National telecom Bell has completed work on its next-generation core network.
According to a December 4th, 2017 media release, Bell has successfully rolled out segment routing. Bell is therefore the first Canadian carrier to fully implement segment routing across its entire network.
The upgrades are part of Bell’s Network 3.0 initiative. The Network 3.0 plan saw Bell upgrade “the first four” IP core routers.
“Segment routing is a significant step forward on our mission to transform the way our network interacts with our people, processes and technology at Bell,” said Stephen Howe, executive vice president and CTO for Bell Canada, in the same December release.
“As our Network 3.0 transformation progresses, and with segment routing now in place, we now have the foundation to enable greater network reliability, as well as enhanced speed and agility from Bell in responding to clients’ needs.”
On the nature of segment routing
There are a number of different ways to explain segment routing — Cisco enjoys the airline luggage method — but the concept is actually quite simple.
Segment routing breaks down packet data that travels through a network into individual parts, or segments, with specific instructions coded into each part.
As a result, a network doesn’t need to determine how to treat individuals bits of packet data. Instead, all that needs to happen is to quickly study the instructions for each part, and send the data where the instructions say it needs to go.
According to Cisco, “segment routing utilizes the network bandwidth more effectively than traditional [multiprotocol label switching] networks and offers lower latency.”
What this means is that more information can travel at faster speeds.
Source: Cisco
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