Are legacy multiplexers slowing down your grid modernization and automation efforts? Today would be a great day to start replacing them. And Nokia is ready to help.

Why aging multiplexers need to go

Virtually every power utility is now focused on modernizing the grid and preparing for the new energy future. For many utilities, this means migrating essential systems from legacy time-division multiplexing (TDM) networks to modern IP/MPLS-based networks that can support the digital transformation of grid operations. It also means embracing new communication architectures such as the IEC 61850 standard, enabling automation within and beyond substations.

Legacy multiplexers based on SONET are a key target for these migration efforts. These devices have played an important role in grid communications for decades but are now beyond end of life. They don’t have a role to play in the smart, automated grids of the future.

Utilities need to keep moving forward with their modernization efforts. Finding and deploying an effective replacement for aging multiplexers is a critical and urgent matter. If you’re still using these multiplexers, it’s time to move on.

Choose a proven solution for multiplexer migration 

Nokia can help you get started today with a complete multiplexer migration solution built around the 7705 Service Aggregation Router (SAR). This proven solution has been the trusted choice of hundreds of utilities over the past 15 years. It provides efficient support for legacy systems and emerging grid technologies, and can ease the rollout of new communication architectures across the grid. 

7705 SAR offers the market’s most complete multiplexer migration solution. It can support your upgrade and replacement needs every step of the way, from design to trial, production deployment, and evolution for emerging and future grid applications. We back the solution with 24/7 technical support and expert engineering consulting services for network design and service migration.

Use multiplexer replacement to accelerate grid transformation

Replacing your legacy multiplexers with the 7705 SAR is easy. It enables you to use the flexibility of IP/MPLS technology to support your legacy TDM systems and add new applications and capabilities that make your grid more resilient, flexible and secure, as well as easier to manage.

Let’s look at how the 7705 SAR can help you use multiplexer migration as a springboard for building a modern, automated grid that’s ready for any challenge, from improving the performance of safety-critical applications to defending your operations against new cyber threats.

Figure 1: Nokia 7705 SAR-8

Ensure a smooth migration 

We provide a diverse range of TDM and analog interfaces that let you maintain seamless communications for your legacy systems during and after migration to IP/MPLS. Our solution offers proven interoperability for critical applications such as teleprotection, current differential protection, SCADA and analog operational voice. Many utilities have successfully migrated their safety-critical communications to our solution.

Improve differential protection with hitless network redundancy 

We help you enhance the performance of differential protection systems with a unique mechanism that enables hitless network redundancy for TDM circuits. This mechanism combines three Nokia innovations: 

• Active/active hitless pseudowire redundancy switching, which replicates and transmits differential relay data over up to four active IP/MPLS paths simultaneously. If communications are disrupted on one or more paths, the failover is seamless and there is no impact on protection performance.
• Asymmetric delay compensation (ADC), which prevents delay asymmetry. This ensures that communications between line differential protection relays are never interrupted.
• A hitless control card architecture that sustains all communications if the active control card fails.

Together, these capabilities ensure 0 ms convergence—even during multi-fault failures. This performance exceeds the capabilities of SONET and attains the 0 ms network recovery goal for differential protection defined in IEC TR 61850-90-12:2020. We have validated these innovations through extensive testing with industry partners and showcased them at CIRED and CIGRE.

Extend precise synchronization across the WAN

We provide flexible solutions that let you use GPS, IEEE 1588 Precision Time Protocol (PTP) and synchronous Ethernet to distribute precise time synchronization data to devices and applications across the wide area network (WAN). Our smart Best Time Transmitter Clock Algorithm uses timing source and network redundancy to ensure high synchronization availability.

Speed your journey to OT virtualization

Our solution supports multiservice network segmentation to ensure consistent network performance for operational technology (OT) and IT applications. It will help you bring emerging capabilities such as OT virtualization and private OT cloud to your grid.

Protect your grid from quantum threats

In line with FERC's priority on grid security, our solution integrates quantum-safe encryption and a stateful firewall to protect your grid against cyber threats emerging from the rapid evolution of quantum computing technology. You can use these capbilities to build a multilayer defense-in-depth framework that than keep your grid safe from any quantum attack—starting today.

Cross-domain grid communication management

Our solution is managed by Nokia Network Services Platform (NSP) Utilities, a service automation and management platform custom-designed for utility networks. Through capabilities that range from a ready-made provisioning template for teleprotection to jitter buffer monitoring, NSP lets utilities take control of grid communications to ensure seamless and reliable network operations.

Start your IP/MPLS migration journey today

Ready to start replacing your end-of-life multiplexers or updating your aging WAN infrastructure? Get in touch with our utilities team.

Visit us to learn more about how our solution can help you take on these challenges and unlock the benefits of a flexible and resilient IP/MPLS network.