Siemens extends contract with Orange
Siemens AG has extended its contract with Orange Business Services to help it migrate to a
software-defined wide-area network (SD-WAN) infrastructure that will connect 1,500 sites in 94 countries.
Orange has previously worked with Siemens as a MPLS networking provider. The six year extended contract is worth approximately $294 million. My moving to SD-WAN, Siemens intends to improve network performance and agility.
SD-WAN is a way to connect and secure data centers and branch offices by applying the principles of software-defined networking (SDN) to the WAN. Orange provides SD-WAN solutions from Cisco Systems and Riverbed Technology. It is uncertain whether Siemens will choose a SD-WAN solution from Cisco, Riverbed or an alternative vendor.
“We chose Orange Business Services because we see it as a prime partner with the ability to deliver seamless worldwide SD-WAN coverage with the highest degree of security standards – especially to protect against threats from the Internet, quality of service, local support and an attractive price-performance ratio,” said Frederik Janssen, head of IT Infrastructure portfolio and strategy at Siemens, in a statement. “We were also impressed by the flexibility and the service level Orange Business Services has been providing as a trusted partner to Siemens over the past several years,” he added.
Whatever SD-WAN platform Siemens goes with will be combined with the company’s existing network using the methods of orchestration and virtualization. As part of the deal, Orange will help Siemens migrate its global infrastructure to a SD-WAN network, which will connect cloud applications as well as IoT devices. The companies said consolidating network design and maintenance with a single provider will help reduce complexity and boost application performance.
With a single-point-of-contact service desk and local presence in 166 countries, Orange said it would provide Siemens with managed network services in the 94 countries where the company operates. This builds on the long-standing cooperation and governance established throughout Siemens’ worldwide divisions and headquarters in Munich, Germany, according to the company.
“As a company with its pioneering role in innovation and technologies, Siemens set the highest benchmarks for this project,” said Helmut Reisinger, executive vice president, International, Orange Business Services. “Combining an innovative solution approach with specialization in providing robust seamless global network services, Orange Business Services has the end-to-end integration expertise to efficiently implement and manage projects of this scale, including all areas in fast-growing emerging markets and critical cyberdefense components.”
The extended contract follows Macquarie Telecom landing a SD-WAN deal with childcare center operator G8 Education last month. The company described the collaboration as its biggest SD-WAN deal to date. As part of the partnership, G8 Education plans to deploy Macquarie’s SD-WAN at over 500 childcare centers across Australia.
