NEC/Netcracker reveal “full-service” Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) solution

NEC/Netcracker reveal full-service Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) solution
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NEC and Netcracker Technology have unveiled what they are billing as the world’s first full-service Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) solution focused on helping service providers generate new revenue in both B2B and residential markets. Or, as the press release tagline says, it’s not just network connectivity but a “cloud marketplace that bundles virtualized network services with cloud applications”.

NEC/Netcracker NaaS provides an end-to-end environment to rapidly create, deploy and monetize value-added services by bringing together virtualized network infrastructure and services, cloud applications, orchestration and commercialization tools through an open ecosystem of pre-integrated partners.

NEC/Netcracker NaaS helps service providers generate new revenue, lower operational costs and become preferred services partners by (1) redefining the way they engage with their customers by moving up the value chain beyond connectivity and allowing their customers to purchase services on demand through a single self-service portal, and (2) taking the risk out of virtualization and cloud initiatives by providing the fastest route to deliver and monetize new services at much lower cost.

“The NEC/Netcracker NaaS solution takes full advantage of the network and enables the provisioning of new services, such as security and enterprise applications,” said Shigeru Okuya, general manager of NEC’s SDN/NFV division. “Moreover, the NaaS solution contributes to fast and flexible service engagement for B2B services in which service providers face increasing competition in the market.”

“Service providers are increasingly looking beyond their traditional core offerings as they face continued competition and price erosion. The need to rapidly onboard and launch new services, including enhanced network facilities as well as third-party offerings, is critical as they broaden their revenue mix,” said Fran Heeran, VP and GM of SDN/NFV at Netcracker. “The NEC/Netcracker NaaS solution provides a complete, end-to-end environment that supports the definition, provisioning, orchestration and lifecycle management of complex services. It leverages the advances in both network and function virtualization to allow a new level of flexibility and automation, lowering costs and reducing time-to-market.”

NEC/Netcracker say the cloud marketplace in its NaaS is unique in bringing together basic network services (such as enterprise vCPE, residential CPE and SD-WAN), value-added network services (such as firewalls, bandwidth-on-demand, web filtering and WAN optimization) and cloud-based business productivity applications.

This enables service providers to personalize offers for different markets and bundle them together to create compelling customer offerings. In addition to its wide range of pre-integrated services, NaaS offers NEC/Netcracker’s vast open ecosystem of partners to accelerate a service provider’s entry into the value-added segment of B2B and residential markets.

NEC/Netcracker NaaS is also the first in a series of new, market-focused solutions powered by NEC/Netcracker’s Agile Virtualization Platform and Practice (AVP). These solutions enable service providers to take a faster approach to commercializing new services through the use of SDN and NFV technologies that address specific market needs.

In the case of NaaS, AVP includes an Agile collaboration environment that rapidly onboards new VNFs and applications by leveraging Agile methodologies for continuous integration, testing and development. It allows service providers to migrate smoothly from traditional physical to hybrid or fully virtualized environments. NEC/Netcracker NaaS also comes with comprehensive systems integration services to ensure easy transitions.

Because NaaS is built on AVP, service providers can significantly reduce the time it takes to deploy and monetize new services and take a practical approach to evolution without undertaking unnecessary risk.

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