Introduction
As an event dedicated to presenting and exploring the opportunities, applications and societal evolution made possible by the modern, high-capacity telecommunications networks, TELECOM INTERACTIVE 97 must rely on the availability of such a network to provide the essential connectivity within the internal and the external infrastructures, with a minimum of constraints, thus modelling the future of network capabilities. ITUNET 97, which is a cooperative project between ITU TELECOM and sponsoring organizations, has therefore been conceived to meet this objective.
The network supports the demonstration of new interactive networking applications and services within the event, providing connectivity within PALEXPO, including the Exhibition, Thematic Pavilions, Forum and Press Room areas, and connectivity to external networks, especially to the Internet and public telecommunication services, such as asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) networks. ITUNET 97 is based upon a backbone ATM transport infrastructure providing data communications and TCP/IP traffic support to cope with the networking needs of exhibitors and to foster collaborative demonstrations of applications and services.
The Network
ITUNET 97 consists of a high-capacity backbone network, based on ATM technologies and multiple high-capacity external links to the Internet, in both Europe and the United States and dual links to the European and international ATM networks. The ITU has selected a multi-vendor solution to encourage standardization, interoperability and interworking and the resulting network offers opportunities to demonstrate a wide range of network applications in data, video and multimedia. The high capacity of the network and its external linkages allow these applications new opportunities to demonstrate performance and cost.
The network is formed from the sponsored contributions of several leaders in the field of telecommunications networks including:
Newbridge Networks, supported by its Swiss distributor COMMswitch SA, has provided two Siemens/Newbridge Alliance MainStreetXpressTM 36170 Multiservice ATM switches in the core network, eight Newbridge VIVIDTM Workgroup switches, providing MPOA (Multiple Protocols Over ATM) services and thirty Yellow and Orange RidgesTM in the access network.External ConnectivityCisco Inc. has provided two BPX ATM switches in the core network, two LS1010 switches providing ATM services at 25 Mbit/s and two 7505 routers handling Internet traffic.
Lucent Technologies has worked with COMMswitch SA to provide state-of-the-art physical connectivity among the network elements using both fiber and UTP techniques, as appropriate and the necessary patching and routing to meet the operational requirements.
External connectivity is provided by Swiss Telecom PTT, appointed Official Provider of Telecommunication Services for TELECOM INTERACTIVE 97 and WORLD TELECOM 99, who will provide Internet services from Unisource and ATM service through the Swisswan. Additional network capacity will be provided by MCI over its global terrestrial network to connect to the Internet in the United States at 8 Mbit/s and by NETSAT over its satellite links to the United States offering a further 8 Mbit/s of capacity. In total some 20 Mbit/s of capacity will exist for Internet connection and 2 x 155 Mbit/s to the international ATM network, opening up very exciting possibilities for participants in this pioneering event.
The ITU is grateful to these sponsoring organizations for their generous support of this essential infrastructure, ITUNET 97, for TELECOM INTERACTIVE 97.
The Sponsoring Organizations
Newbridge Networks is a world leader in designing, manufacturing and servicing a comprehensive family of networking products and systems that delivers the power of multimedia communications to organizations in more than 100 countries throughout the world.
Newbridge provides fully managed networks for transmitting voice, data, image and video traffic. Newbridge end-to-end networking solutions are standards-based and incorporate both new and widely-adopted technologies including asynchronous transfer mode (ATM), frame relay, time division multiplexing (TDM) and X.25, all manageable by a single network management system.
The company's MainStreet and MainStreetXpress families of products range from high-capacity time division multiplexer (TDM) products to next generation packet technology systems, encompassing frame relay and asynchronous transfer mode (ATM). The Newbridge VIVID product family provides a switched routing solution for enterprise environments. The MainStreetXpress products, developed by the Siemens / Newbridge Alliance offer carriers the most comprehensive suite of ATM products and the largest core infrastructure ATM switch.
Newbridge Networks is an active member of leading industry associations and organizations that help define specifications and standards for ATM, frame relay, network management and other state-of-the-art technologies.
Cisco Systems is the world-wide leader in networking for the Internet. Cisco's hardware and software products are used to give people easy, reliable and secure access to information regardless of differences in time, place or type of computer system. Customers benefit from Cisco solutions through more efficient exchange of information, which in turn leads to cost savings, process efficiencies and closer relationships with customers, business partners and employees. Cisco solutions are the networking foundation of thousands of service providers, companies, universities, utilities and government agencies world-wide. Cisco is a multinational corporation with almost $6 billion in annual revenues and more than 10,500 employees.
For this network Cisco Systems has contributed Cisco StrataCom BPX wide area ATM switches, LS1010 ATM switches and Cisco 7500 high end routers. The StrataCom BPX ATM switches are interconnected and connected to other switches with STM-1 and STM-4 trunks, to form the core of the backbone. The LS1010 switches, which connect to the StrataCom BPX switches, allow connection of 25 Mbit/s ATM users via classical IP. The Cisco 7500 routers provide connection to multiple Internet Service Providers, delivered via E1 connections and via ATM on the StrataCom BPX switches. The Cisco 7500s also connect to other vendors equipment to enable outside users to access the network.
Lucent Technologies Inc. is providing the cabling and associated elements of ITUNET 97 using components from its advanced SYSTIMAXR range of products for structured connectivity in high-speed data networks.
This range of products, which includes all components designed as a total system, includes cabling, connectors and wiring blocks, patching and patch cords. SYSTIMAX products offer high performance, economy and ease of installation, while achieving high reliability and acceptable levels of EMC performance.
COMMswitch SA is an independent Swiss company specializing in ATM systems and is the official distributor of the products of Newbridge Networks Ltd. And Lucent Technologies Inc. It is based in Lausanne, offering a wide range of services throughout Switzerland in networks, including LAN (Local Area Networks), WAN (Wide Area Networks using a variety of technologies. COMMswitch offers a full integration and support capability, including cabling (AT&T Integrator), using Ethernet, Token Ring, FDDI, and ATM techniques, working with network systems such as HP OpenView, CheckPoint, FireWall etc.
Swiss Telecom PTT is a public company with 21,000 employees. Turnover for 1996 amounted to 10.4 billion Swiss francs. A revision of the Swiss Telecommunications Act takes into account European Union recommendations for a complete liberalization of telecommunications and the de-monopolization of networks by 1998.
Switzerland is a European telecommunications hub. With its 4.5 million lines and a population of 7 million, the country has one of the highest telephone densities in the world. Backed up by optical fiber technology, the Swiss network is undergoing a rapid digitization process. ISDN is already available nationwide. Swiss Telecom PTT offers the most up to date installations and transmission techniques, such as synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH) and asynchronous transfer mode (ATM). It is also launching numerous new services like virtual private networks (VPN) and intelligent network services, which are supported by efficient network management.
MCI, headquartered in Washington, D.C., provides a full range of integrated communications services to more than 20 million customers. Credited with opening up the United States long-distance market for competition, MCI is now leading the charge to bring competition to the $100 billion local market, offering American customers for the first time the freedom to choose their local carrier. With 1996 revenues of more than $18.5 billion, MCI is one of the fastest growing telecommunications companies in the world. Its wide range of services are available in many countries throughout the world.
MCI is providing a high data rate connection, through its global network, to carry Internet traffic from ITUnet 97 to the US backbone, with a capacity of 8 Mbit/s.
NETSAT is a French telecommunications company, headquartered in Paris and operated as a business unit of SDCV, the operator of the Paris Teleport. It operates in 12 countries in five continents, providing high-speed, low-cost satellite-based Internet connectivity through five geostationary satellites. An associated company, NETSAT Systems Inc. operates in the United States in partnership with the Washington Teleport.
NETSAT, in cooperation with the World Teleport Association, is providing a high data rate connection, through its satellite network, to carry Internet traffic from ITUnet 97 to the US backbone, with a capacity of 8 Mbit/s.
ITUNET 97 has been implemented thanks to the excellent work of Ken Davies, Cherif Ghaly, Luis Rodrigues and Steve Geis, all from the ITU.