ADVA Optical Networking Unveils NFV Strategy

ADVA Optical Networking unveiled today its Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) strategy to the industry. The strategy will be spearheaded by an extended ADVA FSP 150 Carrier Ethernet portfolio that will include a number of new Network Interface Devices (NIDs). The new NIDs will be critical for service providers that are seeking to fully exploit the benefits of NFV-based networks. In recent weeks, ADVA Optical Networking has showcased how its NFV technology can be used to virtualize customer premise equipment and to create virtualized radio access backhaul networks. With the first product announcement expected in only a few weeks, ADVA Optical Networking is currently engaging various service providers to show how they can migrate from a hardware-based network to a service-centric model.

“The migration to a service-centric network has profound implications on the functions that various network elements need to provide,” said Christoph Glingener, CTO, ADVA Optical Networking. “Replacing single-purpose hardware appliances with network-based software functions is not a small task. In particular the NID-space is undergoing significant change, leading to a new set of functional requirements. Advanced service assurance, security and openness are the cornerstones of successful NFV implementations. Our NFV strategy was defined and sharpened by intense cooperation as well as early demo testing with leading technology providers, operators and also proactive engagement with standards bodies and industry forums.”

ADVA Optical Networking’s approach to NFV provides the industry’s smoothest and safest path towards a service-centric network. Essential functions, such as advanced operations, administration and maintenance, bridge the gap between virtual and physical network functions and assure maximum network performance independent of the software appliances running on top. An advanced set of security features respond to the blurring boundaries between customer and operator domains and provide operators and end users with peace of mind. What’s more, ADVA Optical Networking’s NFV strategy is centered on openness. The company’s open architecture is fully standardized and not limited to vendor-specific orchestration solutions.

“We’ve worked closely with the industry and our customers to develop our NFV strategy. It’s this close interworking that has helped us engineer a number of key features that will prove critical,” commented Stephan Rettenberger, VP, marketing, ADVA Optical Networking. “Our customers want complete freedom to allocate servers both at the edge and in the core. And this is exactly what we’re doing. We’re the only vendor in the industry adding the necessary security and optimization features necessary for core hosting. We’re also passionate about openness and are committed to open software in the virtualization layer. We’re opposed to binding customers with proprietary network integration interfaces. No limitations, no imposed restrictions. Just openness. Ultimately, it’s this commitment to openness and flexibility in server location that has driven our entire NFV process.”