TE SubCom Launches Ocean Control Suite

TE SubCom, a TE Connectivity Ltd. company specializing in undersea communications technology, has introduced its Ocean Control suite. This technology represents a leap forward in network control efficiency through software-defined networking (SDN). By enabling automated control over all parts of a communications network, the Ocean Control suite offers extensive remote programmability and control of an entire communications network, both terrestrial and undersea. This will substantially increase the capabilities, efficiencies and options available to an external orchestrator.

The suite uses RESTful application programming interfaces (APIs) with read and write functionality to interface with undersea network elements like Wavelength Selective Switch Reconfigurable Optical Add Drop Multiplexer (WSS ROADMs). SubCom partner Ciena is among the first to take advantage of the new API capabilities, which will be demonstrated to a select audience in Ciena’s Ottawa labs throughout May.

The first release of Ocean Control is available now with the full support of SubCom’s enhanced Line Monitoring System (eLMS). Two additional releases are anticipated later this year that will further expand and enhance the Ocean Control suite’s functionality to cover all major wet and dry network elements.

Mark Enright, vice president, customer solutions of TE SubCom, said, “The Ocean Control suite enables us to further strengthen SubCom’s commitment to customers, through our partnership with Ciena. With this new technology, we’re building the API platform that will underpin the future of an optimized network control interface.”

“We look forward to the opportunity to put the SubCom APIs to good use. They will provide a seamless integration into our Blue Planet Manage, Control and Plan (MCP) domain controller to enable the automated delivery of services across Ciena packet-optical networks, and more programmable management,” said Ian Clarke, vice president, global submarine systems of Ciena.