Calix Updates AXOS Always On Network Platform

Calix, Inc. has announced a significant update to AXOS® which expands infrastructure APIs to enable full modularity across network functions. This important update to the Intelligent Access EDGE solution allows communications service providers (CSPs) to isolate specific functions that are targeted for upgrades and keep the rest of the network operating with zero downtime during the upgrade.

This in-service upgrade capability is the next step in enabling CSPs to run networks that fully meet the demands of subscribers, ensure an Always On service, and meet stringent service-level agreements.

As new services proliferate and network demand increases, the pace of new service rollouts is accelerating across markets. Increasingly, subscribers are also demanding network access 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Because the traditional maintenance window—between midnight and 5 a.m.—can interrupt as much as 25 percent of network traffic, many CSPs are struggling to keep up with the pace of upgrades. This breakthrough AXOS release enables CSPs to eliminate the maintenance windows commonly required between major upgrades while ensuring new services are rolled out rapidly. By eliminating these maintenance windows, AXOS gives CSPs the ability to deliver uninterrupted services to subscribers.

“As we continue to grow our network and connect more southern Colorado communities to fiber broadband, it is critical that we maintain network connectivity throughout the process,” said Josh Wehe, director of operations for Colorado-based Jade Communications. “With this new Always On in-service software upgrade capability, our subscribers are assured their connection to our network remains seamless. Partnering with Calix has already delivered massive operational efficiency improvements for us, and this new AXOS capability will ensure we continue to upgrade and maintain the services we deliver without the interruptions that might have marred our subscribers’ experiences previously.”

Built with a modular architecture, the AXOS platform delivers dramatically simplified and stateful operations that enable CSPs to ensure their access networks are Always On. By targeting a single software module for upgrade, AXOS enables the rest of the network to continue running uninterrupted. Furthermore, when the module is updated, it restarts exactly where it left off. The result is a complete in-service network update that enables CSPs to maintain subscriber connectivity throughout the process.

“Scheduling software maintenance windows has historically been an unfortunate reality of operating a network but one that is necessary to fix critical software or system defects or to eliminate a vulnerability,” said Michel Langlois, chief development officer, Intelligent Access EDGE products for Calix. “Entering 2021, we are excited to give CSPs the ability to perform these complex changes without interrupting any of the services they provide. This expansion of our AXOS Always On capability ensures that critical network and system functions remain available even during software updates. When combined with the comprehensive, self-healing network capabilities of AXOS, this elimination of planned maintenance windows is an important step in the journey to decrease risk and eradicate operating costs from maintenance. This enables CSPs to be sure their connectivity will meet the ever-increasing, 24x7 demands of their subscribers while their networks continue to perform at their best.”