Cisco has introduced a new network functions virtualisation (NFV) infrastructure solution to help service providers run network services better and faster.
The new NFV Infrastructure Solution (NFVI) unites virtual and physical environments, and offers all the required compute, storage, and networking infrastructure to manage NFV network services.
Cisco Service Provider business, products and solutions senior vice president Kelly Ahuja said: "This solution is another step in delivering on our strategy for an open, modular and expandable network architecture.
"We are committed to helping our service provider customers embrace the network transformation toward virtualisation with the right foundation to successfully deploy virtualised network functions."
The new NFV Infrastructure complements existing virtualisation solutions such as the Cisco Virtualized Packet Core (VPC), which offers network functions as virtualised services.
It integrates the entire mobile packet core services for 4G, 3G, 2G, Wi-Fi, and small cell networks into a single solution.
African mobile communications firm Vodacom is in the integration phase to utilise the Cisco VPC, with NFV Infrastructure and Cisco Advanced Services delivery to accelerate its network capacity and introduce new services faster.
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The Cisco NFV Infrastructure reduces the risk of service outages because of smaller and more controlled maintenance windows.
It enhances security for OpenStack and Linux vulnerabilities, and reduces the time for system deployments to increases service velocity.
With the help of Cisco NFV Infrastructure, users can reduce total cost of ownership by 40% and benefit from a tested and interoperable architecture.
Cisco will be the single point of contact for customer support, including third-party software such as Red Hat Enterprise Linux OpenStack Platform.
Cisco recently said that it will collaborate with Ericsson and Intel to develop and trial what is expected to be the industry’s first fifth generation mobile networks router.
The companies will partner with Verizon within an ecosystem to speed up the pace of critical 5G innovations.
The next-generation 5G router is anticipated to allow business and residential customers to achieve faster networking speeds, lower latency, and the ability tomanage exponentially more Internet-connected devices.
