Solution now integrates AppFormix, expanded services, a set of pre-validated virtual functions, and an extended Red Hat collaboration to give service providers a turn-key platform to rapidly deploy new cloud services
Juniper Networks announced enhancements to Contrail Cloud to help service providers mitigate the challenges in building and operating distributed and scalable clouds. These updates, including integration of OpenStack Platform and Ceph Storage from leading open source solutions provider Red Hat, built-in AppFormix automation and visibility, pre-validated virtual network functions (VNFs) and new end-to-end support services, give carriers a far simpler path to delivering business, IoT and mobile services in the cloud.
Some of the world’s largest service providers have already proven that leveraging cloud architectures to offer business and mobility services can yield immense benefits, including service agility and speed of innovation, as well as considerably lower risk and costs. However, the road to a distributed, scalable and always-available cloud is paved with operational challenges. Tedious procurement processes, complexities in building clouds, integration and interop, coordinating support across multiple vendors, and IT skills gaps in managing carrier-grade service level agreements (SLAs) can all complicate the journey. In a poll among Juniper customers, the company found:
Respondents said “lack of visibility for all parts of cloud networks” is their top challenge in migrating to the cloud (nearly 40 percent ranked it No. 1); operational complexity ranked second; skills gaps among engineers third and rip-and-replace costs came in fourth. More than half (55 percent) of respondents indicated they are using two or more vendors in the network, which can add operational complexity.
Contrail Cloud makes deploying the telco cloud far easier through simplifying the underlying Linux distribution with Red Hat, seamlessly gleaning network insight with AppFormix, clearing the traditionally difficult task of validating VNFs by pre-qualifying, and adding end-to-end support services to smooth implementation. Companies – from telcos to mobile operators and cable providers – can use this integrated solution to easily navigate the complexities of cloud deployments and operations with improved performance and scale, and service SLAs.
Aligning with Juniper’s Cloud-Grade Networking tenets, Contrail Cloud simplifies the deployment, usability and operation of the virtualized cloud infrastructure with a proven, trusted, open and integrated software stack without compromising performance, scale and availability.
Pratik Roychowdhury, senior director of product management, Contrail at Juniper Networks said, “Realizing the benefits of the cloud is near the top of the list for strategic imperatives for nearly all service providers big and small – equivalent to keeping costs low and innovation high. Unfortunately for many, that move isn’t as easy as just flipping a switch. Based on our experiences in helping to run the cloud networks of some of the largest telcos in the world, we are introducing an easy, prescriptive path to building and operating a cloud, and making it available to all.”
Glen Hunt, Principal Analyst, GlobalData said, “Service providers are progressively looking to implement telco cloud to increase service agility in order to enable them to create and introduce new innovative services faster to market, both internally to power their business and externally to service their enterprise customers. The reality of telco cloud will be accelerated by system vendors that can help provide operational support to manage the cloud infrastructure, thus allowing service providers to focus on their core business. Contrail Cloud combined with its end-to-end support services aims to help service providers effortlessly transition to cloud and move their business forward.”
Radhesh Balakrishnan, general manager, OpenStack, Red Hat said, “We are pleased to collaborate with Juniper Networks to reduce the complexity of building a cloud and deliver an open, cloud-grade solution. As an industry leader for OpenStack and Ceph, we’ve set a clear vision for how software-defined compute and storage can play a transformational role in high-performance service provider clouds for NFV solutions. Building on Red Hat OpenStack Platform and Red Hat Ceph Storage, Contrail Cloud offers a compelling solution for customers to help them realize the true benefits of cloud and NFV.”
Amit Tiwari, vice president strategic alliances and systems engineering, Affirmed Networks said, “Through our experience supporting more than sixty live deployments globally, we have brought to bear the enabling power that an ecosystem of industry leaders working together can provide. Our partnership with Juniper is driven by supporting the needs of our customers as they continue to embrace virtualized architectures. We believe that regardless of where they are in their evolution, by providing a proven, pre-validated telco cloud solution we can significantly accelerate deployments timelines and profitability for service providers.”
