Telstra, Cisco team up for Software-Defined Networking products

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news Telstra has launched software-defined networking products that are aimed to enable Australian businesses to quickly deploy and configure services over its networks.

Developed in conjunction with Cisco, the products employ Software Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Virtualisation (NFV) to improve customer experience and “revolutionise” the way cloud, network and managed services are deployed and utilised, Telstra said.

The telco has announced three initial products, including a VPN service, that will be available later this month. Internet Internet Virtual Private Network will enable businesses to connect multiple sites and mobile workers to office networks, with encrypted links over the public Internet via Telstra’s online portal.

Already available in beta is a second product, Cloud Gateway Protection – a “virtual security appliance” that Telstra said, can be quickly deployed and configured in the cloud to protect Internet access, cloud services and Next IP networks from attacks and unauthorised access.

Thirdly, and available later this year, is Data Centre Interconnect – an extension of Telstra’s global data centre interconnect SDN product, PEN – that will enable businesses to set up point-to-point links between domestic and global data centres.

Customers will be able to configure them “on-the-fly” and choose from a number of pay-as-you-go contract terms from a single portal.

“Just as cloud computing redefined the user compute experience – with simple, dynamic configuration and provisioning – SDN and NFV technologies are redefining the user experience on the network,” said Philip Jones, Telstra’s Executive Director of Global Products and Solutions.

“By allowing us to overcome the constraints of traditional network infrastructure, the software driven customer experiences dramatically increases our agility by enabling us to quickly create new solutions, and puts the control of those solutions into the hands of our customers,” he said

Telstra said it is providing a single platform to house the new products, creating a central marketplace for virtualised managed services.

“Today’s technologies like cloud computing and big data analytics, need a network that has the power to handle bandwidth hungry applications and can think and respond instantly to changing demands: securely and reliably. These first offerings will enable our customers to enjoy all the benefits of cloud and network services, through a single, self-service portal, with on-demand functionality,” he said.

Jones further framed the new platform as a “significant milestone” for Telstra as it transforms from a traditional carrier to an “agile telco and technology company”.

Kelly Ahuja, Cisco’s Senior Vice President of Service Provider Business, Products, and Solutions, commented: “Software and virtualisation are set to transform the network and customer experience for thousands of businesses everywhere.”

“By combining Cisco’s agile and flexible software platform with Telstra’s customer focused and customer friendly range of products, we send a powerful message to the industry and a provide a clear example of how to develop and design the network services of tomorrow,” Ahuja concluded.

Image credit: Telstra

1 COMMENT

  1. Too bad Telstra have teamed up with Murdoch to trash fibre for business and help extort them in the 10k range to get fibre because their copper is inadequate. cloud services with private networks need fibre not faulty Liberal copper.

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