Infinera Announces ICE-XR Pluggables Availability and a Suite of Open Optical Automation Solutions

Rhea-AI Summary

Infinera (NASDAQ: INFN) announced the availability of its ICE-XR, an innovative suite of intelligent coherent optical pluggable solutions for both point-to-point and point-to-multipoint applications. This technology offers up to a 70% reduction in network costs and integrates system-level functionality onto a pluggable, enabling enhanced visibility and service activation. Trials for ICE-XR will begin in the latter half of 2022, with general availability expected by year-end. Additionally, Infinera introduced the Open Optical Toolkit, aimed at assisting network operators in leveraging coherent optical technology across platforms.

Positive

• Introduction of ICE-XR solutions, offering up to a 70% reduction in network costs.
• Deployment flexibility with 400G, 200G, and 100G options in standard form factors.
• Integration of advanced intelligence into pluggable solutions for improved network management.
• Potential for significant market demand in next-generation services like 5G and enhanced broadband.

Negative

• None.

SAN JOSE, Calif., March 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Infinera (NASDAQ: INFN) today announced availability dates for Infinera’s ICE-XR, the industry’s first suite of intelligent coherent optical pluggable solutions capable of supporting both point-to-point and point-to-multipoint applications. In addition to enabling dramatic network simplification, ICE-XR pluggables are designed to support a diverse set of network applications and can provide as much as 70% reduction in network costs. The company also announced the introduction of its Open Optical Toolkit, a new suite of open optical automation solutions designed to enable network operators to leverage the power of coherent optical technology in any platform across any optical infrastructure.

Infinera’s ICE-XR pluggables will initially include 400G, 200G, and 100G options in industry-standard CFP2 and QSFP-DD form factors to enable ease of deployment in a wide variety of networking devices. With 0 dBm launch power and low out-of-band noise, ICE-XR pluggables are optimized for seamless deployment over a wide variety of network infrastructures, including colorless/directionless fixed- and flexible-grid ROADM networks. Infinera’s ICE-XR also introduces a new level of intelligence into a pluggable solution, integrating system-level functionality onto a pluggable. This combination enables end-to-end visibility, accelerated service activation, and traditional optical system-level control even when deployed in non-traditional optical networking equipment.

ICE-XR pluggables are designed to support a diverse set of network applications from regional to metro, DCI, and access, including single-fiber bidirectional and PON overlays. Infinera will begin ICE-XR trials in the second half of this year, with general availability expected by the end of the year and volume ramping in the first half of 2023.

Infinera also announced today its Open Optical Toolkit, a suite of automation solutions that enable network operators to maintain a seamless operational experience as optical networks become increasingly open and heterogenous, with coherent optical engines from numerous suppliers deployed in a wider variety of network platforms such as routers, switches, compute platforms, and mobile radios.

The Open Optical Toolkit includes Open Wave Manager (OWM), a modular software application designed to enable network operators to seamlessly deploy and operate coherent optical engines from any supplier over any optical line system. OWM will expand the choices for network operators, ensuring that they can choose from the best-in-class coherent optical technology to meet their specific application needs.

Infinera’s Open Optical Toolkit also includes Infinera’s Intelligent Pluggables Manager (IPM). IPM is part of an open and collaborative approach to the management of coherent pluggable optics defined by the Open XR Forum. This approach decouples the management of optical engines from the host platform, ensuring a seamless operational experience with any optical engine deployed in any host platform. This approach also promotes independent innovation cycles between the host platform and the optical engine.

“Infinera’s suite of vertically integrated ICE-XR intelligent coherent pluggables and Open Optical Toolkit offer network operators both unique networking capabilities and innovative software applications to dramatically simplify their network and enable seamless operation,” said Tom Burns, General Manager of Optical Modules & Coherent Solutions Group at Infinera. “This type of holistic approach to coherent optical networking will play a critical role in enabling our customers to efficiently roll out next-generation services including 5G, enhanced broadband, and cloud-based services.”

Infinera’s Open Optical Toolkit’s suite of automation solutions is planned to be generally available the second half of the year.

ICE-XR and Infinera’s Open Optical Toolkit will be featured this week at OFC, held from March 6-10 in San Diego, California.

Contacts:

Infinera Media:
Anna Vue
Tel. +1 (916) 595-8157
avue@infinera.com

Infinera Investors:
Amitabh Passi
Tel. +1 (669) 295-1489
apassi@infinera.com

About Infinera
Infinera is a global supplier of innovative open optical networking solutions that enable carriers, cloud operators, governments, and enterprises to scale network bandwidth, accelerate service innovation, and automate network operations. Infinera solutions deliver industry-leading economics and performance in long-haul, submarine, data center interconnect, and metro transport applications. To learn more about Infinera, visit www.infinera.com, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn, and subscribe for updates.

Infinera and the Infinera logo are registered trademarks of Infinera Corporation.

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the technical, financial and operational benefits of Infinera’s ICE-XR pluggables and open optical automation solutions, and the timing of their projected availability. These statements are not guarantees of results and should not considered as an indication of future activity or future performance. Actual results may vary materially from these expectations as a result of various risks and uncertainties. Information about these risks and uncertainties, and other risks and uncertainties that affect Infinera’s business, is contained in the risk factors section and other sections of Infinera’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Fiscal Year ended December 25, 2021 as filed with the SEC on February 23, 2022, as well as any subsequent reports filed with or furnished to the SEC. These reports are available on Infinera’s website at www.infinera.com and the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding our expectations, beliefs, intentions or strategies and can be identified by words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “should,” “will,” and “would” or similar words. Infinera assumes no obligation to, and does not currently intend to, update any such forward-looking statements.

 

FAQ

What is Infinera's ICE-XR and when will it be available?

Infinera's ICE-XR is a suite of intelligent coherent optical pluggable solutions. General availability is expected by the end of 2022.

How does ICE-XR impact network costs?

ICE-XR can reduce network costs by as much as 70%, making it economically advantageous for network operators.

What applications will ICE-XR support?

ICE-XR is designed for diverse applications including regional, metro, data center interconnect, and access networks.

What is the Open Optical Toolkit introduced by Infinera?

The Open Optical Toolkit is a suite of automation solutions for network operators to manage coherent optical engines across various platforms.

When will Infinera start trials for ICE-XR?

Infinera plans to begin trials for ICE-XR in the second half of 2022.