Wednesday, June 13, 2012

TM Forum and Open Data Center Alliance Target Clouds

The TM Forum and the Open Data Center Alliance (ODCA) are working together to develop standards for enterprise cloud services. The ODCA and the ECLC plan to work on two projects per year with the ODCA leading the definition of enterprise requirements, and the ECLC conducting proof of concept projects to evaluate how new requirements address enterprise needs. Their initial projects will define specific aspects of virtual private cloud, including the computing aspects of Infrastructure-as-a-Service such as the creation of standards-based service catalogs and standard units of measure--or ways to quantify or describe different cloud services such as speed, storage capacity, security and bandwidth.
http://www.tmforum.orghttp://www.opendatacenteralliance.org

Rethink the IP Core, Part 5 -- Technological Innovations





In this video, Lindsay Newell, VP of Networks Marketing, discusses technological innovations in the new Alcatel-Lucent 7950 XRS.



0:03-- 400 Gbps FP3 Silicon

0:50 -- the Service Router Operating System

1:20 - IP and Optical integrationhttp://www.alcatel-lucent.com

U.S. Department of Justice Investigates Cable Data Caps

The U.S. Department of Justice is conducting an investigation of data cap policies of cable operators. According to various media reports, the DOJ is looking at whether tiered data plans are anti-competitive if the cable operators offers their own video service over IP. No official statements on the investigation so far. http://www.usdoj.gov

Nokia to acquire Scalado for Imaging Technologies

Nokia will acquire imaging specialists as well as all technologies and intellectual property from Scalado AB for an undisclosed sum.



Scalado's portfolio includes imaging technologies for capturing, viewing, processing and sharing images. The company was founded in 2000 and is based in Lund, Sweden.



The Lund site is planned to become a key site for Nokia's imaging software for smartphones, in addition to Nokia's existing locations in Espoo and Tampere, Finland.



"Nokia has been working with Scalado for more than ten years and they've contributed to many of our leading imaging applications," said Jo Harlow, executive vice president, Smart Devices at Nokia. "This transaction would enable us to combine our leadership in camera devices with their expertise in imaging, helping people move beyond taking pictures to capturing moments and emotions and then reliving them in many different ways."
http://www.nokia.comhttp://scalado.com

Nokia Lowers Outlook and Cuts Back

Citing strong competitive pressure in smartphones, Nokia lowered its outlook for mobile device sales in Q2 and announced a number of organizational changes including reducing the number of employees by 10,000 by the end of next year as well as reducing its manufacturing capacity. The cutbacks include closure of its research facilities in Ulm, Germany and Burnaby, Canada and the closure of its manufacturing facility in Salo, Finland.



Nokia said its strategy centers on:

  • Invest strongly in products and experiences that make Lumia smartphones stand out and available to more consumers;


  • Invest in location-based services as an area of competitive differentiation for Nokia products and extend its location-based platform to new industries; and


  • Improve the competitiveness and profitability of its feature phone business.


"We are increasing our focus on the products and services that our consumers value most while continuing to invest in the innovation that has always defined Nokia," said Stephen Elop, Nokia president and CEO. "We intend to pursue an even more focused effort on Lumia, continued innovation around our feature phones, while placing increased emphasis on our location-based services. However, we must re-shape our operating model and ensure that we create a structure that can support our competitive ambitions."



In addition, Nokia appointed Juha Putkiranta as executive vice president of Operations; Timo Toikkanen as executive vice president of Mobile Phones; Chris Weber as executive vice president of Sales and Marketing; Tuula Rytila as senior vice president of Marketing and Chief Marketing Officer; and Susan Sheehan as senior vice president of Communications. Jerri DeVard steps down as chief marketing officer; Mary McDowell steps down as executive vice president of Mobile Phones; and Niklas Savander steps down as executive vice president of Markets. DeVard, McDowell and Savander will all continue in advisory roles through the transition of their roles; however, they step down from the Nokia Leadership Team effective June 30, 2012.



"Nokia is significantly increasing its cost reduction target for Devices & Services in support of the streamlined strategy announced today," said Timo Ihamuotila, executive vice president and CFO. "With these planned actions, we believe our Devices & Services business has a clear path to profitability. Nokia intends to maintain its strong financial position while proceeding aggressively with actions aimed at creating shareholder value."http://www.nokia.com

China Telecommunications Technology Labs Selects Spirent for TD-LTE Testing

Spirent Communications is supplying its Spirent VR5 HD Spatial Channel Emulator for TD-LTE device testing to China Telecommunications Technology Labs (CTTL), a leading wireless test and certification organization under China Academy of Telecommunications Research (CATR). CTTL is a national-level telecom research institution of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). Since one of its core functions is testing and certification of telecom products, CTTL is a key player in the drive towards the commercial readiness of TD-LTE. Spirent’s VR5 will play a critical role in helping CTTL to ensure the targeted levels of TD-LTE performance will be achieved in a timely manner. http://www.spirent.com http://www.catr.cn

Deutsche Telekom to Offer VMware vCloud Datacenter Services

Deutsche Telekom's T Systems division has formed a strategic partnership with VMware to provide customers with cloud computing services.



The VMware vCloud Datacenter Service to be provided by T-Systems delivers on the hybrid cloud promise, to provide IT infrastructure out of the cloud that has undergone a demanding certification process by VMware.



T-Systems plans to launch its VMware vCloud Datacenter Service this fall based on VMware’s cloud infrastructure suite, including VMware vSphere and VMware vCloud Director.



"Put simply, enterprises will be able to move the contents of their servers to the T-Systems cloud at the push of a button," said Jürgen Urbanski, Cloud expert at T-Systems and a member of Deutsche Telekom’s Cloud Leadership Team. "Internally, we have been using proven VMware technologies for many years. Therefore, we are delighted to announce that we plan to deliver VMware vCloud Datacenter Services. This will help ensure that our joint customers can move seamlessly between on-premise and cloud deployments, with the high standards of security and compliance expected of a German provider," he added. http://www.telekom.com

Amazon Web Services Expands Customer Support and Lowers Price

Amazon Web Services announced expanded free support for all AWS customers and reduced pricing on premium support plans. AWS is adding a number of features to help customers better interact with and improve their use of AWS, including chat functionality and proactive alerts when opportunities exist to save money, improve system performance, or close security gaps. AWS Support is staffed around the clock.
http://aws.amazon.com/premiumsupport

Huawei Unveils Three Telecom Software Solutions

Huawei announced three telecommunications software solutions: Convergent Billing Solution (CBS) R5, Telco Cloud, and Value Growth Solution (VGS).



Huawei’s Convergent Billing Solution R5 features a refined system architecture that enables carriers to enhance flexibility and support different business models, satisfy new and dynamic market requirements, and expand their businesses with increased agility.



Telco Cloud offers a full range of cloud components, including facilities and infrastructure, such as storage and servers. Based on its deep understanding of the telecommunications industry, Huawei has built a XaaS (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS) ecosystem in cooperation with various ISVs (Independent Software Vendors). Huawei’s Telco Cloud helps carriers migrate to the cloud, meeting market demand for consulting services, management services, smart pipes, and strong service-level agreement guarantees.



Huawei’s latest Value Growth Solution aids carriers in their transformation from voice operators to bandwidth traffic management operators. With user content adaptation and bandwidth control, VGS provides rich user experiences and traffic management capabilities, enabling carriers to maximize business value, increase revenue per bit, and enhance mobile broadband penetration. http://www.huawei.com

TM Forum and Open Data Center Alliance Target Clouds

The TM Forum and the Open Data Center Alliance (ODCA) are working together to develop standards for enterprise cloud services. The ODCA and the ECLC plan to work on two projects per year with the ODCA leading the definition of enterprise requirements, and the ECLC conducting proof of concept projects to evaluate how new requirements address enterprise needs. Their initial projects will define specific aspects of virtual private cloud, including the computing aspects of Infrastructure-as-a-Service such as the creation of standards-based service catalogs and standard units of measure--or ways to quantify or describe different cloud services such as speed, storage capacity, security and bandwidth.
http://www.tmforum.orghttp://www.opendatacenteralliance.org

Rethink the IP Core, Part 5 -- Technological Innovations





In this video, Lindsay Newell, VP of Networks Marketing, discusses technological innovations in the new Alcatel-Lucent 7950 XRS.



0:03-- 400 Gbps FP3 Silicon

0:50 -- the Service Router Operating System

1:20 - IP and Optical integrationhttp://www.alcatel-lucent.com

U.S. Department of Justice Investigates Cable Data Caps

The U.S. Department of Justice is conducting an investigation of data cap policies of cable operators. According to various media reports, the DOJ is looking at whether tiered data plans are anti-competitive if the cable operators offers their own video service over IP. No official statements on the investigation so far. http://www.usdoj.gov

Nokia to acquire Scalado for Imaging Technologies

Nokia will acquire imaging specialists as well as all technologies and intellectual property from Scalado AB for an undisclosed sum.



Scalado's portfolio includes imaging technologies for capturing, viewing, processing and sharing images. The company was founded in 2000 and is based in Lund, Sweden.



The Lund site is planned to become a key site for Nokia's imaging software for smartphones, in addition to Nokia's existing locations in Espoo and Tampere, Finland.



"Nokia has been working with Scalado for more than ten years and they've contributed to many of our leading imaging applications," said Jo Harlow, executive vice president, Smart Devices at Nokia. "This transaction would enable us to combine our leadership in camera devices with their expertise in imaging, helping people move beyond taking pictures to capturing moments and emotions and then reliving them in many different ways."
http://www.nokia.comhttp://scalado.com

Nokia Lowers Outlook and Cuts Back

Citing strong competitive pressure in smartphones, Nokia lowered its outlook for mobile device sales in Q2 and announced a number of organizational changes including reducing the number of employees by 10,000 by the end of next year as well as reducing its manufacturing capacity. The cutbacks include closure of its research facilities in Ulm, Germany and Burnaby, Canada and the closure of its manufacturing facility in Salo, Finland.



Nokia said its strategy centers on:

  • Invest strongly in products and experiences that make Lumia smartphones stand out and available to more consumers;


  • Invest in location-based services as an area of competitive differentiation for Nokia products and extend its location-based platform to new industries; and


  • Improve the competitiveness and profitability of its feature phone business.


"We are increasing our focus on the products and services that our consumers value most while continuing to invest in the innovation that has always defined Nokia," said Stephen Elop, Nokia president and CEO. "We intend to pursue an even more focused effort on Lumia, continued innovation around our feature phones, while placing increased emphasis on our location-based services. However, we must re-shape our operating model and ensure that we create a structure that can support our competitive ambitions."



In addition, Nokia appointed Juha Putkiranta as executive vice president of Operations; Timo Toikkanen as executive vice president of Mobile Phones; Chris Weber as executive vice president of Sales and Marketing; Tuula Rytila as senior vice president of Marketing and Chief Marketing Officer; and Susan Sheehan as senior vice president of Communications. Jerri DeVard steps down as chief marketing officer; Mary McDowell steps down as executive vice president of Mobile Phones; and Niklas Savander steps down as executive vice president of Markets. DeVard, McDowell and Savander will all continue in advisory roles through the transition of their roles; however, they step down from the Nokia Leadership Team effective June 30, 2012.



"Nokia is significantly increasing its cost reduction target for Devices & Services in support of the streamlined strategy announced today," said Timo Ihamuotila, executive vice president and CFO. "With these planned actions, we believe our Devices & Services business has a clear path to profitability. Nokia intends to maintain its strong financial position while proceeding aggressively with actions aimed at creating shareholder value."http://www.nokia.com

China Telecommunications Technology Labs Selects Spirent for TD-LTE Testing

Spirent Communications is supplying its Spirent VR5 HD Spatial Channel Emulator for TD-LTE device testing to China Telecommunications Technology Labs (CTTL), a leading wireless test and certification organization under China Academy of Telecommunications Research (CATR). CTTL is a national-level telecom research institution of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). Since one of its core functions is testing and certification of telecom products, CTTL is a key player in the drive towards the commercial readiness of TD-LTE. Spirent’s VR5 will play a critical role in helping CTTL to ensure the targeted levels of TD-LTE performance will be achieved in a timely manner. http://www.spirent.com http://www.catr.cn

Deutsche Telekom to Offer VMware vCloud Datacenter Services

Deutsche Telekom's T Systems division has formed a strategic partnership with VMware to provide customers with cloud computing services.



The VMware vCloud Datacenter Service to be provided by T-Systems delivers on the hybrid cloud promise, to provide IT infrastructure out of the cloud that has undergone a demanding certification process by VMware.



T-Systems plans to launch its VMware vCloud Datacenter Service this fall based on VMware’s cloud infrastructure suite, including VMware vSphere and VMware vCloud Director.



"Put simply, enterprises will be able to move the contents of their servers to the T-Systems cloud at the push of a button," said Jürgen Urbanski, Cloud expert at T-Systems and a member of Deutsche Telekom’s Cloud Leadership Team. "Internally, we have been using proven VMware technologies for many years. Therefore, we are delighted to announce that we plan to deliver VMware vCloud Datacenter Services. This will help ensure that our joint customers can move seamlessly between on-premise and cloud deployments, with the high standards of security and compliance expected of a German provider," he added. http://www.telekom.com

Amazon Web Services Expands Customer Support and Lowers Price

Amazon Web Services announced expanded free support for all AWS customers and reduced pricing on premium support plans. AWS is adding a number of features to help customers better interact with and improve their use of AWS, including chat functionality and proactive alerts when opportunities exist to save money, improve system performance, or close security gaps. AWS Support is staffed around the clock.
http://aws.amazon.com/premiumsupport

Huawei Unveils Three Telecom Software Solutions

Huawei announced three telecommunications software solutions: Convergent Billing Solution (CBS) R5, Telco Cloud, and Value Growth Solution (VGS).



Huawei’s Convergent Billing Solution R5 features a refined system architecture that enables carriers to enhance flexibility and support different business models, satisfy new and dynamic market requirements, and expand their businesses with increased agility.



Telco Cloud offers a full range of cloud components, including facilities and infrastructure, such as storage and servers. Based on its deep understanding of the telecommunications industry, Huawei has built a XaaS (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS) ecosystem in cooperation with various ISVs (Independent Software Vendors). Huawei’s Telco Cloud helps carriers migrate to the cloud, meeting market demand for consulting services, management services, smart pipes, and strong service-level agreement guarantees.



Huawei’s latest Value Growth Solution aids carriers in their transformation from voice operators to bandwidth traffic management operators. With user content adaptation and bandwidth control, VGS provides rich user experiences and traffic management capabilities, enabling carriers to maximize business value, increase revenue per bit, and enhance mobile broadband penetration. http://www.huawei.com

Infinera Measures "Network EQ" for Optical Transport

Infinera introduced a "Network EQ" framework for comparing next-generation optical transport network architectures, enabling network operators to evaluate the ripple effect of architectural decisions on the total cost of ownership (TCO). As a relative measure of optical transport network efficiency, EQ compares the impact of capital expenses (CapEx) and operating expenses (OpEx) of architectural alternatives over time. The results show that some operators may be able to reduce TCO by up to 70% with an optimal architectural approach.



Infinera is providing two applications for calculating this transport network EQ: the EQ Estimator and EQ Power Analyzer. Additionally, Infinera is introducing EQ Engagement which provides select customer engagements with Infinera consultants for network specific TCO analysis.



Infinera said results from its testing show that some operators may be able to reduce TCO by up to 70% with an optimal network architectural approach.



"In conversations with service providers around the world, we are seeing increased focus on driving efficiencies from the transport network to the bottom line of their income statement," said Tom Fallon, Infinera CEO. "The EQ framework simplifies the analysis of transport network architectures as they impact total cost of ownership, providing operators a quick way to recognize opportunities to improve network efficiency for their bottom line." http://www.infinera.com