Partner Communications chooses Cloudify and VMware to help accelerate NFV solutions
Cloudify and VMware recently announced they are working with Partner Communications, formerly known as Orange Israel, on a new approach to network functions virtualization (NFV). Partner Communications is working with the vendors to launch its open virtual customer premises equipment (vCPE) and SD-WAN solution known as V-NET, which the company says can help accelerate NFV adoption.
Service providers are virtualizing their platforms at an unprecedented pace, which currently consist of a mix of native and virtualized functions. A total network transformation requires replacing a physical infrastructure with a virtual infrastructure, which virtual network functions can run on top of. Moreover, management and orchestration components must be added prior to launching the new NFV services. The process involves several steps, taking anywhere from 12 to 18 months to set up.
V-NET was created to deploy new virtualized network services in days or week rather than months, according to the company. It is based on the Topology and Orchestration Specification for Cloud Applications (TOSCA), an open standard supported by the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS). Rather than build a virtualized network from the ground up, V-NET allows a company to deploy NFV on top of an existing infrastructure, whether it be virtual or physical.
The team automated steps required to set up physical network functions on Partner Communications’ VMware platform. The company reports this “orchestration first” approach enabled them to move V-NET to production in less than six months.
“NFV is fundamentally changing the way communications services are provided, and Partner is pleased to be leading the way in our market, said Raz Bartov, vice president of technologies and IT at Partner Communications. “The Partner V-NET platform creates intelligent management of communications networks, services and cloud access, enabling IT managers to have direct access to any point or branch of the management interface, while saving significant manpower, time, hardware and money. Our decision to use Cloudify with VMware vCloud NFV to drive our NFV adoption process dramatically shortened our time to market with the V-NET platform.”
Cloudify and VMware tag teamed the open vCPE solution as part of a partnership between the two companies announced last year. It encompasses VMware NFV Infrastructure platform, the Cloudify Orchestrator, virtual firewall and router functions.
