Verizon has formally announced its software-defined network (SDN) strategy in the form of a reference document it has co-authored with several major equipment vendors.
Produced in partnership with Alcatel-Lucent, Cisco, Ericsson, Juniper Networks and Nokia Networks, the document establishes interface specifications, reference architectures and requirements for t he control layer and forwarding box functions in a software-defined network.
The aim of the document is to enable Verizon’s suppliers to develop the kind of products the operator needs to realise the benefits of SDN, namely operational agility, flexible and scalable service creation, and near real-time service delivery.
"Verizon and our key technology partners have always focused on providing high-performance networks for our customers, and with this SDN architecture we will continue to ensure our network and services meet the needs of our customers, today and in the future," said Roger Gurnani, Verizon’s chief information and technology architect, in a statement that included similar sentiments expressed by the telco’s vendor partners.
Verizon said it has already laid the foundations for its SDN architecture, creating labs in San Jose, California; Tampa, Florida; and Waltham, Massachusetts. It has also invested heavily in SDN-capable cloud infrastructure.
