R&D Information

enable application programs to be downloaded safely
to smart cards via the Internet and other networks
whenever they are needed. In the future, NICE will
enable the downloading of application programs toGlobalPlatformTM cards in order to promote expansion into various fields.

For further information, please contact
NTT Information Sharing Laboratory Group
Musashino-shi, 180-8585, Japan
E-mail: koho@mail.rdc.ntt.co.jp

Joint Experiment on Broadband Network forIntelligent Social Infrastructure in the 21st Century—Application of World’s Fastest (43-Gbit/s)
Testbed System Capable of Transmitting a DVD
Movie in One Second

Keio University, NTT East, and NTT have begun
using the world’s fastest (43-Gbit/s) testbed system inan actual field environment. After signing an agreement on July 15, 2003 for a joint experiment, they
completed preparations for the test and began operating the testbed network on October 24, 2003.
Based on next-generation application research suchas the 21st Century COE (center of excellence) project promoted by Keio University called the “NextGeneration Media and Intelligent Social Infrastructure” and various other projects, this joint experiment
aims to implement a next-generation network using
an ultrahigh-speed network that can support thebroadband applications that Japanese society willneed in the future.
Background
With the spread of the Internet, broadband accessnetworks such as FTTH (fiber to the home) and xDSL
(digital subscriber lines) have progressed. We can
expect a rapid increase in data traffic and diversification of services in future, and advanced application
technology based on high-capacity networks will
spread to provide new services such as image systemcontent-streaming delivery, peer-to-peer (P2P) com100munications, Internet delivery of broadcast programs,
and large file transfer. On the other hand, core optical
networks that can provide capacity greater than one
terabit per second through a fiber have emerged, andnetworks that can flexibly handle various interface
protocols have become necessary.
Keio University, which has developed various
large-volume contents and wide-area applications toestablish the future intelligent social infrastructure, inconjunction with NTT East and NTT Network Innovation Laboratories will clarify the requirements forhigh-capacity networks in the broadband era, evaluate the network quality of the long-term applicationof these networks, and select subjects for testing on
the network system. This joint experiment should
lead to the creation of new broadband applications
that fully utilize the characteristics of the ultrahighspeed network, and system development will
progress aiming at ultrahigh-speed high-capacity
backbone networks of the Internet and high-speed
information transmission networks between data centers etc. We expect that these will be useful in implementing the intelligent social infrastructure requiredby Japanese society in the future.

NTT Technical Review

R&D Information

Overview of experimentRoles of participants

A 43-Gbit/s OTN*1 line-terminal multiplexer developed by NTT Network Innovation Laboratories andan optical repeater system capable of transmitting a43-Gbit/s optical signal were installed between theYagami and Shonan-Fujisawa Campuses of Keio
University. Large-volume content data belonging to
the university is transmitted between these campuses
using next-generation applications. This will enable
us to achieve the envisioned future data-centric communication environment and be able to evaluate andverify the connection reliability, multiprotocol transmissions, network monitoring and control, and thelong-term stability of applications. To put this transmission speed in perspective, 43-Gbit/s enables thisnetwork to transmit the entire contents of a DVD
movie in one second.
• Test period: October 2003 to March 2005
• System configuration of joint experiment (Fig. 1)

Keio University is providing the actual field sites
for the test, adjusting the large-volume content delivery environment, developing high-definition content
delivery applications, and constructing wide-area distributed IP storage. It will participate in the joint evaluation of the practical usability and data transmission
quality of the ultrahigh-speed testbed network. Keio
will also develop and evaluate a transport protocol fora high-speed and low-latency network. This advanced
experiment using Keio’s 21st Century COE projectwill enable participants to study the architecture of
the intelligent social infrastructure.
NTT East used its network to integrate an opticaltransmission line and 43-Gbit/s OTN testbed system
into Keio University’s backbone network. During thetest period, NTT East performs network operationand maintenance on the actual field applications for“end-to-end” 43-Gbit/s transmission, evaluates theapplicability of maintenance and remote supervision
as a prerequisite to long-term application, and accumulates service quality control and system integration know-how, which will be required for the futuredata-centric communications environment.
NTT Network Innovation Laboratories provided
the world’s first 43-Gbit/s OTN testbed system*1 OTN: An optical transport network using wavelength divisionmultiplexing and optical switching. The network node interface
for an OTN is standardized in ITU-T (International Telecommunication Union-Telecommunication Sector) recommendation
G.709.

e-learning
e-government
e-space

Yagami Campusof Keio University

Shonan-Fujisawa Campusof Keio University

Testbed forIntelligent Social Infrastructurein the 21st Century
High-speedLAN

High-speedLAN
43-Gbit/s OTN link

43-Gbit/s OTN
testbed system

NTT East
officeNTT East
office43-Gbit/s OTN
testbed system

NTT East, NTT Network Innovation Labs.
Network operation andmaintenanceFig. 1. System configuration of the joint experiment.

Vol. 2 No. 1 Jan. 2004

101

R&D Information

employing new international standards for an opticalnetwork using wavelength division multiplexing(WDM). The OTN based on a 43-Gbit/s channel, astandard proposed by NTT, enables the experimental
system to handle 32 channels of GbE (Gigabit Ethernet) signals at high quality without processing theclient signal. Furthermore, by applying a bandwidthefficient line coding (CS-RZ format*2) proposed by*2 CS-RZ (carrier suppressed return to zero) is an optical transmission format appropriate for high-capacity long-haul WDM transmission. It enables easy implementation of automatic compensation technology, which is indispensable for handling transmissionimpairments after transmission at 43 Gbit/s.

NTT and based on an automatic dispersion compensation function, NTT Network Innovation Laboratories upgraded the tone modulation of the CS-RZ signal for long-distance WDM transmission at over 1
Tbit/s. In this joint experiment, they will conduct astability test based on long-term actual use of applications, and verify and evaluate the system design
during testing.
For further information, please contact
Science and Core Technology Laboratory Group
Atsugi-shi, 243-0198, Japan
E-mail: st-josen@tamail.rdc.ntt.co.jp

NTT, NEC, Furukawa Electric, and Mitsubishi
Electric Succeed in the World’s First Interworkingof GMPLS and MPLS

NTT, NEC Corporation, The Furukawa ElectricCo., Ltd., and Mitsubishi Electric Corporation conducted the world’s first successful demonstration ofinterworking between legacy MPLS (multiprotocollabel switching) for IP network control and GMPLS(generalized MPLS) for next-generation photonic
network control. This interworking will produce aneconomical broadband IP network environment andlead to the smooth introduction of the next-generation
high-speed flexible backbone network without
demanding changes to the existing IP and MPLS network configurations. It will also enable the novel
high-speed and flexible network services offered by
GMPLS technology to be provided in addition toexisting IP and MPLS services. This demonstration
was performed at the Photonic Internet Lab (PIL)*1
where these four companies took part in the planning.
This interworking experiment was demonstrated
from October 26 to 28, 2003 at an exhibition booth at
the international conference MPLS2003 in Washington D.C. In MPLS2003, telecommunication carriersand vendors from around the world debated the novel102

de facto MPLS technology, which is an advanced IP
network control technology used to provide IP VPNservices.
BackgroundDue to the explosive increase in the number ofInternet users and various new services, traffic volume is doubling every year. This trend will continue
because new network applications like VoIP (voice*1 Photonic Internet Lab (http://www.pilab.org/). PIL, which wasfounded in September 2002, is promoting research and development of next-generation photonic network technologies. It encourages the submission of proposals from its members to global standardization bodies like ITU-T, IETF, and OIF. It also tests photonic network control programs developed by PIL member companies. This experiment directly supported these goals. At present,PIL consists of seven companies: Fujitsu Ltd., Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd., and Hitachi Ltd. joined after the four companies
mentioned above. PIL activities are supported by the R&D support
scheme of the MPHPT (Ministry of Public Management, Home
Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications) for funding selected IT
activities.

NTT Technical Review