NO FUSS
The core of the XKL system is the DXM Transport Terminal, a single rack unit for server racks. Designed for efficiency, ease of use, and reliability, the terminals provide Layer 1 WDM connectivity and path protection at bandwidths of up to 100 GBps. Each terminal has 10 channels, and IT departments can use a DXM "band combiner" to stack up to four boxes for a total of 40 channels. A typical XKL system costs about $100,000, or around one-third the list price of comparable telcom equipment from Cisco and Nortel, Michaels says.
DXM uses a conventional command line interface that most IT managers will find familiar. To configure and maintain the system, Michaels says, "all you have to do is type at it."
XKL has a limited track record, but the design point is to create high-speed networks that keep operating with minimal fuss. "Continuous operation is harder than people think," says Bosack. "It should be possible to take this system and run it for years in real time." So far, so good at the University of Washington. Once installed, says chief network engineer Sinn, "I haven't had to touch it again."
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Cisco co-founder Bosack is back, ready to simplify WDM fiber networks Photo by Andy Reynolds |
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The XKL system, in theory, should pay for itself. In contrast to a managed DS3 connection from a carrier with recurring monthly charges, it provides bandwidth at a per-megabit cost that declines as usage increases.
The DXM has limitations in terms of geographical range and functionality. The XKL gear lacks "carrier-class attributes," such as fine-tuned monitoring capabilities that carriers demand, notes Ron Kline, research director for optical networks at Ovum, a telecom research firm.
In terms of range, Michaels says the DXM will cover around 100 kilometers without amplification, and with amplifiers spliced in along the fiber route, up to 450 kilometers. That makes it good for metropolitan area and campus deployments, but less so for networking across long distances.
The optical network market last year was $13.8 billion, according to research firm Infonetics. While the bulk of that money came from telecom service providers, 14%, or $1.9 billion, was spent by government agencies, universities and research institutions, financial services firms, electrical utilities, and other businesses. "Most of what enterprises buy is metro WDM gear, exactly what Len Bosack is building," says Infonetics analyst Michael Howard.
