Ensemble, a division of ADVA Optical Networking, said that worldwide end-to-end managed service provider Fujitsu is using the Ensemble Orchestrator and Connector in its EMEIA managed network services offering. Fujitsu chose Ensemble's software because of its commercial success with network functions virtualization (NFV)-based managed services, and because it is a true open system, asserts Ensemble.
Ensemble's NFV technology will enable Fujitsu to provide its Virtual Edge to business customers throughout various countries. Hosted at the customer premises on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) white box servers, Virtual Edge willofferFujitsu's customers access to a library of virtual network functions (VNFs) on a simple subscription basis, such as software-defined WAN (SD-WAN) and virtual firewalls.
Improvements have been made to Fujitsu's managed networks, including hosting Ensemble Orchestrator centrally on virtual machines to supply and instantiatemulti-vendor VNFs and VNF service chains. According to Ensemble, the VNFs are deployed at the network edge where Ensemble Connector servesas a converged layer between the physical hardware and the virtual applications.
Ensemble Connector has carrier-grade capabilities to interoperate with third-party VNFs as a virtualized infrastructure manager. Additionally, it embeds local controllers in each COTS white box server, and offers wired and LTE connection support to improve OpenStack scalability and manageability.
"With the addition of the Ensemble application to our managed network service offering, we're giving our customers exactly what they demanded: unbeatable choice of services and total flexibility," said Simon Rees, Fujitsu CTO and head of offerings, networks and telecoms, EMEIA. "It ensures that customers can mix and match VNFs and deploy COTS servers from any manufacturer. This means we can offer services from the widest range of suppliers and provide access to the latest innovation as soon as it hits the market. What's more, customers are free to innovate and instantly respond to changing business needs."
In 2017, ADVA's Ensemble division upgraded its NFV platform (see "ADVA Ensemble upgrades NFV platform, reveals Verizon as customer"). The upgraded features include an "embedded cloud" approach that also supports deployment of SD-WAN as a VNF on a COTS server, rather than a dedicated appliance.
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