As 5G/IoT and AI hit the mainstream, the bandwidth consumption explosion will require new ways to optimize the IP-and-Optical convergence.
South-east Asia (SEA) is in the throes of a new digital gold rush. This boom — fueled by the pervasive adoption of smartphones and other digital devices across the region — is being further accelerated by the promise of AI, with governments in the region doubling down and investing in its potential.
Despite the transition to online channels initially being forced by the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact has remained in the current post-pandemic stage — fundamentally changing how we live, work, and interact.
Consumers remain drawn to digital content, given how quickly and conveniently they can access news articles, videos, and updates through their smart devices and ‘always-on’ and ‘instant gratification’ culture.
Consequently, these evolving consumer patterns and the increasing proliferation of AI are driving increased data consumption, marking a pivotal shift in the region’s data and digital economy.
Appeasing today’s digital consumers
As AI becomes more heavily entwined with the fabric of everyday life, SEA now grapples with the challenge of meeting growing bandwidth demands amid surging data consumption.
Evolving market dynamics and the growing adoption of new technologies are consistently pushing traffic to the edge of the network. Consumer traffic patterns are moving towards the home to support Small Office Home Office, gaming, and e-learning. Consequently, the paradigm for computing power needs to shift from centralized to distributed.
These new traffic flows and changing bandwidth requirements across the region necessitate rapid network modernization. Among different approaches to modernizing networks, IP/Optical Convergence is emerging as a promising solution that allows applications to move closer to end users for reduced latency and improved quality of experience.
IP/Optical convergence
This modernization model not only optimizes network performance but also addresses the evolving demands of South-east Asia’s user-centric and latency-sensitive AI-driven digital landscape.
IP/Optical convergence is nothing new: at its core, it is all about streamlining and simplifying networking layers. However, the urgency of IP network modernization — along with hardware and software advancements — has thrust IP/Optical convergence to the forefront of current discussions on network architecture. How?
- Traditionally, traffic typically follows a hub-and-spoke configuration, moving from the access to the metro, where all services converge irrespective of their ultimate destination. In this model, separate networks support different applications and service types. However, such static and inflexible architecture poses challenges when it comes to integrating applications closer to access and aggregation zones. This rigidity only hampers the network’s ability to effectively support next-generation distributed services.
- With that in mind, we must reframe how we traditionally view IP/Optical convergence if we want to fully realize more opportunities in SEA’s digital push — including harnessing the full potential of AI. In the era of 5G and multi-cloud IP, merely merging the IP and optical layers of the network by inserting a coherent plug into a router is no longer effective. An agile and lean network infrastructure becomes critical for redirecting traffic flows to accommodate digital consumption demands across the region. What we need is a network transformation rooted in true innovation — specifically multi-layer visibility and automation that empower operators to plan, troubleshoot, and dynamically move traffic flows in a converged architecture.
- A holistic approach — inclusive of automation from multi-layer operations, and scale from an intelligent programmable optical layer — is now key to unlocking greater value from IP/Optical convergence.
At the heart of this are integrated planning and power analytics that span network layers. Much like expanding highways with additional lanes and on-ramps to accommodate growing traffic, we must streamline the transmission and processing of data to optimize network performance.
Building resilient networks in the region
There is an urgency to deliver fast and uninterrupted connectivity across the region while alleviating the strain on existing network infrastructure. To that end, networks today must be robust enough to swiftly adapt to rapid evolutions in data consumption.
Amid this need, there is a real opportunity to leverage IP/optical convergence as a new foundation for innovation. By putting the focus on simplified multi-layer operations, dynamic scalability, and network sustainability, we can cultivate more responsive, application-driven networks and realize successful IP/Optical convergence.
Only in doing so can we better position networks for the next wave of emerging digital growth and expansion in the region.
