Sonus and HP Virtualize Session Border Controllers
Sonus and HP Virtualize Session Border Controllers by Robbie Pleasant
Sonus Networks, Inc., and HP have announced a joint project, which will demonstrate how virtualization can improve the delivery speed of Cloud-based Unified Communications and Rich Communications Services. The demonstration from Sonus and HP will be featured at Mobile World Congress 2014 in the HP booth.
The demonstration will feature the Sonus SBC SWe (Software edition) Session Border Controller (SBC) running as a fully featured Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) application on HP ProLiant servers. The companies will show how hardware, power, and space requirements for deploying network functions can be reduced without losing any functionality. As the network functions are virtualized, they do not require the usual assortment of dedicated hardware appliances that network operators normally have to use, which in turn makes scalability and customization easier across the network.
Sonus and HP will provide a use case for Virtual Network Function as a Service (VNFaaS), with the aim of letting service providers virtualize enterprise customer premise equipment (CPE) on virtual networks. Enterprises can use virtual services for the usual resources that are required for CPEs.
According to Jim Burton, co-founder of UCStrategies, “HP and Sonus are helping the industry more forward in a big way. Virtualizing enterprise customer premise equipment (CPE) on virtual networks is a big win for service providers and their customers. The close tie between the network and applications is an important trend to follow.”
The SBC SWe is designed to be portable and flexible, delivering unlimited scalability while still providing the features and functions of Sonus’ SBC 5000 series. As many service providers have already invested in virtualization technology or require remote network deployments, this should prove useful to them, as well as for companies that are looking to expand in geographic markets where hardware solutions may be impractical or expensive.
“HP and Sonus have architected a virtual SBC demonstration that showcases how service providers can accelerate the rollout of Cloud-based Unified Communications and Rich Communication Services,” says Werner Schaefer, HP’s VP of network functions virtualization. “By aggregating the SBC function at the provider edge, the virtual SBC accelerates rollout into both consumer and enterprise markets to enable broader deployment of virtualization technology.”
Those attending Mobile World Congress 2014 can see the demonstration at the HP Mobile World Congress booth, located at stand 3A20 in Hall 3. For more information, visit www.sonus.net or www.hp.com.