Telstra has outlined its plans to create a network-as-a-service offering by combining its SDN/NFV capabilities, cloud platform and data centers with its global and Australian networks into one integrated and intelligent platform. The resulting platform – which Telstra is billing as “the Telstra Programmable Network” – will be, as the name implies, programmable at its core and enable automation and provisioning of services.
Telstra said the network will help businesses quickly add new capabilities to deliver better experiences without significant infrastructure upgrades. It will also allow simple and secure access to multiple cloud services via a simple user interface.
International IP-VPN customers will also be able to access the Telstra Programmable Network’s capabilities from any of the carrier’s 2,000 points of presence worldwide after launch. This includes extending their network via Telstra’s portal or API to access the internet and a range of public cloud services including Amazon Web Services and IBM SoftLayer.
“The Telstra Programmable Network is designed to help our customers meet the rapidly growing global demand for data and the proliferation of applications, as well as embrace cloud computing by offering flexible and dynamic access to our high bandwidth, low latency and secure networks,” said Jim Fagan, Telstra’s director of Global Platforms. “Our vision … is to help businesses optimize their IT by offering automated, on-demand and near real-time provisioning, consumption-based pricing and new data insights on network usage.”
Fagan said the Telstra Programmable Network builds on PEN, the SDN-based platform developed by Pacnet before it was acquired by Telstra, and will continues PEN’s development “under one vision, architecture and investment program.”
As part of the TPN rollout, Telstra said will implement a significant capability upgrade of its core international IP network in the coming months to introduce the increased bandwidth and flexibility that the network will require to make good on its vision. Telstra also said these enhancements will increase its peering capacity by up to 70%, and provide enhanced security with traffic segregation capability to mitigate DDoS traffic.
“These initial investments will establish the groundwork for the Telstra Programmable Network with future enhancements, such as orchestrated real-time SD-WAN and security, to be announced in the coming months,” said Fagan. “In the age of digital disruption, an organization’s network needs to support its future growth, whether that involves expanding into new markets, creating new products or improving efficiency.”
Telstra unveiled details of its plans for the TPN at this week’s ITW Conference in Chicago.
Be the first to comment