The OpenDaylight Project Announces Lithium Release

The OpenDaylight Project announced its third open SDN software release -- Lithium.

OpenDaylight is a highly available, modular, extensible, scalable and multi-protocol controller infrastructure built for SDN deployments on modern heterogeneous multi-vendor networks. OpenDaylight provides a model-driven service abstraction platform that allows users to write apps that easily work across a wide variety of hardware and southbound protocols.

New features and improvements in the OpenDaylight Lithium release include:

• Increased scalability and performance. OpenDaylight’s Integration Group spent significant time testing against end user-defined use cases and requirements to boost scalability and performance of core architectural components in Lithium.
• Network services for cloud data center platforms. Native support for the OpenStack Neutron framework combined with features such as SFC, Virtual Tenant Networking (VTN) and Group-Based Policy (GBP) allow users to easily design device, user and group-level policies including customized service chains for firewall, load balancing and other application network services.
• New features for security and automation. Unified Secure Channel eases secure communication between OpenDaylight and widely distributed networking equipment; Time Series Data Repository (TSDR) enables collection and analysis of large amounts of network activity; Device Identification and Driver Management (DIDM) provides end users the ability to discover, manage and automate a wide range of existing hardware in their infrastructure; Persistence ensures application-specific data is preserved over time or in the event of a catastrophe; and Topology Processing Framework allows for filtered and/or aggregated views of a network, including multi-protocol, underlay and overlay representations.
• New and enhanced APIs for interoperability. Network Intent Composition (NIC) enables the controller to manage and direct network services and resources based on describing the “intent” for network behaviors and network policies, while Application Layer Traffic Optimization (ALTO) provides abstractions and services for simplified network views and network services. These new policy/intent-based abstractions augment the existing GBP project that was introduced with the Helium release. Distributed Virtual Router (DVR)
• Six new protocols to support an ever-widening set of use cases. This includes Source Group Tag eXchange (SXP), Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP), IoT Data Management (IoTDM), SMNP Plugin, Open Policy Framework (OpFlex) and Control and Provisioning of Wireless Access Points (CAPWAP).
  

“End users have already deployed OpenDaylight for a wide variety of use cases from NFV, network on demand, flow programming using OpenFlow and even Internet of Things,” said Neela Jacques, executive director, OpenDaylight. “Lithium was built to meet the requirements of the wide range of end users embedding OpenDaylight into the heart of their products, services and infrastructures. I expect new and improved capabilities such as service chaining and network virtualization to be quickly picked up by our user base. We are really happy to see the interest the Telco/NFV community has shown in ODL.”

The OpenDaylight Project also noted that 466 people have contributed over 2.3 million lines of code.

The second annual OpenDaylight Summit is scheduled for July 27-31 in Santa Clara, California.

The OpenDaylight Project also introduced an Advisory Group of technology leaders from enterprise, telco and academic organizations: Pedro Aranda, Telefónica I+D; Margaret Chiosi, AT&T; Dr. Jamil Chawki, Orange; Chris Donley, CableLabs; Jay Etchings, Arizona State University; Chris Luke, Comcast; Harvey Newman, Caltech; Liang Ou, China Telecom; Dominick Paniscotti, Nasdaq; Ralf Trezeciak, Deutsche Telekom; Beau Williamson, T-Mobile; and Alex Zhang, China Mobile.

http://www.opendaylight.org/announcements/2015/06/opendaylight%E2%80%99s-third-open-sdn-release-broadens-programmability-intelligent

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Pica8 Powers France’s TOUIX Internet Exchange with SDN

TOUIX, one of France’s leading Internet exchanges, is leveraging Pica8’s network operating system and white box switches to program and optimize its exchange fabric. TouIX is providing an interconnected network infrastructure in 4 PoPs around Toulouse city and is interconnected with the Paris FranceIX and LyonIX IXPs.

Pica8 said its software enables TOUIX to avoid network outages and congestion caused by broadcast storms. The deployment is leveraging Ryu, the NTT Labs open-source controller, with parallel development underway for ON.Labs’ ONOS controller. Additionally, for this installation, developers used Pica8’s REST API as a means to communicate with a Graphical User Interface (GUI), simplifying common operational tasks.

“With traditional MAC-based switches, exchanges have restrictions on how to easily scale and avoid broadcast storms,” said Marc Bruyere, researcher at LAAS CNRS. “By default, an OpenFlow driven network does not do anything until you tell it. Traditional switches are routers that use lower-performance CPUs compared to servers, which is good enough to scale routed BGP networks, but not high performance enough to handle all of the MAC lookups. By controlling end-to-end paths using OpenFlow, we know the destination explicitly.”

“Low-cost, top-of-rack switches are ideal for our needs,” Bruyere added, “as the OpenFlow environment is more programmable circuit by circuit, and lack of a broadcast domain reduces what providers call broadcast ARP overhead. TOUIX’s OpenFlow design provides the optimal Ethernet fabric for IXP members to do BGP peering in a secure and stable manner. SDN OpenFlow is a fantastic opportunity to develop innovative services like a metropolitan neutral marketplace interconnecting all of the datacenters and IT services for the city of Toulouse.”

http://www.pica8.com

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TE Connectivity Intros Fiber-rich Distribution Hub for FTTH

TE Connectivity (TE) introduced a new line of fiber distribution hubs featuring higher fiber counts, smaller footprint and improved mounting options.

The new sealed fiber distribution hub (FDH) 4000 brings high-density fiber connectivity to a compact, weatherproof enclosure. It serves to connect the feeder and distribution cables via optical splitters in the fiber to the home (FTTH) network. It features 144 distribution ports, 9 splitter ports and 72 pass-through ports. Its small, compact size overcomes space challenges in crowded hand holes and strands, and offers less visual impact to meet aesthetic or security requirements.

In addition, TE said its FDH 3000 enclosure now offers double the splitter capacity – up to 48 splitter slots – giving network engineers more options in deploying high-bandwidth services over FTTH networks. Additional splitter slots allow engineers to reduce split ratios or add CWDM and DWDM components to deliver even higher bandwidth services.

"Service providers are under pressure to deliver more bandwidth to their customers, but increasingly, regulatory restrictions are impeding their ability to do that," said Jaxon Lang, general manager and vice president of TE Broadband Network Solutions. "Our FDH 4000 and FDH 3000 solutions help solve these challenges by providing service providers with more high-capacity solutions in a smaller footprint. As a result, service providers are able to realize faster network construction and gain better cost control of their FTTH assets."

http://www.TE.com  

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Huawei and Alstom Test LTE for Railway Signalling

Huawei and Alstom completed a live pilot test of LTE multi-services based on Communications-based Train Control (CBTC), a railway signalling system based on wireless ground-to-train communication.  The testing covered the unified multi-service capabilities of several systems including CBTC, Passenger Information System (PIS), and closed-circuit television (CCTV).

The pilot was carried out at metro lines near the Valenciennes commune area in France with Huawei optimizing the network planning, broadband data services, and mission critical voice trunking services, and Alstom providing the technology integration support. During the pilot, Huawei and Alstom jointly conducted several tests, including laboratory and static test on trains, dynamic test on metro tracks, and testing of eLTE multi-services capabilities.

Alstom is the world's first train manufacturer to integrate LTE 4G into its signalling system solution, the Urbalis Fluence CBTC solution, which greatly improves the suitability of eLTE, providing a converged ground-to-train wireless communication network for metro operations.

Huawei said it first developed the eLTE broadband trunking solution with a focus on multimedia applications, voice trunking dispatching, and broadband data services based on 4G LTE standards to satisfy growing demands from the rail transportation industry.

Huawei's eLTE solution enables metro operators to ensure safe train operations by leveraging eLTE-based CBTC train signals while providing mission critical voice trunking dispatching and broadband data services such as live video streaming of CCTV images and Passenger Information System (PIS).

To date, Huawei has signed 111 eLTE network contracts and established 53 eLTE commercial networks in more than 30 countries. Huawei's eLTE solution has also been successfully deployed in a number of railways around the world.

http://www.huawei.com
http://www.alstom.com/products-services/product-catalogue/rail-systems/signalling/products/urbalis-fluence/

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AT&T Confirms $3 Billion to Upgrade Networks in Mexico

AT&T last week confirmed plans to invest US$3 billion to extend its high-speed, mobile Internet service to Mexico, covering 100 million people in Mexico by year-end 2018. This is in addition to the US$4.4 billion AT&T invested earlier this year to acquire Iusacell and NEXTEL Mexico.

Specifically, AT&T said the first phase of the mobile network will be complete in the next six months and cover 40 million Mexicans, about one-third of the population. By the end of 2016, AT&T expects its mobile Internet service will reach 75 million people, nearly two-thirds of the population. AT&T plans to reach 100 million people by year-end 2018.

AT&T is preparing to introduce new plans around a North American Mobile Service Area, letting customers extend their plans across both countries.


http://about.att.com/story/att_to_invest_approximately_3_billion_in_mexico_to_extend_mobile_internet_to_100_million_consumers_and_businesses_by_year_end_2018.html

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AOL and Microsoft Deal Covers Advertising and Search

Microsoft and AOL (now a division of Verizon) announced a major, 10-year deal under which AOL will assume management and sales responsibility for all of Microsoft’s display, mobile and video advertising inventory in nine key global markets -- the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Japan. AOL will represent inventory from across Microsoft’s suite of online brands, including MSN Homepage and verticals, Outlook Mail, Xbox, Skype and ads in apps.

In addition, Microsoft will provide its Bing-powered search capabilities to AOL beginning January 1, 2016.

Commenting on the partnership, AOL President, Bob Lord said, “We have enjoyed a terrific relationship with Microsoft, and this expanded partnership is a win for both companies and our advertiser partners as our industry continues to rapidly transform and evolve. This collaboration further validates our leadership position in digital advertising and the shift to automation, while also allowing Microsoft to focus on what they do best: industry leading services and search innovation.”

http://www.aol.com
http://www.microsoft.com

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SK Telecom and Nokia Target 5G R&D

SK Telecom and Nokia Networks announced the opening of a 5G research and development center at Nokia Networks' Korean office. The center will serve as a venue where researchers from the two companies will study and develop core 5G technologies, including gigabit-level data transmission technology and cloud-based virtualized base stations. Moreover, SK Telecom and Nokia Networks will open a test bed within the end of 2015 to verify and demonstrate 5G technologies.

The companies said they have successfully verified the performance of the co-developed “user plane and control plane separation technique,” one of the key enabling technologies for hybrid core network architecture for 5G.

“SK Telecom is spearheading the efforts to develop 5G enabling technologies and architecture to flawlessly support high-speed transmission of massive data, including immersive multimedia contents,” said Alex Jin-sung Choi, the Chief Technology Officer of SK Telecom. “We will continue to work closely with Nokia Networks to optimize network architecture in preparation for the 5G pilot service demonstration in 2018.”

http://www.sktelecom.com/en/press/detail.do?idx=1127

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Cloud Security Open API Working Group Gets Underway

CipherCloud and the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) are forming a Cloud Security Open API Working Group to jointly define protocols and best practices for implementing cloud data security as a part of the cloud access security broker (CASB) framework.

The Cloud Security Alliance is an industry coalition for promoting best practices for providing security assurance within cloud computing. CipherCloud offers an open platform for cloud application discovery and risk assessment, data protection – searchable strong encryption, tokenization, data loss prevention, key management and malware detection – along with user activity and anomaly monitoring services.

 “Cloud is the killer app for security innovation,” said Pravin Kothari, founder and CEO of CipherCloud. “But currently, inefficiencies at the technical level in the form of custom connector protocols can hold back innovations in cloud security. Defining a uniform set of standards can enable us all to operate from the same playbook. As a pioneer in CASB, we are excited to co-lead this initiative with CSA to accelerate security across clouds.”



In this video, Chenxi Wang talks about the need for cloud security open APIs as a means to govern how data is accessed, classified and protected within cloud applications.  The reason for cloud security open APIs is that everyone will benefit by a wider pool of contributors.

https://youtu.be/qYISZfO4YtA

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CoreSite Announces $500 Million Credit Facility

CoreSite Realty Corporation, which operates high-performance data centers across the US, announced an amended and expanded $500 million senior unsecured credit facility.

The credit facility, consisting of a $350 million revolving credit facility and a $150 million term loan, extends CoreSite’s debt maturity profile and increases total debt capacity. The revolving credit facility has a four-year primary term, expiring in June 2019, with a one-year extension option, while the term loan has a five-year term maturing in June 2020. The term loan bears interest at a variable rate, and CoreSite elected to swap the variable interest rate associated with $75 million, or 50% of the principal amount of the term loan facility, to a fixed rate of approximately 2.95%. Net proceeds from the term loan will be used to partially pay down the current revolving credit facility balance.

KeyBank National Association served as administrative agent, and KeyBanc Capital Markets, RBC Capital Markets LLC, Regions Capital Markets and TD Securities (USA) LLC, all served as joint lead arrangers and joint book managers.

“The $500 million credit facility allows us to increase our overall liquidity, decrease our cost of borrowing, and maintain both financial flexibility and a balance between fixed and variable-priced instruments in our capital structure," said Jeff Finnin, CoreSite’s Chief Financial Officer. "When combined with our strong cash flows and balance sheet, the credit facility supports our future growth and development initiatives. We would like to thank our lending institutions for their continued support of CoreSite."

http://www.CoreSite.com

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Sophos Completes IPO

Sophos completed its IPO last week on the London Stock Exchange raising nearly £80 million.

Sophos, which is headquartered in Oxford, UK, offers encryption, endpoint security, web, email, mobile and network security backed by SophosLabs - a global network of threat intelligence centers. The company has annual revenue of approximately US$447 million and about 200,000 customers.

http://www.sophos.com

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