Scalability in the Adaptive Network is required, as mobile device proliferation, streaming video, cloud computing, IoT, and the evolution to 5G will all put massive pressure on network capacity. Meeting the demand will require network capacity increases in orders of magnitude, as well as the need to respond to unpredictability in traffic patterns. The Adaptive Network must scale from both capacity and operational perspectives—transporting maximum capacity using minimal equipment to get the most efficiency from fiber assets, and using software-based control to offer the ability to automate processes and adjust bandwidth in real time to meet changing customer and traffic requirements.

Ciena has designed its portfolio to meet the scalability required by the Adaptive Network. Ciena’s industry-leading, programmable WaveLogic coherent optics allow providers to maximize capacity over existing fiber investments using minimal hardware, and operate alongside a flexible, reconfigurable WaveLogic Photonics layer to flexibly adjust traffic paths as needed. In addition to a highly scalable programmable infrastructure, Ciena’s Blue Planet software leverages a modular, micro services-based architecture to help network providers achieve software control and automation with greater scale, agility, and performance.