Alcatel-Lucent has launched a full range of IP edge routing virtualized solutions as a cloud based service for large enterprises and service providers. Alcatel-Lucent's Virtualized Service Router (VSR) portfolio, an extensive suite of Virtualized Network Function (VNF) software applications that will allow IP networks and services to scale flexibly as demand grows is made available for deployment and the company will continue to roll out more services in 2015, said Alcatel.
According to Alcatel, the new portfolio provides both the router software and specialized hardware necessary to build a flexible network with the right performance and economics for the cloud era. Alcatel added that by deploying both hardware and software-based routing functionality, service providers will have the best of both worlds, able to evolve networks at their own pace and choose the service delivery to meet the specific needs of their customers. For example, they could opt to support the ultra-high capacity and performance service demands of large enterprises with hardware-based routers, and meet the needs of smaller business customers with the flexible VSRs.
- Alcatel's VSRs are supported by Alcatel-Lucent Service Router Operator System (SROS) and managed by the 5620 Service Aware Manager (SAM), enabling service providers and enterprises to seamlessly deploy the VSRs alongside its hardware-based routers.
Michael Howard, Co-founder and Principal Analyst, Infonetics Research
The telecom industry has been waiting to see how router vendors will play in the new reality of an SDN/NFV software focused world. Alcatel-Lucent is the first major router company we’ve seen that has clearly defined a complete hardware-software strategy to deliver routing in this new era. Carriers will like the fact that the new Virtualized Service Router software is built on Alcatel-Lucent’s long-in-the-field SROS carrier routing code. We know from our research that a majority of service providers want to move some edge router functions off of hardware onto software, and VSR gives them the flexibility to quickly deploy new services on a new cost basis through a combination of virtualized and purpose built edge routers.
Michel Combes CEO of Alcatel-Lucent
Virtualization is at the heart of the second chapter of the Shift Plan, which sees us focused on driving the future of communications through innovation, transformation and growth. With the announcement of the most complete portfolio of virtualized IP Edge router functions, Alcatel-Lucent asserts its technological leadership and creates a seismic industry-shift. We know that NFV is a key part of how the router business will evolve and we have leveraged our IP networking expertise to deliver this extensive software portfolio. Together with our class-leading hardware router portfolio we are able to deliver the most comprehensive router-centric offer on the market.
