Verizon Announces SDN Architecture

Verizon (VZ) has announced that its customers soon will be able to reap the rewards of a software-defined networking (SDN) architecture.

The telecommunications giant this week said it will launch an SDN architecture “to introduce new operational efficiencies and allow for the enablement of rapid and flexible service delivery to [its] customers.”

So what does an SDN architecture mean for Verizon and its customers? Roger Gurnani, Verizon’s chief information and technology architect, noted that an SDN architecture enables his company to “continue to ensure [its] network and services meet the needs of [its] customers, today and in the future.”

SDN enables network programmability leveraging a centralized controller and orchestrator to program network flows, Verizon said, and will offer customers:

In addition, Verizon is working with several technology partners to launch its SDN architecture, including:

Verizon and its technology partners also have co-authored an SDN architecture document, according to the company. This document includes all interface specifications and reference architectures, Verizon said, along with requirements for both the control layer and forwarding box functions.

SDN solutions are becoming increasingly popular among organizations worldwide as well. For example, a March 2015 Open Data Center Alliance (ODCA) member survey revealed there was rising demand for SDN and hybrid cloud solutions, and many respondents indicated they were interested in solutions that blend public and private resources.

What are your thoughts on Verizon? Share your thoughts about this story in the Comments section below, via Twitter @dkobialka or email me at [email protected].