A new architecture geared toward service providers and network operators and utilizing Network Function Virtualization (NFV) has been announced by Overture. The Ensemble Open Service Architecture (Ensemble OSA) uses software-defined networking and NFV in an effort to evolve static legacy networks into dynamic virtualized environments suitable for delivering a broad range of services.
The Ensemble OSA is geared toward helping service providers reduce costs, improve their customers' experience and create new revenue opportunities. The architecture is an open ecosystem that takes advantage of the principles of NFV to completely transform the face of the network into an automated, virtualized service creation and delivery environment.
Overture's new service architecture centralizes connect, compute and storage resources to facilitate the creation of on-demand, application-aware services. It was designed using open APIs, including OpenFlow, in support of integration with existing networking infrastructures as well as changing architectures. It is comprised of three layers, which can include Overture components or third-party add-ons.
The resources layer consists of servers, switches, storage arrays and software functions running on VMs. This layer offers the connect, compute and storage components of the architecture. The orchestration and control layer includes software building blocks for handling data plane control, network management and resource abstraction. And the network applications layer provides software packages leveraging one or more orchestration and control building blocks that tie into back-office systems as well as partners' architectures. This enables creation of service as well as virtualized network functions.
"Service providers view the metro edge as a dilemma - it is the location for revenue-bearing service delivery, it represents an opportunity for network optimization, and yet at the same time presents the greatest operational challenges," said Michael Howard, co-founder and principal analyst, Infonetics Research. "To become agile, efficient, and application-aware, we believe networks of the future will be defined by open orchestration, software control, and management." "Ensemble OSA is a game-changer for our customers," added Mike Aquino, president and CEO, Overture. "Service providers do not have a demand problem - they have a revenue and cost problem. They are working to transform their bandwidth business into one focused on the customer application experience while dramatically driving down the cost of managing their infrastructure. With Ensemble OSA, we are helping service providers achieve both objectives by bringing the proven benefits of the cloud to the metro edge."
Edited by
Alisen Downey
