Red Hat has signed a deal with networking firm NEC in a bid to help communication service providers (CSPs) modernise their network infrastructure with network function virtualisation.
NFV, aimed at carriers and service providers, separates certain network functions from the specialised, dedicated networking devices or appliances that run these functions.
The deal will see Red Hat integrate its Enterprise Linux OpenStack Platform with NEC’s NFV system, with the aim of delivering an open and scalable cloud platform for carriers based on OpenStack.
The companies said the end result will produce mobile packet core virtualisation, also known as virtualised Evolved Packet Core (vEPC) as well as virtual Customer Premises Equipment (vCPE).
"NFV offers tremendous potential to transform the telecommunications industry and radically change the way CSPs deliver solutions to their customers," Tim Yeaton, SVP of Red Hat’s Infrastructure Business Group, said.
"NEC has long appreciated the power of ‘open’, and has always been an excellent partner. Through this expanded collaboration, Red Hat is excited to help meet CSP interest in NFV and open source cloud platforms – and more specifically, OpenStack, as they look for solutions to drive costs down and deliver new high value offerings."
Atsuo Kawamura, senior vice president, NEC Corporation, added: "Through our long-term and continued collaboration with Red Hat, we are working to build an open industry standard which has enormous potential for expanding awareness and adoption of NFV.
The move comes a few months after Red Hat partnered with Huawei to collaborate on OpenStack for NFV.
