network transition device shown already offers significant advantages over the prior art. As will be immediately apparent to those skilled in the art from the illustrations, it is particularly compact and therefore requires little installation space in practical applications. Furthermore, no active cooling is required, which significantly reduces the energy consumption during its operation. The network transition device is powered via the customer's / user's network access device 3, whereby the pluggable transceiver module (transceiver 2) inserted into the network termination unit 1 is supplied with power by the network access device 3 via the network termination unit 1 of the network transition device. At the installation site, the air can circulate freely around the components of the network transition device, so that active cooling is generally unnecessary.

[0029] Nevertheless, it has been shown that in the previously presented, through the Fig. 1 and Fig. In some cases, the training configuration shown in section 2 may still present temperature problems. Furthermore, this training configuration could potentially lead to mechanical issues due to its design. Such problems could arise because the network termination unit 1 and the pluggable transceiver module (transceiver 2), assembled from the network termination unit 1 and the pluggable transceiver module 2, have an elongated shape similar to a rod and a length that could create undesirable leverage at the plug-in port (port 4) of the customer's / user's network access device 3. The further developed training configuration according to the above addresses both of these aspects, which may be associated with certain disadvantages in specific applications or under certain operating conditions. Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 counteracted.

[0030] The Fig. Figure 3 shows the aforementioned further development of the network termination unit with regard to its mechanical design. In this design, the pluggable transceiver module (transceiver 2) is not plugged directly into the network termination unit 1 of the network termination unit, but rather into a separate housing 8, designed as a plug-in socket, which is detached from the network termination unit. This separate housing 8, and with it a pluggable transceiver module inserted into it (transceiver 2 shown in the drawing before insertion into the housing 8), are connected to the network termination unit 1 via a cable 9. This cable provides power to the transceiver 2 and facilitates data exchange between the transceiver 2 and the customer's / user's network access equipment 3, when the network termination unit 1 is plugged into the latter.

[0031] The network termination unit 1 otherwise has a training format according to the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. The design is fundamentally comparable and, as can be seen from the figure, is also plugged directly into a port 4 provided for this purpose on the customer's / user's network access device 3. The separate housing 8 for the transceiver module (transceiver 2) can, as in the example shown, advantageously be equipped with a passive heat sink 10, here a metallic heat sink.

[0032] The Fig. Figure 4 shows the network transition device according to the Fig. 3 again in a rough electrical-functional representation. Accordingly, the network termination unit 1, with which the remote housing 8 for the transceiver module (transceiver 2 not shown here, see Fig.3) is connected via a cable 9, and contains, in particular, functional units 7 for performing remote maintenance and service functions for the user of the network transition device, namely the provider of an access network to a wide area network. These units allow essential parameters, such as performance or optical performance level, signal-to-noise ratio, transmitted data traffic volume (according to the CMIS = Content Management Interoperability Service, indicating the quality of the connection of a content management system to the wide area network), or parameters that provide information about the quality of service (QoS = Quality of Service), to be continuously monitored or real-time analytical tests to be performed.

[0033] For functional testing, the relevant functional units 7 can also be configured to support a loopback function commonly used in network technology. Within the network termination unit 1, the aforementioned functional units 7 are separated from the data channel (data transmission path 6) by a splitter 5. This channel is used to transparently exchange the actual user data between the customer's / user's local network, or between their network access device 3 and the transceiver 2 (pluggable transceiver module), and thus between the access network and the wide area network.

Claims

[1] Network termination device for terminating an access network to a public wide area network and for providing access to that wide area network, comprising a network termination unit (1) equipped with remote maintenance and service functions of the provider of access to the wide area network and a transceiver (2) electrically connected to it and designed as a pluggable module, wherein the network termination unit (1) provides an electrical interface for a user's local network equipped with a network access device (3) and connectable to the wide area network via the access device and the network termination device, and a logical interface between such a local network and the wide area network, characterized by, that the network termination unit (1) is designed as a plug-in module that can be directly connected to a network access device (3) of a local network and plugged into a port (4) of this network access device (3), via which the transceiver (2) is supplied with power by the network access device (3) of the local network which is connected to the wide area network via the network access device (3) when the network termination unit (1) is plugged into the port (4) of the network access device (3), and that the plug-in module forming the network termination unit (1) includes a splitter (5) which separates functional units (7) for remote maintenance and service formed within this plug-in module from a data transmission path (6) which is transparently passable for user data exchanged between the network access device (3) and the transceiver (2) of the network transition device. [2] Network transition device according to claim 1, characterized by, that its transceiver (2), designed as a plugable module, is plugged into a housing (8) designed as a plug-in socket and separated from the network termination unit (1), wherein this housing (8) and the plugable module of the transceiver (2) plugged into it are connected to the network termination unit (1) by a cable (9), via which, when the network termination unit (1) is plugged into the port (4) of the network access device (3) of a local network, the power supply to the transceiver (2) and the data exchange between this network access device (3) and the transceiver (2) take place. [3] Network transition device according to claim 2, characterized by , that the housing (8), designed as a plug-in socket for the plugable module of the transceiver (2) and separated from the network termination unit (1), is equipped with a passive heat sink (10) for cooling the transceiver (2) plugged into the housing (8). [4] Network transition device according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the transceiver (2) is designed as a Small Form-Factor Plugable xSFP. [5] Network transition device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by , that it is designed to configure itself automatically in a process when plugged into the port (4) of the network access device (3) of a local network and to load setting parameters from network devices of the provider of access to the wide area network. [6] Network transition device according to claim 5, characterized by that this can be reconfigured in conjunction with a higher-level network management system in a remotely managed process.

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