More and more optical network elements are now using IP based management networks. However, a large installed basis still uses OSI based management network. IP and OSI networks are not compatible, so how to make these heterogeneous systems coexist and interoperate? At network level, the solution is to use tunneling. Then OSI networks can be used as datalink for IP traffic or IP networks can be used as datalink of OSI traffic. Nodes remain incompatible but can be used transparently to convey traffic. Installing tunneling functions at the boarder of each world allows to mix heterogeneous Data Communication Networks.

MARBEN™ Products provides a highly flexible solution to interconnect TCP/IP and OSI networks in a transparent way, hiding all complexity to the applications.


Translation device

A major issue exists with heterogeneous DCN made of TCP/IP access networks and OSI embedded networks. How to make management application and agent still communicate in a seamless manner. This is the role of Translation devices to make this protocol adaptation or convergence by implementing applicative gateways. Such Translation Devices have been defined by the NSIF both for TL1 communication and File transfers.