Versa Networks and SP Partners Enable a Digital User Experience with MEF SD-WAN Standard
Principal Architect
October 25, 2019
Versa Networks believes that working with standards bodies like the Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF) and Open Networking User Group (ONUG) not only improve the industry but also make market solutions better. By collaborating with different companies and individuals from all parts of the industry (consumers, Service Providers and vendors), Versa Networks has a better understanding of the needs, challenges and vision that the SD-WAN community have, which help us to provide more innovative products while conforming to a standard that the service provider or consumer can trust.
Every cloud security or SD-WAN service is different and currently there is no over-arching standard to which everyone must adhere. This can be very confusing for the consumer and the lack of standards makes it very tough on Service Providers to offer the proper choices for consumers and burns many cycles of end-user time in evaluating all the discreet SD-WAN vendors.
Currently, migrating from one SD-WAN vendor to another means many hours of Proof of Concept and even more hours of implementation and validation. Versa believes that by utilizing standards-based protocols and concepts, enterprise end-users will benefit by making it easier to interoperate not just between different SD-WAN solutions, but also with the existing networks as well. Versa Networks views MEF’s standard structure as a complete top to bottom model that deals with not just one aspect but many facets of the SD-WAN solution – from Automation to Security, from Cloud to Direct Internet Access, from Policy to Routing and from Orchestration to Monitoring.
By participating in the MEF standards committees, Versa hopes to accomplish two objectives. First, Versa hopes to assist with the creation of a common framework for SD-WAN, which can be understood and articulated by the end-user in a manner that properly encompasses consumption preference, and that enables the Service Provider in a consistent manner to incorporate customer needs and instantiate the appropriate SD-WAN service in order to provide an excellent end-user quality of experience.
The second objective is to provide a mechanism to continue to innovate the SD-WAN solution offered by Versa by being able to collaborate with many different groups within the community, including our Service Provider partners, many of whom are either sponsoring the MEF19 event and/or working with Versa to develop and publish Proof-of-Concepts solutions based on the MEF standard.
Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and Software-Defined Wide Area Networking (SD-WAN), in particular, are rapidly developing and ever-changing technologies. New products, new designs and new requirements constantly appear, as if almost daily. As a member of an industry standard, such as the Metro Ethernet Forum, Versa and SP partners continue to show leadership for the SD-WAN community forward.
Versa’s SD-WAN technology solution enables Service Providers to offer SD-WAN managed services generally aligned with MEF’s draft SD-WAN Service Attributes and Services standard (MEF 70).
The Versa Secure Cloud IP architecture is a cloud-native software platform incorporating robust multi-tenant and NFV/SDN management and provisioning capabilities utilized by 100+ Service Providers worldwide, that consolidates multiple physical/virtual appliances to a single, multi-function software appliance with centralized visibility and control. The solution components are Versa VOS™ (formerly FlexVNF), Director and Analytics.
Versa VOS™ (formerly FlexVNF) delivers controller-based policies for software-defined routing, WAN and security services, and application optimization. It can be deployed on white-box appliances, Versa appliances or via a virtualized infrastructure in Public/Private cloud. Versa VOS™ (formerly FlexVNF) has all the capabilities to connect carrier MPLS and/or Internet networks and is capable of attaching to an underlay and overlay simultaneously.
Versa Director provides ZTP configuration, provisioning and real-time monitoring from a single pane-of-glass. SPs use Versa Director for device/policy configuration as well as for visibility and control across the entire enterprise WAN. Key capabilities include: Lifecycle management and CRUD operations; SaaS acceleration; multi-organizational support and management; centralized application policy management; integration with 3rd party orchestration, SDN and management tools; responsive to REST API calls; multiple service chain definitions; and deployment and management of physical and virtual services.
Versa Analytics provides historical visibility, baselining, correlation and prediction data. End Users and SPs can view detailed logs and summaries of users, flows, applications, SLA violations, security vulnerabilities, anomaly detection and more. Versa analytics can be used for understanding patterns, troubleshooting past or present issues as well for internal or external reporting. Versa Analytics can be easily integrated into existing tools through REST APIs.
Versa delivers several highly differentiated business and technical outcomes with its Secure Cloud IP solution including enhanced efficiency, cost savings, revenue generation, increased customer agility and many other benefits. MEF recently named Versa a Technology Solutions Awards Finalist, recognizing our leadership in LSO, service automation, service assurance, service analytics, SD-WAN, CE/IP, NFV, optical, and multi-vendor technology solutions.
Versa’s MEF POC with partners NTT and Netcracker, for example, demonstrates the next innovation in SD-WAN, which accelerates the adoption of multi-vendor SD-WAN and value-added services through automated operations and a new “digital user experience.” Powered by a unified marketplace, self-service portal and NFV-based uCPE platform, MEF 70 compliant SD-WAN services from Versa and partners can be selected independently of the CPE hardware and seamlessly deployed with little-to-no intervention from the service provider or end-user. Through this digital user experience, Versa SD-WAN services are orchestrated, activated, assured and managed using zero touch provisioning and end-to-end service automation in alignment with MEF’s LSO framework.
For more information, access the joint value proposition and white paper with Versa partners Netcracker and NTT Communications here:
https://mef19.com/index.php/orchestrated-virtualized-multivendor-sd-wan-services
