Verizon Enterprise Solutions to use Ericsson platforms for support of virtualized global Managed Network Services platform, SD-WAN services.
Verizon Communications’ Enterprise Solutions division deepened its network virtualization partnership with Ericsson, noting the vendor will provide enabling technology for the operator’s virtualized global Managed Network Services platform.
The enabling technologies include Ericsson’s Cloud Manager and Order Care to support model-driven configuration management and provide the orchestration engine, with the vendor’s VNF Factory platform supporting onboarding and validation of virtual network functions into Verizon’s ecosystem. Ericsson is also providing closed-loop service assurance, VNF testing, and consulting and system integration services.
Verizon noted the updated platform is set to include software-defined wide area networking services in a move to broaden customer control over ordering, configuration, end-to-end automation and payment models for enterprise services. Verizon noted the self-service offering also allows for dynamic control over virtualized security packages, WAN optimization and data center load balancing.
The carrier earlier this year announced a partnership with SevOne to expand visibility into SD-WAN deployments for enterprise customers. A recent report from IDC forecasts the SD-WAN space to reach $6 billion in technology and service sales by 2020, with a compound annual growth rate of more than 90% over the next five years.
Verizon is also set to use other Ericsson solutions and services to “stimulate” a partner ecosystem for enterprise-focused VNFs, with third parties able to provide VNFs that can be tested and onboarded to the carrier’s catalog for “bundling by Verizon and selection by its enterprise customers.”
“This project grew out of Verizon’s long-standing relationship with Ericsson and builds on the successful launch of our mobile offering that leverages Ericsson’s cloud orchestration solutions to provide VPN capabilities for mobile devices,” explained Shawn Hakl, VP of networking and security solutions at Verizon. “We are jointly developing on Ericsson’s innovative and comprehensive platform to enable a wide range of secure virtual networking services to our enterprise customers.”
Verizon publicly initiated its broad virtualization plans in early 2015, announcing partnerships with Alcatel-Lucent, Cisco, Ericsson, Juniper Networks and Nokia Networks to implement an SDN platform. The carrier noted it had been working on the move for several years, including the creation of live lab environments in San Jose, California; Tampa, Florida; and Waltham, Massachusetts.
Verizon’s Enterprise Solutions business got into the game later in the year with the launch of its software-defined networking-based Secure Cloud Interconnect service for the public sector. The platform was said to provide a secure, private internet connection with consumption-based bandwidth, preprovisioned on-demand resources, application performance, various service classes and usage-based billing that can be managed through a centralized online portal.
VES last year launched its Virtual Network Service platform, which was designed to support the migration toward a virtual infrastructure model as well as be available to companies worldwide through an “as-a-service” model. Verizon noted the service would enable enterprises to take into account various locations and staffing requirements, network service and bandwidth requirements, and support security needs, which were not possible with hardware-based platforms.
A report last year from Technology Business Research noted Verizon rival AT&T was furthest along in terms of NFV and SDN deployments, but found Verizon had more recently been highlighting its work on managed SD-WAN, virtual network security solutions and cloud interconnect through its Secure Cloud Interconnect platform.
TBR also cited Verizon for being tough on the vendor community, with the research form noting criticism from Verizon on “incomplete orchestrators, not delivering on multitenant solutions capabilities, providing ‘gray’ boxes (ones that still contain proprietary designs) rather than true commodity white boxes and not fully addressing service assurance.”
TBR also found the carrier has been critical of suppliers charging for “every increment of new software functionality added to” a solution rather than business value from end-customer benefits; and “to understand that delivery options for the solution must be aligned to the service provider’s needs, not the vendor’s.”
Looking ahead, TBR said Verizon’s efforts appear to be targeting support for “5G” technology plans, with indications the carrier is “looking at aligning NFV/SDN to fulfill 5G requirements and planning to move its wireless network services closer to the edge of the network using NFV.”
Bored? Why not follow me on Twitter.
