Radisys, VMware Collaboration Brings Solution RMF to the Cloud

Wireless infrastructure vendor Radisys (RSYS) is working with VMware (VMW) to implement a virtualized version of its Software MRF media processor technology on VMware’s vSphere 5.5, giving service providers the ability to offer high-performance media processing through a virtualized network without a delay in service.

According to the company, the MRF software also will help to eliminate planned downtime by utilizing live migration of running Software MRF virtual machines while information is being transferred between physical servers.

Radisys said that by running its Media Resource Function (MRF) through VMware’s virtual platform, users will be able to deliver more than 90 percent capacity compared to Software MRF running on a bare metal server, according to the press release.

“We are pleased to work with Radisys and to see Radisys’ Software MRF taking full advantage of the low latency features of vSphere 5.5,” said Sanjay Katyal, vice president, Global Strategic Alliances at VMware, in a prepared statement. “With this collaboration, we’re enabling mobile operators around the world to realize the promise of the telecom cloud.”

While this offering is aimed at the telcom carrier space, it also could have implications for enterprises and large corporations adding more multimedia capabilities to their networks, especially around unified communications. The MRF is designed to process real-time audio and video media streams on a network—in this case, the service provider's.

“Bringing together the combined engineering expertise of Radisys’ media processing experts with vSphere 5.5 has enabled us to deliver an MRF solution that ensures the real-time processing performance of media packet streams in a virtualized environment,” said Denis Bouffard, director of product management, Radisys in the press release.

In addition to the Solution RMF’s functionality with vSphere 5.5, Radisys’s program will also work in tandem with VMware vSphere vMotion to give users the ability to further decrease planned maintenance for mobile operators. If the joint venture is successful, VMware will be able to add yet another partner to its ever-growing catalogue of software partners.