Brocade says its software-designed routers can achieve speeds of 80Gbps following tests performed by mobile operator Telefonica.
The firms said the results set a new benchmark that supports Network Functions Virtualisation deployment, changing the performance levels that telecom service providers would expect from software-based networks.
NFV originated from service providers that were looking to accelerate the deployment of network services after feeling the constraints of hardware-based appliances. The approach separates certain network functions from the specialised, dedicated networking devices or appliances that run these functions.
Brocade’s Vyatta 5600 vRouter, which was released earlier this year, hit 80Gbps throughput on an off-the-shelf Intel based x86 server, according to Telefonica.
During the tests, the router was deployed within a Red HAT KVM environment as a virtual machine
Francisco-Javier Ramón, head of Telefónica NFV Reference Lab, said: "In less than two hours, we deployed the Brocade Vyatta 5600 vRouter from a memory stick and completed our performance tests in our NFV Reference Lab.
"These results are allowing us, as network operators, to aggressively change our perspective regarding what is possible with software-driven networking in order to accelerate the adoption and deployment of these revolutionary technologies."
Kelly Herrell, VP and GM of Software Networking at Brocade, said: "The Brocade Vyatta 5600 vRouter has removed the performance barrier from the NFV adoption conversation and our focus is now on expanding its capabilities for broadest possible leverage across the service provider network.
"We continue to accelerate our aggressive investment in modern software to bring high-value technology disruptions across a wide range of networking capabilities."
The partnership comes as Brocade plans to release an updated Vyatta 5600 vRouter in early 2015, which would include Layer 3 MPLS, Layer 2 Tunnelling Protocol Version 3 and integration with OpenDaylight.
