FEATURE: SDN
By centralising, SDNs have a complete view of the
network which allows bandwidth management,
restoration, security and policies to be readily
implemented and optimised.
Thirdly, SDN provides network abstraction.
Applications running in an SDN interact with
the network through service-centric application
programming interfaces (APIs) providing
programmatic access to key service attributes.
performance, reliability and security to your
end users. For many customers this often turns
into deploying three or four boxes at the branch
including a Router, a Firewall, a Wan Optimizer,
a LAN switch and a Wifi Access Point. Now, let’s
imagine that we could virtualize all these functions
and run them in software into a single box.
Trials of new Universal CPE, powered by SDN / NFV,
which delivers critical network functions into a
single box are ongoing at Orange. For customers, it
means no more CAPEX (the box is leased by Orange
Business Services) but also the ability to limit the
need for onsite expertise, leading to significant
OPEX savings.
The benefit of moving from hardware to software
does not end at this point. Agility is key for our
customers, and network virtualization offers a big
step forward. With Orange Business Services new
EasyGo self-care portal, customers have the ability to
order new services online and change their network
configuration at any time. Service activation takes
minutes where before it used to take weeks.
Mohannad Abuissa, Head of Sales Engineering - East
Region, Cisco Middle East
Charbel Khneisser, Regional Presales Director,
METNA at Riverbed
Fourthly, SDN provides for openness. Open
architecture and open APIs provided through SDN
make a vendor-neutral ecosystem a reality while
enabling true multi-vendor interoperability.
While SD-WAN and SDN are similar, there are also
great differences, given SDN’s narrower focus vs.
SD-WAN’s broader focus connecting an enterprise’s
data centres, branches, and remote users on a
global basis. With regard to the broader SD-WAN,
the advantages over traditional networking include:
Reduced hardware costs from the migration of edge
equipment into the network and implementing
network functions on consolidated appliance
platforms; holistic and centrally controlled
management over public and private cloud
infrastructures; and highly responsive delivery of real-
time data to support business functions.
Alexandre Gibouin International Business
Development, Connectivity Business Unit, IMEAR
Region, for Orange Business Services
To run a branch office connected to a hybrid
network, you probably need a number of critical
network functions to ensure the right level of
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Customers no longer want to buy a series of boxes
and are looking to vendors to deliver end-to-
end systems. CIOs are expecting simple, flexible,
automated, and agile infrastructure, so SDN is
definitely going to be here for the long haul.
The Middle East is very much at the forefront in
adopting SDN. We are seeing strong demand for
SDN from industries with complex networks that
need to quickly process large amounts of data
-especially service providers: banking and finance;
energy, oil and gas; aviation and transportation;
malls and retail; and safety and security.
DevOps teams will likely be among the first and
most important beneficiaries of SDN capabilities.
These teams are under enormous pressure to
deliver new services and applications much more
quickly than ever before. Application availability
is not a luxury anymore. Strengthening disaster
recovery and business continuity, and ensuring high
availability of services and applications at all times,
is not an option anymore.
What are the challenges of implementing SDN
into an existing network?
Ravi Mali, director regional sales, Ciena
SDN brings many benefits but change can be difficult
because of the legacy network equipment that is in
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