Telefonica uses Nuage Networks to software-define data centers

Nuage Networks, a unit of Nokia, gained two major service provider wins last week: one for software-defined data centers and one for software-defined WAN.

Telefónica Spain said it will use the Nuage Virtualized Network Services (VNS) platform to deploy software-defined data centers. Meantime, Vertel will use the VNS platform for Nuage's SD-WAN capabilities.

Last year, Telefónica used the VNS platform to deploy SD-WAN infrastructure. This time around, Telefónica redesigned its data centers and is implementing SDN architecture to make customer access to cloud-based applications more efficient.

To support the transition, Telefónica will deploy Nokia's FP4-powered 7750 SR-1 and 7250 IXR-10 routers, along with Nuage's 210 WBX gateway, making up its leaf-spine architecture. In addition to enabling more efficient provisioning for new customers, applications and networks, Telefónica expects the platform to make it easier to connect customer data centers, its own data centers and the public cloud.

Nuage's Virtualized Services Platform -- which includes the VNS component and Virtualized Cloud Services -- allows customers like Telefónica to deploy both SDN and SD-WAN on the same platform, all with a single API, according to Hussein Khazaal, vice president of marketing and partnership at Nuage. The platform also includes a built-in Layer 4 stateful firewall, in addition to Wi-Fi and Long Term Evolution capabilities, he said.

"You don't need to have two solutions and stitch them together," he said. "Instead, you have one platform that enables you to turn these services on and off in each branch as you see fit."

The platform creates an overlay that abstracts the network and allows customers to directly access cloud-based applications and workflows from branch sites, Khazaal added. This approach supports customer workflows, regardless of whether the applications run on bare-metal servers, containers or in the cloud, he said.

Telefónica's move to add software-defined data centers along with its existing SD-WAN deployment reflects a trend among Nuage customers to integrate the technologies, Khazaal said. SD-WAN is popular among service providers that view the technology as a way to add revenue. Further, enterprises interested in deploying SD-WAN look for managed SD-WAN from service providers, he added.

Australian service provider Vertel, meantime, will use the VNS platform to deploy SD-WAN services to its government, enterprise and service provider customers.

While service providers are increasingly moving toward SD-WAN, Nuage Networks still sees interest in its data center offering, Khazaal said, with 50% of its customers using the platform to deploy software-defined data centers. Nuage currently has over 130 customers, including Bloomberg, BT, CenturyLink and Santander.