NTT Com Enhances its SDN-based Arcstar Universal One VPN

NTT Communications announced three new SDN-powered capabilities for its Arcstar Universal One virtual private network (VPN) service, which is available in nearly 200 countries.

By the end of May, NTT Comm will add:

• Multi-cloud - enterprise customers will be able to connect to services on private clouds other than NTT Com's Enterprise Cloud, such as Microsoft Azure or Amazon Web Services.
  
• Asset Light - the Arcstar Universal One Advanced Option menu will offer an application acceleration function that does not require additional hardware at the enterprise's locations. End-to-end communications via the cloud, including from customer endpoints and applications on mobile devices, can be rapidly deployed by the enterprise via a portal for accelerated performance and on a reduced cost basis.
  
• Multi-client - Arcstar Universal One Virtual, a virtual network service first launched in Japan, will now be introduced on a global basis. Global customers will use this function for highly secure cloud connection via various devices, such as PCs, smartphones and tablets, and various networks, such as Arcstar Universal One, the Internet and the networks of other service providers. This function will also be a world's first.

NTT Com said it is able to leverage SDN to shorten the provisioning time for these new services, as well as lower operational costs.

http://www.ntt.com/universalone_e/vpn


In January, NTT Communications activated a new API Gateway that enables customers and partner companies to use their own systems to directly view and control information to operate and maintain business services. The API Gateway, which leverages NTT Com's network and cloud services, is available from delivery centers in Japan, the USA and Europe.

Initially, the following NTT Com services will be compatible with the new gateway: Arcstar Universal One, Arcstar Universal One Virtual, and Arcstar Universal One Mobile Global M2M, Enterprise Cloud, Cloudn, Nexcenter colocation, Arcstar UCaaS (Unified Communication), Arcstar SIP Trunking (External telephone), and Enterprise Mail.

NTT said the chief advantage of an API Gateway is that it les corporate customers to use NTT Com services faster and more efficiently.  The gateway standardizes API specifications for NTT Com services and simplifies deployment on the systems of customers and partners by leveraging the REST API and OAuth industry standards. Information on specifications and deployment will be readily available through a developers' portal. The gateway has multilayered security, including Web Application Firewalls, protection against DDoS attacks and unauthorized API access.

Read More

DOCOMO to Integrate Mobile Services with Facebook

NTT DOCOMO plans to integrate its "dmarket" services with Facebook's social networking functions.

Starting this summer, DOCOMO will enable music from its "dhits" music-streaming service to be shared with friends on Facebook. In addition, from Facebook's News Feed, people will be able to listen to music samples and then easily access full-length versions on dhits or purchase songs at dmusicTM.

Also, DOCOMO will launch "d anime store" Facebook pages to provide anime content including titles, key visuals and stories, which will allow Facebook users to easily find and share their favorite anime content.
Additionally, a shortcut to dmarket will be added to the Favorites section in the navigation bar of the Facebook apps from July.

https://www.nttdocomo.co.jp/english/info/media_center/pr/2015/0513_00.html

Earlier this month, NTT DOCOMO outlined a medium-term vision to widen the scope of its business and collaborate with new partners for valued-added networking services.

Under the +d (pronounced "plus d") initiative, DOCOMO will share its extensive business assets with partner companies for streamlined collaboration. Services co-created through such efforts will be branded with unified names that begin with the letter "d." DOCOMO will strive, together with its partners, to empower customers in ways that enable them "to realize more affordable, enjoyable and convenient lives."

The alignment of service brands under the "d" banner will include a unified docomo Point system (dPOINT), a docomo Premier Club membership program, a Docomo credit card service (dCARD), and a common docomo customer ID (dACCOUNT).  Docomo is hoping this approach can be adopted in a variety of fields, including medicine, agriculture, education, local governments, etc.

In view of its 2020 planning, Docomo expects its forthcoming 5G deployments will pave the way for partners to develop innovative services around its platform.

Read More

Arista Posts Revenue of $179 Million, up 53% YoY

Arista Networks posted revenue of $179.0 million for Q1 2015, an increase of 52.8% compared to the first quarter of 2014, and an increase of 3.2% from the fourth quarter of 2014. GAAP gross margin was 65.8%, compared to GAAP gross margin of 69.4% in the first quarter of 2014 and 67.1% in the fourth quarter of 2014. Net income (GAAP) amounted to $24.5 million, or $0.34 per diluted share, compared to GAAP net income of $12.3 million, or $0.20 per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2014.

"I am pleased with our Q1 2015 results, as we made strides in our top four verticals,” stated Jayshree Ullal, Arista President and CEO. “Our customer momentum in cloud networking, combined with our profitable growth and disruptive product innovations positions us well for the year."

http://www.arista.com/en/
http://investors.arista.com/files/doc_presentations/2015/May/Arista-2015-Q1-Highlights_v001_o7067p.pdf

Read More

Ethernet Alliance Garners Support for 2.5G and 5G

The Ethernet Alliance announced that twenty six of its member companies have joined its call for an IEEE 802.3 standard addressing 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet (2.5G) and 5 Gigabit Ethernet (5G) operation over today’s Cat 5e and Cat 6 cabling infrastructure.

The Ethernet Alliance notes that since 2003, some 70 billion meters of Cat 5e and Cat 6 cabling have been sold. While the existing cable infrastructure can’t support 10GbE, new 2.5G/5G BASE-T speeds can provide the necessary bandwidth upgrade to support the deployment of 802.11ac Wi-Fi, enabling customers to extract the maximum value from their infrastructure investment.

“The Ethernet Alliance is dedicated to promoting industry awareness of both existing and emerging IEEE 802 Ethernet standards. With this standardization endeavor targeting an estimated 90 percent of the installed cabling infrastructure, and deployment of IEEE 802.11ac technology, our upcoming webinar will provide the industry with an overview of IEEE 802.3 standardization efforts,” said John D’Ambrosia, chairman, Ethernet Alliance, and chief Ethernet evangelist, Dell. “We, like our members, believe that an IEEE 802.3 standard for 2.5G/5G BASE-T operation will accelerate its development and adoption, allowing the technology to proliferate and expand into new markets and applications.”

http://www.ethernetalliance.org/

Read More

ADTRAN Cuts Costs of NG-PON2 Architecture Using Flexible Transceivers

ADTRAN is adopting a flexible optics approach to significantly cut the cost of delivering Fiber-to-the-Premise (FTTP) services based on NG-PON2 architecture.

The company said its breakthrough uses the latest 10G wavelength symmetric ITU/FSAN standards-based technology. ADTRAN's system can interoperate with multiple “cost vs. capability” types of optical transceivers to maximize economic flexibility. The company claims this “pay as you grow” approach allows the service provider to align the optics cost with the target applications, starting with low-cost symmetric 10G deployment options and growing to multi-wavelength TWDM capabilities.

ADTRAN’s NG-PON2 platform supports 10 Gigabit GPON, TWDM PON, P2P DWDM, 10 Gigabit EPON, and GPON. To optimize the full service agility promise of NG-PON2, ADTRAN’s solution supports provisioning through modern, open APIs, facilitating deployment using next-generation software defined networking (SDN)-based management systems. The company says its new architecture is currently available for demonstration and will begin field trials in the third quarter of this year.

“ADTRAN has a long history in developing designs that break economic barriers, giving service providers the maximum flexibility they need to deliver the services of tomorrow that their customers demand today,” said Robert Conger, associate vice president, carrier strategy for ADTRAN. “With seemingly infinite demand for broadband from both residential and business customers, service providers are challenged to explore economically viable options that allow them to scale PON networks to support Gigabit service growth.”

http://www.adtran.com

Read More

NetCracker 10 Suite Adds Virtualization and Analytic Capabilities

NetCracker Technology released its latest product suite, NetCracker 10, which combines capabilities in virtualization, cloud-based delivery of applications, embedded analytics and biometrics onto a single, unified platform.

NetCracker 10 product highlights include:

• Single platform across physical and virtual network and IT infrastructure: NetCracker 10’s single-platform approach enables service providers to address all infrastructure changes and all resource allocation requests in a distributed environment consisting of multiple data centers and points of presence.
• End-to-end service and network orchestration: The NetCracker 10 orchestration solution combines deep-rooted networking and IT expertise and supports large-scale, unique system integration capabilities, enabling providers to deliver personalized services faster and apply an agile DevOps approach to service modeling.
• Embedded analytics across network, service and customer layers: NetCracker 10’s big data analytics component helps increase network planning accuracy by up to 40 percent, increase effectiveness of personalized campaigns by 30 percent and reduce churn by up to 15 percent.*
• Smart location of virtual infrastructure: NetCracker 10 allows service providers to use embedded intelligence and analytics in order to optimize the deployment of virtual functions over servers distributed across the whole network. This reduces unnecessary traffic hops and re-routing and delivers better user experience through proactive network intelligence. It also accurately models projected service demand, optimizes capacity for trending events and aligns demographic requirements with application performance.
• Biometrics-enabled customer experience management: NetCracker 10 focuses on humanizing the customer experience. Beyond the traditional data sources, such as network, service and device, NetCracker’s solution leverages unstructured data from social networks as well as various dimensions of biometric data, including facial recognition, fingerprinting, voice measurement and more, to provide the most comprehensive CEM solution in the communications industry.
• Cloud platform for hosted applications: NetCracker 10’s cloud platform empowers service providers with the ability to build a flexible, open ecosystem that can support innovative business models and a variety of partnerships.
• Virtualized functions, management and infrastructure: New to NetCracker 10 is a proven, field-deployable suite of virtual network functions, management and infrastructure solutions combining leading innovation from NetCracker and its parent company, NEC. With these solutions, operators can build and deploy virtualized networks in an open ecosystem, leveraging technologies from NEC, NetCracker and a wide range of third-party partners.

“We are thrilled to announce NetCracker 10, the next generation of our highly sophisticated end-to-end product suite, which redefines some of the fundamental economics around network and IT, operations, deployment, customer retention and service creation,” said Sanjay Mewada, Vice President of Strategy at NetCracker. “As service providers prepare for the inevitable shift from physical to hybrid to virtualized infrastructure and offerings, NetCracker 10 lays the foundation for a risk-free and seamless migration, ushering in the next wave of innovation.”

http://www.nec.com/

Read More

KT to Build Electric Car Charging Network in Seoul

KT has signed a memorandum of understanding with the city government of Seoul and other local partners to build an extensive network of charging stations for electric cars and/or mobile devices.

Initial plans call for 100,00 RFID tagged charging points this year, scaling up to 100,000 points by 2018.

http://www.whowired.com/407127.htm
http://english.seoul.go.kr/

Read More