IHS Markit (NASDAQ: INFO) reports that carriers surveyed about software-defined networking and network functions virtualization (SDN/NFV) technology vendors rate Cisco/Tail-f, Nokia, and Ciena (including the Blue Planet platform it acquired with Cyan) as tops in the market.
The market research firm polled global service providers that have deployed SDN and NFV technology or plan to do so in the future for the survey.
"In our survey of global carriers, Cisco/Tail-f, Nokia and Ciena led all vendors in unaided brand awareness for SDN orchestration software," said Michael Howard, senior research director and advisor, carrier networks, at IHS Markit. "And Cisco/Tail-f and Nokia were also tops in SDN hardware and software under evaluation."
The 2016 "SDN and NFV Vendor Leadership Global Service Provider Survey" revealed that 40% of carriers plan to buy SDN/NFV technology from a variety of supplier types, including specialized SDN vendors, open source distribution vendors, SDN application software specialists, data center virtualization/orchestration software vendors and virtualized network functions (VNF) software specialists.
"Carriers envision a world of multi-supplier SDN and NFV, with centralized orchestration of network services and equipment, and new control mechanisms and network architectures. They'll use a variety of suppliers to avoid vendor lock-in," said Howard.
However, overall they have a distinct preference, the survey revealed. "Over three-quarters of our operator respondents will use telecom equipment manufacturers, among other supplier types, to supply SDN hardware and software for their networks," Howard revealed.
The top criteria service providers use to select an SDN vendor include product reliability, service and support, technology innovation, price-to-performance ratio, and management software.
For related articles, visit the SDN/NFV Topic Center.
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