Press Release: Nokia Networks and HP partner to accelerate operator deployment of telco clouds

Espoo, Finland and Palo Alto, Calif. – Nokia Networks and HP are collaborating on a joint telco cloud solution compliant with ETSI NFV* principles, designed to provide operators with an open source-based cloud that meets their demanding reliability and availability requirements and accelerates their transition to network function virtualization (NFV) deployments.

The companies plan to extend their existing partnership to provide telco operators with an integrated solution enabling Nokia Networks virtualized network functions (VNFs) to run on a cloud infrastructure layer that integrates HP data center hardware, hypervisor and virtual infrastructure manager, based on HP Helion OpenStack^® technology**. Telco cloud virtualized network function management will be performed by Nokia’s Cloud Application Manager, allowing operators to deploy telco clouds quickly, and with minimal effort.

The cooperation extends beyond hardware and software to encompass the technical, services and commercial capabilities needed to deliver, maintain and operate a telco cloud. Nokia Networks is already delivering the first commercial NFV solution which brings cloud technology to life with services such as Voice over LTE (VoLTE). It expects its virtualized network functions and cloud management solutions based on HP Helion OpenStack with carrier grade technologies to be available by mid-2015.

“Services are fundamental to enable the transformation that the cloud promises to operators for telco and IT applications. Working together, Nokia Networks and HP can deliver the expertise and technological leadership that mobile operators need to gain the full benefits of a complete telco and IT cloud solution – and all under one contract for simplicity,” said Igor Leprince, executive vice president Global Services, Nokia Networks.

“Operators want the same advantages enterprises have experienced with open source-based cloud solutions. HP Helion OpenStack with carrier grade technologies provides them with a clear path to get there,” said Saar Gillai, senior vice president/COO, HP Cloud and general manager, NFV, HP. “Together, Nokia Networks and HP plan to deliver a pre-integrated solution leveraging our cloud platform and their VNFs to provide customers with a simplified and faster means to deploy NFV services.”

Open standards-based HP Helion OpenStack enables customers to deploy cloud environments that are built on open source technologies, offering operators their choice of development tools, deployment models and freedom from vendor lock-in, while benefiting from HP’s industry leading OpenStack expertise. Additionally, the HP OpenNFV Program provides operators the tools and resources needed to build, test and deploy NFV environments.

The enhanced cooperation with HP is in line with the Nokia Networks strategy of cloud stack independence and allows operators to pick the cloud technology that best fits their business and technology needs. Nokia Networks is committed to supporting multiple cloud stacks, including VMware Inc.*** and OpenStack****.

Nokia Networks and HP also plan to work together to identify areas for future development such as further expanding the functionality and competitiveness of the telco cloud solution.

The telco cloud offers unprecedented flexibility, scalability and operational efficiency that will transform network operations and enable operators to bring new services to market extremely quickly. In addition, network infrastructure can be located at an operator’s chosen network data center.

“Enabling service agility is a key goal as operators converge their IT and telco service infrastructure and transition to integrated open-source platforms to support new NFV-based virtualized services,” said Nav Chander, research manager, Telecom Services and Networks, IDC. “HP’s partnership with Nokia Networks demonstrates the importance in offering operators an integrated network platform solution that combines HP’s OpenStack-based cloud platform with Nokia’s pre-integrated VNF and management capabilities allowing operators to offer innovative virtualized services.”

Source: Nokia

Via: @Kalske/TechBuzzIreland

Category: Nokia