VMware has announced VMware vCloud NFV 2.0, designed to modernise and transform network architectures and operations for global communications service providers (CSPs). Built from production-proven software-defined infrastructure and management solutions, the vCloud NFV platform can improve economics through accelerated service delivery, operational excellence and lower infrastructure costs. With vCloud NFV 2.0, VMware says CSPs will be able to deliver new and differentiated services on an agile, open and secure software-defined architecture today as they evolve their networks to support 5G and the Internet of Things.
VMware vCloud NFV is an ETSI-compliant fully integrated, modular and multi-tenancy NFV platform. The vCloud NFV platform combines a highly available, carrier-grade network functions virtualization infrastructure (NFVI) with Day 2 operations management and service assurance capabilities to drive successful NFV deployments and operations. With vCloud NFV, VMware is delivering openness and choice across the NFV technology stack—NFV infrastructure (NFVI), Virtual Infrastructure Managers (VIM), Virtual Network Functions (VNF) and NFV Orchestration (NFVO) — and continues to advance vCloud NFV interoperability across mobile, wireline, Internet of Things, Software-Defined WAN, and security use cases. As virtualisation is a prerequisite to 5G network buildout, VMware vCloud NFV delivers a platform for new service development today, with an architecture that will support CSP implementation of 5G implementation in the future.
“In today’s highly competitive environment, CSPs must deliver innovative services faster, with the best end-to-end customer experience and at the lowest cost. Current network architectures, including some virtualized deployments, remain rigid and expensive to build and manage,” said Gabriele Di Piazza, vice president of solutions, Telco NFV Group, VMware. “With more than 80 NFV deployments by more than 45 CSPs serving 300 million subscribers worldwide, VMware vCloud NFV enables the transformation of network architectures, services delivery, operations and economics through a more dynamic, agile network built on software.”
VMware vCloud will take advantage of new innovations across VMware’s entire virtualized compute, networking, storage and management portfolio. These will include the newest versions of VMware vSphere with Operations Management, VMware NSX for vSphere, VMware VSAN, VMware vCloud Director for Service Provider, VMware Integrated OpenStack, VMware vRealize Network Insight, VMware vRealize Log Insight, VMware vRealize Operations Advanced, and VMware Site Recovery Manager. VMware vCloud NFV 2.0 will advance three critical areas for CSPs: Service Automation, Secure Multi-Tenancy, and Operations Management while dramatically improving Carrier-Grade Availability.
The VMware vCloud NFV 2.0 bundle will be generally available in Q1 FY2018 (February 4, 2017 – May 5, 2017), and will include the following software: VMware vSphere with Operations Management 6.5, VMware Integrated OpenStack 3.1, VMware vCloud Director for Service Provider 8.20, VMware vRealize Log Insight 4.0, VMware vRealize Operations Advanced and VMware vSAN Standard 6.5. VMware NSX for vSphere 6.3, VMware vCenter 6.5, vRealize Network Insight 3.3 and VMware Site Recovery Manager 6.5 are sold separately.
