Why IP-over-SONET
Rapid, exponential growth in IP traffic is forcing service providers and equipment manufacturers to increase raw bandwidth capacity for IP networks
Existing SONET infrastructure, with scalability to 10 Gbps, provides a proven, deployed bandwidth expansion path
Direct IP to SONET mapping can reduce overhead bandwidth compared to alternatives (e.g., IP over ATM) providing more bandwidth for user traffic (approximately 10-20% bandwidth savings)
Leveraging existing SONET networks to carry IP and other services can enable service integration (and cost savings) at transport layer
SONET’s network reliability and survivability can help improve IP and ISP service performance and reliability
Gigabit switched routers, with SONET OC-48/OC-192 interfaces, required to cost-effectively utilize direct IP-over-SONET interfaces, are commercially available