Pacnet launches SDN-enabled network

Asia-Pacific service provider Pacnet has announced the beta launch of the Pacnet Enabled Network (PEN), a service platform that leverages software-defined-networking (SDN) to deliver flexible and scalable bandwidth that is configurable by customers. The service provider says this heralds a major advance in the capabilities of enterprises and carriers to build high-performance and cloud-ready networks.

Powered by the service provider’s Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) model, PEN delivers scalable bandwidth and software-enabled intelligence, allowing customers to dynamically provision bandwidth in minutes, based on their business needs, Pacnet says. PEN users are able to create a virtualized cross-connected environment leveraging Pacnet’s wholly owned fiber-optic network of data centers and telecommunications infrastructure to give them “unrivalled coverage” of financial and business centers across Asia-Pacific.

“PEN is a quantum-leap for the industry that catapults networking into the cloud-computing age,” said Jim Fagan, president of managed services at Pacnet. “With the region’s most extensive coverage of data centers and subsea cable network, Pacnet has the capabilities to execute and deliver next-generation tools to help our customers stay on top of their networking needs in the demanding world of cloud.”

Pacnet says that PEN offers customers the ability to self-provision bandwidth, manage and monitor network usage, and account information in real-time. The platform uses the Connectivity Exchange application from Vello Systems, based on the VellOS 7.0 OpenFlow-based Linux software platform, for high-performance network management (see "Vello Systems supports Pacnet's SDN deployment"). Pacnet says the platform enables it to provide seamless connectivity to a hybrid cloud service environment, giving customers the flexibility to choose their cloud vendor.

PEN customers can provision dynamic bandwidth within minutes either through Pacnet Connect, a web-based portal, or via an application programming interface (API), eliminating the need for manual processes, Pacnet adds. This gives users the control to customize and configure network based on their performance and quality of service requirements. With a flexible pricing model, customers will be billed according to the amount, quality, and duration of network use.

As enterprises embrace cloud computing to meet their business needs, the increasing volume and complexity of data traffic puts severe strain on networks that are based on traditional hierarchical architectures. Pacnet says its new network puts it at the forefront of industry efforts to meet the networking challenges prompted by the growth of cloud computing.

Pacnet expects to fully launch PEN in the first quarter of 2014.

For more information on high-speed transmission systems and suppliers, visit the Lightwave Buyer’s Guide.