Verizon has taken another step to enable businesses to advance their virtualization plans with its new Virtual Network Services (VNS) Solution Bundles, a set of tools and services it says can streamline the virtualization process.
Working with technology partners, including Checkpoint Software, Cisco, Fortinet and Palo Alto Networks, Verizon developed a set of prepackaged virtual network service chains.
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What’s potentially compelling for businesses is that Verizon took the guess work out of the adoption process. Since all the network compatibility testing and licensing have already been completed, Verizon can save time and labor for customers that purchase these bundles.
Additionally, Verizon’s end-to-end orchestration and closed loop service assurance allows customers to essentially “point and click” to enable SDN solutions.
Some of the VNS Solution Bundle options include SD-WAN and network routing and security functions, which are available on Verizon’s universal customer premises based equipment (uCPE) and the hosted network services platform.
Throughout 2018, Verizon plans to incorporate additional service chain options to the library of bundles. VNS Solution Bundles are enabled by Verizon Enterprise Orchestration and provide closed loop service assurance.
Verizon said that the goal is a seamless transition from the rigid, traditional network model to an agile, resilient, and cost efficient opex model that requires limited human touch to trouble-shoot and manage.
“By simplifying delivery of service chained virtualized network functions through their orchestration platform, Verizon has potentially shaved months from the deployment timeframe as well as significant associated configuration costs,” said Mike Sapien, chief analyst for enterprise services at Ovum.
By deploying SDN solutions that leverage Verizon’s open service provider ecosystem built on OpenStack, Verizon’s Virtual Network Services enables enterprises to increase their agility and reduce complexity.
This latest virtual service bundle builds on Verizon’s Virtual Network Services, which it originally announced in December. Business customers can get various features including: a single line-item "pay-as-you-go" pricing and billing for hardware, software and management services as well as an option for centralized contracting and billing.
The new virtualized service bundle is one part of a broader effort Verizon is taking to virtualize more of its own network, an effort it says will allow them to save $10 billion in costs by 2020.