Sedona announces Hierarchical Network Controller
Sedona Systems recently rolled out its new Hierarchical Network Controller product, which automatically provisions and optimizes layer 0 to 3 services across multi-layer, vendor and domain networks.
Sedona describes itself as the global leader in multi-layer network automation and control. Its Netfusion solution serves as an intelligence and automation app platform. The software acquires core and metro network data through a patented and automated discovery method, and maps topology, traffic and services into a live, unified network model, according to the company.
Sedona said it believes its Hierarchical Network Controller will play a major role in the successful deployment of software-defined networking (SDN) in real-world service provider networks, which consist of equipment and software systems from different vendors running at multiple layers.
SDN is an architecture that allows network traffic to be steered from a centralized control plane automatically using application program interfaces (APIs). With SDN, optimal routes for traffic flows are carried by inexpensive switches across the network. Whenever a packet of data is forwarded to a switch, for example, policies built into the switch determine where to forward the packet next.
What makes Sedona’s Hierarchical Network Controller unique is it resides at the top of the network control layer, above domain controllers from packet and transport vendors, thereby making it “hierarchical.” This differs from other vendors that offer controllers for both the optical and IP layers of networks.
Sedona added that its new controller provides a unified interface and streamlined view of the network to service providers and OSS products. Additionally, it offers policy management and end-to-end network control by connecting with domain controllers from different IP and transport vendors, resulting in a service-aware network. The company said service providers are using the new NetFusion product as a single “pane of glass” for provisioning layer 0 to 3 services in minutes instead of weeks.
“Service-aware networks are becoming particularly important as new consumer and enterprise applications require transport networks to efficiently support a range of different service types with widely varying bandwidth, performance, and availability requirements. They will become even more valuable as 5G applications mature,” said Ori Gerstel, CTO at Sedona, in a statement. “We developed the new NetFusion Hierarchical Network Controller specifically to enable the benefits of service-awareness and we’re very pleased with the performance we’ve seen in recent customer verification testing.”
