Software_Defined_CPE

Software-Defined CPE Software-defined CPE is a new class of CPE device demanded by carriers for their SDN deployments due to its inherent support of: • Forwarding functions such as L2 switching, MPLS switching or L3 routing compatible with conventional CPE devices • Standard southbound interfaces such as OpenFlow and OF-Config • OpenFlow pipeline implementation of forwarding functions • Flexibility to accommodate upgrades and extensions to the OpenFlow protocol • Carrier class features such as QoS, protection and synchronization With software-defined CPE, carriers can program the CPE function after field deployment. For example, if the CPE is deployed in a Carrier Ethernet network, it can be programmed as a Carrier Ethernet switch. If the CPE is deployed in a PTN (packet transport network) environment, it can be programmed as an MPLS-TP capable switch. Software-defined CPE provides a vital element for carriers to build up the entire software-defined network. The benefits of software-defined CPE also extend to the system vendors who design and develop CPE devices. Today, system vendors develop protocol-specific devices such as L2 switches for Ethernet networks, L3 routers for IP networks, and MPLS routers for MPLS networks. One big difference among these devices is the depth of the control protocol stack supported. With SDN, the control plane software is separated from the hardware device, making it possible to use simpler, protocol-independent hardware. Software-defined CPE allows network functions to be realized by running software on protocol-independent forwarding engines. System vendors can now design and invest in a single hardware platform, then simply develop software to turn it into various CPE products. This saving in system vendors’ development costs will also allow system vendors to offer their systems at a lower price, reducing carriers’ CAPEX costs.