Calix, Inc. (NYSE: CALX) says it has begun adding 10G EPON capabilities to its AXOS eSeries platforms. The new features will make the eSeries platforms more appealing to cable operators, the company expects.
As is the case with the company's AXOS next-generation GPON activities (see "Calix unveils Verizon NG-PON2 platform, the AXOS E9-2 Intelligent Edge System"), systems used in 10G EPON applications will leverage Calix's software-defined access capabilities to provide integrated support for OLT, routing, IP policy, and accounting functions – as well as other back office functions associated with the DOCSIS operating system favored by cable operators. The systems also retain their use of NETCONF interfaces and standards-based YANG models to ease evolution toward software-defined networking (SDN), particularly in combination with use of the company's DPx Connector software platform (see "Calix AXOS DPx Connector links access network SDN to existing DOCSIS environments" on Lightwave's sister site Broadband Technology Report).
Calix will add 10G EPON first to the AXOS E3-2 Intelligent PON Node, with the AXOS E7-2 Modular Access System and AXOS E9-2 Intelligent Edge System following within the next few months. The company implied in the press release announcing the capabilities that it has launched customer demonstrations of the capabilities, which should become generally available on the E3-2 within the next month. Adding 10G EPON to all three systems will provide cable operators with the flexibility to use 10G EPON in a variety of deployment scenarios, including centralized, distributed, and virtualized architectures, Calix says. The company announced last year its support of PON-based Distributed Access Architecture initiatives (see "Calix AXOS E3-2 Intelligent PON Node supports distributed access network architectures").