ADVA Optical Networking has introduced the FSP Network Hypervisor with the goal of bringing software-defined networking (SDN) to legacy optical networks.

According to ADVA, the Network Hypervisor creates an abstracted view of the physical infrastructure, which makes it easier to manage the photonic transmission systems and at the same time provides better network automation and optimization. A key element to the technology is that the hypervisor can act as a domain controller for the optical layer. This means that service providers can move away from static networks toward responsive architectures more suitable for a cloud-driven world.

For example, using the FSP Network Hypervisor, service providers would be able to respond to load changes and react to network failures in real-time, which they can’t do with existing technology.

The FSP Network Hypervisor can also provide customers with topology discovery and abstraction, connectivity management, path computation, and notifications. These capabilities mean that service providers will be able to self-provision services and automate resiliency. It’s also a key step toward real-time cloud connectivity.

ADVA added that the FSP Network Hypervisor has been engineered to work with all open source and commercial SDN controllers — including those from Juniper Networks, NEC/NetCracker, ONOS, and OpenDaylight. Plus, it is being used in a number of public demonstrations and proof-of-concept installations.

The company is showcasing the software at the Optical Fiber Communication Conference (OFC) in March.