Telefónica to tap HP’s OpenNFV platform to drive NFV, SDN, cloud transformation
Spain-based telecommunications giant Telefónica reported a partnership with Hewlett-Packard to act as the technology provider and systems integrator for Telefónica’s virtualization infrastructure, which is dubbed UNICA. That program will see the telecom operator tap network function virtualization, software-defined networking and cloud technology to overhaul current network operations.
The deal calls for HP to provide its OpenNFV platform stack, including server, software, orchestration and networking technologies, as well as its Helion OpenStack technology and services. Telefónica plans to use those platforms to move from proprietary systems to “open, unified ‘horizontal’ architecture,” to provide improved centralized management and orchestration capabilities. That move is expected to cut operating costs across the network.
“For Telefónica, UNICA is just the first step for a wide and ambitious vision, which results in the best experience for our customers,” explained Enrique Blanco, Global CTO of Telefónica. “We are starting here with HP, not just a new way to deploy networks, even more, a new way to deploy services all based in cloud.”
Telefónica laid out its planned three-phase approach to deploying its UNICA services, including plans to virtualize noncritical systems, such as AAA and IP multimedia subsystem, deploying them as virtual network functions; transforming to NFV core networks like virtual evolved packet core for LTE; and virtualizing “critical systems” like home subscriber server and home location register.
Telefónica also said it will use UNICA to deploy cloud-based services and migrate current virtualized services as it transforms its internal management.
The deal is a significant win for HP, which last year announced plans to invest more than $1 billion toward software-based solutions that have the potential to replace HP servers and other hardware. That investment was centered on the open source OpenStack platform and is part of HP’s Helion product line.
RCR Wireless News spoke with Saar Gillai, SVP and GM for NFV at HP, on the importance of the deal with Telefónica, as well as HP’s view on the development of NFV and virtualized technologies.
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