DriveNets, Fujitsu Optical Components, and UfiSpace join forces to accelerate open network rollouts and support IOWN Network Solution

Fujitsu Optical Components ZR/ZR+ module certified with DriveNets Network Cloud 

RA'ANANA Israel, Jan. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Fujitsu Optical Components – a global leading supplier of high-performance optical components, UfiSpace – a white box switch/router solution provider, and DriveNets – a leader in innovative networking solutions – announced the completion of testing and certification of multiple FOC ZR/ZR+ modules with DriveNets Network Cloud software on UfiSpace white boxes. The combined solution from the three market innovators delivers significant cost savings to network operators by collapsing three communications layers into a single platform and eliminating the need for standalone optical transponders. It reduces operators' hardware footprint and lowers operational overhead, floorspace, and power usage.

"Our collaboration with DriveNets enables operators to build more efficient networks and simplifies end-to-end network management," said Yukiharu Fuse, Corporate Officer, Fujitsu Optical Components. "This integration not only ensures that FOC's ZR/ZR+ modules are seamlessly tuned, configured, and managed by DriveNets Network Cloud software, but also guarantees a fully tested and validated integrated solution." 

"Our shared vision on open disaggregated networking is already making a significant change in the industry, giving operators greater flexibility in how they build their networks and allowing them to substantially improve network efficiency" said Norry Lin, Head of UfiSpace Japan. "The announcement today adds to that, expanding service providers' choice and reduction in hardware footprint."

Market leaders simplify the network of the future

The combined DriveNets/FOC solution ensures that the DriveNets Network Operating System (DNOS) supports FOC's ZR/ZR+ modules on UfiSpace white boxes beyond simply plugging them into a white box. It also supports those modules in multiple modes of operation, including ZR and ZR+.

The optical solution of FOC also includes a component from NTT Innovative Devices Corporation that aims to overcome existing infrastructure limitations with an innovative optics-based infrastructure technology that enables high-speed, high-capacity communications. This strategy is aligned with Innovative Optical and Wireless Network Initiative (IOWN^®) which aims to create a smarter world by using cutting-edge technologies. DriveNets, UfiSpace and Fujitsu Optical Components are all members of IOWN Global Forum™ which promotes IOWN, sharing the vision of the future communication infrastructure. This combined solution will become part of the IOWN Network Solution (400G) to promote open network rollout.

The IOWN Network Solution provides a switch/router capable of long-distance transmission at 400Gbps. Its software and hardware are disaggregated and consist of a network OS (software), white box switches/routers (hardware), and a 400G ZR/ZR+ optical transceiver (optical transceiver). Depending on their needs, customers can combine optical transceivers that comply with the open standard and are fully validated. For more detail, see here. This solution will be marketed and sold through various channels including NTT Advanced Technology Corporation.

ZR+ Market Momentum

Following DriveNets' recent announcements with Acacia, Infinera and Ciena, today's announcement also highlights the continued adoption of open, disaggregated networking solutions by network operators worldwide, allowing operators to mix elements from multiple vendors and avoid being locked to a specific vendor solution from end to end.

"The recent advancements in ZR+ modules simplify the connectivity of data centers that may be hundreds of kilometers apart while also creating a converged network infrastructure that reduces the number of network elements an operator needs to manage," said Nir Gasko, DriveNets VP Global Strategic Alliances. "Innovative ZR+ modules like the ones offered by Fujitsu Optical Components, combined with disaggregated networking solutions, deliver tremendous economic efficiencies to operators around the globe."

Learn more about DriveNets' solutions here.

About DriveNets

DriveNets is a leader in high-scale disaggregated networking solutions. Founded in 2015, DriveNets modernizes the way service providers, cloud providers and hyperscalers build networks, streamlining network operations, increasing network performance at scale, and improving their economic model. DriveNets' solutions – Network Cloud and Network Cloud-AI – adapt the architectural model of hyperscale cloud to telco-grade networking and support any network use case – from core-to-edge to AI networking – over a shared physical infrastructure of standard white-boxes, radically simplifying the network's operations and offering telco-scale performance and reliability with hyperscale elasticity. DriveNets' solutions are currently deployed in the world's largest networks. Learn more at www.drivenets.com

About Fujitsu Optical Components

Fujitsu Optical Components is a global leading supplier of the most advanced, high performance optical component solutions for high-speed optical networking applications including backbone networks, metro networks and data center. Our product line-up includes 100G/400G/800G Coherent Transceivers, 100G/400G/600G/800G devices like LN Modulators, Thin-film LN driver integrated coherent modulator and Coherent Receivers. For additional information, visit https://www.fujitsu.com/jp/group/foc/en/

About UfiSpace

UfiSpace is the leading provider of end-to-end open networking solutions that enhance connectivity for telecommunication companies, cloud service providers and data centers. Our passion and dedication towards customer service and engineering excellence has brought us to the forefront of networking technology innovation. We make it our mission to help our customers efficiently adopt open and disaggregated network architectures to empower them with agility and flexibility in order to address the evolving needs of their consumer and enterprise customers.

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