Ciena's 5164 Router is purpose-built for 5G networks that converge 4G/5G fronthaul, midhaul, and backhaul (xHaul) networks onto a common, simpler infrastructure. With dense 1/10/25GbE to 100/200GbE aggregation and support for both hard network slicing (FlexEthernet) and soft network slicing (Segment Routing), the temperature-hardened 5164 is the ideal platform to simplify and de-risk the unique 4G to 5G journeys of mobile and wholesale operators.
- Temperature-hardened with for temperature-challenged or space-constrained locations
- L1/L2/L3 low latency switching
- Service isolation using FlexEthernet (FlexE)
- Carrier Ethernet, IP routing, SR-MPLS, and SRv6 ready
- Hardware-assisted routing and switching OAM scaled to deliver 25GbE services with guaranteed SLA differentiation
- Secure Zero-Touch Provisioning (SZTP) for rapid, secure, and error-free turn-up of services
- Advanced synchronization, including built-in GNSS receiver
- Built-in RFC 2544 and ITU-T Y.1564 SAT with 100 Gb/s traffic generation and analysis
- SDN-ready next generation management including support for protocols such as NETCONF/YANG and gNMI/gRPC
- Ciena's MCP multi-layer support for end-to-end network management control and planning
5G NR RAN
5G brings the need to deliver higher capacity over the mobile network, driving the change in mix of wireline technology, performance, and services required in the access network from 1GbE to 10GbE, and increasingly from 10GbE to 25GbE - all requiring aggregation up to 100GbE or 200GbE. Additionally, the need to reduce latency for applications like Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), mobile gaming, and the growing IoT space will require Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communications (URLLC) and network slicing capabilities.
Dense, compact form-factor platform
Efficient use of real estate assets is a growing concern for MNOs, who either host their own network equipment or lease power, space, and connectivity from wholesale providers. As services multiply, MNOs must choose between stacking 10G xHaul-capable equipment and 5G NR RAN equipment, which will incur additional collocation costs. The 5164's sleek, shallow depth and front access enable and facilitate cabinet and controlled environmental vault deployment. Extended temperature range support allows for installations in uncontrolled environments for outdoor aggregation of 1/10/25GbE, enabling high capacity at the outdoor edge for both 4G and 5G connectivity.
Fine-grained SLA monitoring and enforcement
The 5164 includes performance benchmark testing based on ITU-T Y.1564 and RFC 2544, enabling end-to-end 1/10/25G line-rate traffic measurements across virtual circuits. This approach improves end-customer satisfaction by enabling operations personnel to proactively respond to network events via increased performance visibility for differentiated Service Level Agreement (SLA) reporting.
Programmable midhaul gateway
FlexE can mitigate latency impacts in the midhaul when utilizing from a midhaul gateway or transparently transporting traffic from a fronthaul gateway. Flex Ethernet (FlexE), standardized in the OIF, supports channelization as one of its use cases. The 5164 optimizes bandwidth and provides deterministic low-latency transport with FlexE. By mapping traffic into one of these channels with dedicated TDM-like scheduling, its latency and jitter will not be impacted by traffic in the other channel and bounded low-latency delivery can be ensured.
Advanced multi-layer protocol support
The 5164 supports a flexible selection of service offerings, including L2 and L3 services over a carrier-class, connection-oriented infrastructure using MPLS and Segment Routing. The 5164 operates as a full-featured IP router supporting NETCONF/YANG to easily integrate into an open SDN environment with full visibility via streaming telemetry, and automated provisioning using open APIs.
Differentiation through accelerated service velocity
Service velocity has become a critical competitive advantage for network operators, mobile, and wholesalers. In many cases, service velocity is the determining factor in winning service opportunities. The 5164 implements Ciena's unique SZTP capabilities, allowing operators to deploy packet-based services rapidly and securely in a fully automated manner. By reducing or eliminating costly and time-consuming manual intervention, provisioning errors are eliminated via SZTP. Most importantly, SZTP improves service deployment velocity and significant competitive advantage.
