DevOps toolkit simplifies Blue Planet SDN/NFV virtual service creation: Ciena

NEW DELHI: Networking solutions provider Ciena unveiled a new enhancement to its Blue Planet network and service orchestration platform that will give network operators a powerful DevOps-style approach that speeds up the creation and delivery of new on-demand, virtualized services within their SDN and NFV enabled networks.

Ciena’s Blue Planet DevOps Toolkit features a set of software development tools that can be utilized by network operators’ in-house personnel, and in collaboration with ecosystem partners, to modify new services and add new virtual and physical network resources more quickly and easily.

"The result is a significant reduction in cost and dependence on professional services associated with monolithic, vendor-controlled back-office systems," the company said in statement.

"For example, with the Blue Planet DevOps Toolkit, network operators can utilize their own product development, IT and network operations teams to collaborate in the creation and on-boarding of new virtual network functions (VNFs) such as virtual firewalls, physical network domains such as Layer 2 metro networks, and virtual domains such as a third party cloud, and ultimately deploy these resources as components of new service offerings," it added.

Key Facts:

• Today, developing and deploying new telecom services can be a tedious, time-consuming and operationally inefficient process. One that is heavily dependent on vendor-specific, hard-coded back-office systems. It also typically requires professional services which results in slow service delivery, high costs, and decreased competitiveness for network operators.

• With a DevOps approach, network operators gain greater control and self-sufficiency in service creation and delivery to meet today’s business challenges. Propelled by the ongoing transformation to SDN and NFV, DevOps enables better collaboration among product development, IT and network operations teams to improve operational efficiency, accelerate innovation, and accelerate “concept-to-revenue” for new services.

• Ciena’s Blue Planet DevOps Toolkit consists of a set of software development tools and community resources that allow operators to integrate network resources such as devices, functions, or domains (physical or virtual), as well as customize service templates, with the Blue Planet Network and Service Orchestration software. It is also complemented with the Blue Planet Developer Community portal that facilitates open source-like collaboration between Blue Planet customers and ecosystem partners, online documentation and training tools, and features “libraries” of available resource adapters and service templates.

• Available in June 2016, the Blue Planet DevOps Toolkit offers a number of benefits to Ciena customers, including reduced operational costs, less network complexity and a level of service programmability that was previously unachievable. The DevOps Toolkit is being utilized by a number of leading global network operators today.

“Open, multi-vendor, multi-domain networks unlock an operator’s full potential of delivering disruptive user-enabled services, and at ADTRAN, we are committed to leveraging partnerships and programs that help make this a reality. We see real value in how Ciena’s Blue Planet DevOps Toolkit in concert with open solutions like our software-defined access portfolio are helping our mutual customers accelerate their transformation to more open, programmable and scalable networks," siad Robert Conger, Associate Vice President, Cloud and Portfolio Strategy, ADTRAN.

“The DevOps approach to networking will be instrumental to network operators because it allows them to significantly improve service velocity, reduce costs and strengthen their ability to compete in today’s challenging business environment. As a recent addition to Ciena’s Blue Orbit ecosystem, LightRiver Technologies looks forward to leveraging our software investments, and the new Blue Planet DevOps Toolkit, as it will allow us to provide greater value to our joint customers, delivering software automation and virtualization specific to their needs," sDean Campbell, Chief Technology Officer, LightRiver Technologies.

“Network providers are increasingly competing as digital service providers, not simply communications service providers, in the wider digital economy. As a result, they strive to improve network operations and service creation and launch by shifting to a more nimble DevOps approach. Developer communities and tools like Ciena’s Blue Planet DevOps Toolkit give network providers more control over software build/buy decisions; limit custom development requirements; and facilitate faster deployments by streamlining internal and third-party collaboration," said Dana Cooperson, Research Director, Analysys Mason.

“Customers have made it clear that the ‘old way’ of doing business is unsustainable. Blue Planet and the DevOps Toolkit have been selected for key global engagements recently because choice, openness, empowerment, and self-service are key components of our software. Ciena is leading this revolution and our Blue Planet DevOps Toolkit allows network operators to integrate their IT, product development and operations to create an interconnected ecosystem that reduces the time required to offer new services and quickly adapt their network to changing market needs," said Kevin Sheehan, Vice President, Global Customer Operations, Blue Planet Division, Ciena.