Cisco, Juniper routers now orbit Cyan’s Blue Planet SDN platform

Optical transport and software-defined networking (SDN) platform Cyan (NYSE:CYNI) says it has developed element adapters that enable its Blue Planet SDN platform to automate, manage, inventory, and provision Ethernet services across a range of Cisco and Juniper Networks routers. The development of the element adapters underscores Blue Planet’s multi-layer capabilities and likely will increase the attractiveness of the platform, given the ubiquity of the Cisco and Juniper routers in the field.

The routers the new element managers cover include the Cisco ASR 901, ASR 903, ASR 9000, and ME 3600 as well as the Juniper MX960, MX480, and MX2010. The effectiveness of the element managers is limited to Ethernet services, according to Cyan CMO Joe Cumello; however, capabilities that would enable the automation and control of IP services via these routers could follow.

The Blue Planet uses auto-discovery capabilities to detect and categorize the capabilities of the Cisco and Juniper routers in the carrier’s network. It then enables point-and-click provisioning of services via a template based on Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF) Carrier Ethernet 2.0 principles.

Cyan developed the element managers at the behest of a major customer Cumello did not identify. Asked if Cisco and Juniper cooperated in the development of the element managers, Cumello did not answer the question directly, but noted that when multiple vendors cooperate in such a venture, it’s usually at the insistence of a joint customer.

The element managers leverage Blue Planet’s support of CLI and NETCONF/YANG interfaces and protocols, both of which are common in the router world. The CLI interface was important for communicating with the Cisco routers, while NETCONF/YANG (a development of the IETF) provided the key that unlocked Juniper’s door. The support of CLI and NETCONF/YANG likely will ease Cyan’s ability to bring routers from other vendors into the Blue Planet fold. Cumello said the company has streamlined the element manager development process to the point that this project took about a month.

Cyan currently is demonstrating the new capabilities and supporting customer trials. The element manager should become commercial available with the next Blue Planet software release, which Cyan expects will occur in the fourth quarter of this year.

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