Partner
Communications Selects Cloudify and VMware to Help Deliver
an Open-vCPE and SD-WAN Solution in Record Time
Telecom
has taken ‘orchestration-first’ approach with open-source
orchestration software to virtualize its network functions
in less than one-third the normal time
Cloudify
and VMware, Inc. (NYSE: VMW), today announced the companies
are helping Partner Communications (Nasdaq and TASE:
PTNR) implement a novel approach to network functions
virtualization (NFV) that has resulted in a rapid conversion
to NFV and a reduction in cost-per-customer to deliver
network services.
Partner
Communications, a leading Israeli Telco group, selected
Cloudify and VMware to launch its new vCPE and SD-WAN
solution called V-NET. Based on the open-source TOSCA
standard, V-NET was delivered through a unique, cloud-native
approach to network service orchestration using an
agile/incremental approach referred to as “orchestration
first.” The approach focuses on designing and deploying the
NFV orchestration and automation capabilities first atop the
company’s existing network infrastructure (physical or
virtual). New virtualized network services can then be
deployed in days or weeks rather than months.
Novel
Orchestration-First Approach Reduces Barrier for NFV
Adoption
To
date, most approaches to NFV adoption follow a process in
which a new, virtual infrastructure is built from the ground
up to replace the existing physical network functions. Then,
virtualized network functions are deployed atop the new
infrastructure. Finally, the critical components of
orchestration and automation are added prior to launching
the new NFV services. This process typically takes 12-18
months and involves multiple cycles of vendor selection,
internal training and POCs.
Cloudify
and VMware delivered to Partner Communications the solution
very quickly. The team first deployed automation for the
manual steps of setting up and configuring physical network
functions and firewall services on Partner Communications’
existing VMware platform. This new “orchestration first”
approach takes advantage of a
collaboration between Cloudify and VMware
that accelerates NFV adoption. Users of Cloudify with VMware
vCloud NFV™ can deploy new VNFs over their hybrid cloud
deployments, automating lifecycle management. They also can
correlate information gathered from both software platforms
to deliver improved performance and utilization of the
underlying hardware.
The
approach enabled Partner Communications’ operational team to
employ pluggable open VNFs. These were easily integrated
with existing billing and activation services. As a result,
Partner was able to move V-NET to production in less than
six months. V-NET provides a complete self-service
experience for managing its network services.
Cloudify
and VMware collaborated on this “open vCPE” solution
enabling Partner Communications to deliver a new, virtual,
managed service offering. The Open vCPE (virtual customer
premises equipment) solution includes the VMware NFV
Infrastructure platform, the Cloudify Orchestrator, virtual
firewall and router functions and both CPE and vCPE customer
premise options. Open vCPE delivers all of the core benefits
of a vCPE services model, with the added value of being
open, by using any CPE or vCPE and any VNF to build an
end-to-end virtual managed service.
Capabilities
and Benefits of Partner’s V-NET System:
- Network
traffic management for central IT and branches via a single
interface
- Backups
of up all communications, services and information security
systems, including cellular, wired and fiber optic,
operating in parallel and providing continuity of service
- Rapid
setup of new branches and connections to the network
- Automated,
real-time alerts covering problems at branches locations
- Simplified
network policy management for the organization and branches
Supporting
Quotes:
Raz
Bartov,
Vice President Technologies and IT, Partner
Communications
“NFV
is fundamentally changing the way communications services
are provided, and Partner is pleased to be leading the way
in our market. 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.”
Nati
Shalom, Chief Technology Officer, Cloudify
“Lowering
the barriers to entry for NFV adoption is our first
priority. It’s one of the reasons we’re a founding Platinum
member of the ONAP community, where Cloudify is aligned with
the future direction of NFV adoption. Our
orchestration-first, open source, cloud-native approach to
NFV adoption reduces the learning curve and accelerates VNF
on-boarding. Working with Partner, we’ve achieved another
milestone, lowering cost and complexity barriers so that
Tier-2 carriers can adopt NFV. This approach to NFV adoption
will shape how NFV projects look going forward.”
Honoré
LaBourdette, Vice President of Market Development, Telco
Group, VMware
“Communications
service providers such as
Partner can benefit significantly from network functions
virtualization based on open architectures and proven
underlying infrastructure such as VMware vCloud NFV. By
joining together with Cloudify and Partner, we are
demonstrating a model for network evolution that can
improve service agility and velocity to drive revenues,
while simultaneously reducing overall costs for greater
profitability.”
Source: Cloudify
and VMware media announcement