BT has announced an extension of its strategic partnership with Cisco to include two new capabilities: a new Cisco-based customer premise equipment virtualisation solution managed by BT (BT Connect Edge) and the integration of Cisco’s network automation and orchestration software platform into BT’s networking offerings (BT Connect Services Platform). The new capabilities are part of BT’s Dynamic Network Services initiative, designed to give BT customers more choice, security, resilience, service, and agility in the roll-out of future networks that support their digital transformation.
The combination of Connect Edge and Connect Services Platform will allow customers to cut the time and costs needed to deploy network functions such as routing, acceleration and security across their global estate, while de-risking the transition from standalone hardware-based appliances to a fully virtualised network environment.
With Connect Services Platform, customers will be able to deploy new network functions at branches and remote locations within hours, using the integrated BT and Cisco technology. These functions will run on the Connect Edge multi-functional hardware, combining the strengths of Cisco’s Enterprise Network Compute System (ENCS) platform with BT’s global service management, design capability, security wrap and support coverage. This will provide customers with a secure end-to-end service that avoids the pain and time of having to deploy new devices when new functionality is needed. These functions will be deployed and managed remotely without the need for specialist technical staff to visit each site for installation. As a BT-managed service, the solution will support virtual network functions (VNFs) from multiple vendors and will be accessible to customers via their BT MyAccount portal.
Connect Edge is a new virtualised customer premise equipment (vCPE) service based on Cisco’s ENCS technology enabling network functions virtualisation (NFV) for the branch. The associated virtual network functions will run via BT Connect Services Platform, BT’s new managed services solution.
In order to deploy its new virtualisation offerings, BT has integrated Cisco’s Network Services Orchestrator (NSO) software platform and virtual Branch Core Function Pack into its own networks and uses network automation to deliver high-quality services faster and more easily to its customers. The NSO platform will improve BT’s ability to simultaneously manage, improve and orchestrate service delivery across NFV projects, software-defined networking (SDN) offerings and more traditional networks.
