OpenStack Hits its 14th Release - Newton

The OpenStack community released Newton, the 14th version of the most widely deployed open source software for building clouds.

Newton brings user experience improvements for container cluster management and networking. New features in the Ironic bare metal provisioning service, Magnum container orchestration cluster manager, and Kuryr container networking project more seamlessly integrate containers, virtual and physical infrastructure under one control plane.

Other areas of improvement include:

Improved Scalability --including the ability to scale up or down across platforms and geographies. This further cements OpenStack’s dominance as a solution for clouds of all sizes. Enhancements include improved scale-up/scale-down capabilities in Nova, Horizon and Swift; progress with Cells V2 for horizontal scale out of Nova compute environments; the addition of convergence by default in Heat; and multi-tenancy improvements in Ironic.

Enhanced Resiliency-- Cinder, Ironic, Neutron and Trove are among the projects that deliver improved high availability functionality. Security improvements are included in Newton as well; for example, Keystone offers upgrades that include PCI compliance and encrypted credentials. Cinder adds support for retyping encrypted to unencrypted volumes and vice versa. Additional enhancements in Cinder include micro-version support, the ability to delete volumes with snapshots using the cascading feature, and a backup service that can be scaled to multiple instances.

Better User Experience -- the Newton release significantly advances OpenStack as the one cloud platform for virtualization, bare metal and containers and enhances the ease of use for operators and app developers, making OpenStack easier to set up, operate, change and fix, with greater automation. Magnum offers provisioning for container orchestration tools, namely Swarm, Kubernetes and Mesos. Magnum’s new features include an operator-centric Install Guide, support for pluggable drivers, support for Kubernetes clusters on bare metal servers, and asynchronous cluster creation. For general bare metal provisioning, Ironic adds multi-tenant networking and tighter integration with Magnum, Kubernetes and Nova; also, Kolla now supports deploying to bare metal. Kuryr brings Neutron networking capabilities to containers, making Swarm integration and Kubernetes integration available for the first time. Another Kuryr highlight is the capability to nest VMs through integration with Magnum and Neutron (early release).

To support popular telecom network configurations,VLAN-aware VMs allow companies to run their existing VNFs in an OpenStack cloud and use per-tenant VLANs to get traffic to them. Nova adds mutable configuration settings, allowing operators to reload certain configuration parameters without restarting the node. Also, Nova’s get-me-a-network feature simplifies network configuration.

“The OpenStack community is focused on making clouds work better for users. This is clearly evident in the Newton release, which tackles users’ biggest needs, giving cloud operators and app developers greater security, resiliency and choice,” said Jonathan Bryce, executive director of the OpenStack Foundation. “The new features and enhancements in Newton underscore the power of OpenStack: it handles more workloads in more ways across more industries worldwide. OpenStack is a cloud platform that ties everything together—compute, network, storage, and innovative cloud technologies.”

http://www.openstack.com

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Verizon Sets Path for Airborne LTE Operations

Verizon outlined its Airborne LTE Operations (ALO) initiative, which aims to drive innovation and wide-spread adoption for in-flight wireless connectivity .

The plan includes:

• The successful completion of technical trials in various locations across the country using a combination of unmanned and manned aircraft on Verizon’s 4G LTE network.
• An early adopter simulation exercise in Cape May, New Jersey using unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) to demonstrate how Verizon’s 4G LTE network can help first responders and emergency management personnel enhance disaster recovery efforts.
• The launch of a new suite of services as early as 2017 on Verizon’s ThingSpace IoT platform to help developers and businesses create and manage a wide-range of ALO-enabled applications simply backed by secure cloud and analytics capabilities.
• A new device certification process, now available, that sets forth requirements to enable access to wireless connectivity for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and unmanned aerial systems (UAS) on Verizon’s 4G LTE network.
• Collaboration with innovative partners such as American Aerospace (AATI) and Sierra Wireless to pave the way for aerial long-range applications beyond line of sight.
• Air: the next frontier for the IoT

Verizon said its network team began work to develop the technology for in-flight LTE operations in 2014 and throughout 2015.

Earlier this year, the team engaged with American Aerospace Technologies Inc. (AATI) to test connectivity between aerial platforms and the Verizon 4G LTE network. The initial controlled trial was conducted with a 17-foot wingspan unmanned aircraft system in conjunction with AATI. The aerial platform tested advanced aerial inspection techniques that can be applied not just to the hundreds of miles of pipeline in rural Virginia, but also nationwide while connecting to Verizon’s 4G LTE network. As a result of the successful trial, Verizon deemed its 4G LTE 700 MHz network safe for in-flight wireless connectivity, which led to the creation of device and service requirements as part of Verizon’s ALO initiative.

Together with AATI, Verizon is also exploring next steps in in-flight cellular services for UAVs nationally on its 4G LTE network. Once federal regulations allow UAV operation beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS), new tests will focus on BVLOS command-and-control cellular network communications for long-distance UAVs.

“This latest trial demonstrated how emerging technology combined with wireless networks can improve safety and security,” said Mike Haberman, vice president, Network Operations, Verizon. “A nationwide reliable 4G LTE network is the foundation for the future of mobile IoT in the air.”

http://www.verizon.com/about/news/air-next-frontier-internet-things

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AT&T and AWS Form Cloud Alliance

AT&T and Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced a multi-year, strategic alliance agreement to optimize delivery of integrated solutions built on the companies’ respective cloud and networking capabilities.

The companies said their collaboration is designed to help both existing and new customers more efficiently migrate to and utilize the AWS Cloud with the AT&T network. The solutions are intended to span cloud networking, mobility, Internet of Things (IoT), security and analytics.

Key areas of collaboration:

• Business Cloud Networking: the AT&T NetBond ecosystem has seen four fold growth in connections and eight fold in traffic over the last year. In order to deliver even more advanced networking capabilities to customers, AT&T and AWS will work together to identify new solutions with security, performance, and mobility in mind. Emphasis will be placed on enhancing end-to-end customer visibility across more highly secure and high performing network connections, allowing for faster and more automated decision making capabilities to the customer.
• IoT: AT&T and AWS will coordinate introduction of AT&T IoT-connected sensors and devices preconfigured to seamlessly and more securely send data into the AWS Cloud. This integration will provide customers with massive breadth and scale.  It brings together AT&T’s global network, which connects nearly 29 million connected devices as of 2Q 2016 and reaches over 200 countries and territories, with AWS IoT, a managed cloud platform that can more securely and reliably scale to billions of devices and trillions of messages. Integration with the AT&T IoT Starter Kit and IoT Data plans are also intended to be included, which would allow customers to build their own solutions using AT&T IoT and AWS IoT.
• Threat Management: the companies plan to employ their respective expertise and knowledge in security to help customers prevent, detect, and respond to threats faster and more efficiently. Using threat data and knowledge from both organizations will help fuel the processes and tools that comprise AT&T Threat Intellect, the “brains” behind AT&T’s security platform that uses advanced analytics to help provide improved end-to-end security protection for every user on our network.

“Customers of all sizes are quickly migrating to the AWS Cloud to reduce their data center footprint, become more agile and take advantage of innovation in areas such as IoT, Big Data and Analytics,” said Terry Wise, Vice President of Worldwide Partner Ecosystem, Amazon Web Services, Inc. “Advanced connectivity and network solutions are critical to enabling our customers to get the most out of our services. We are excited to expand our alliance with AT&T and deliver new solutions designed to enable customers to accelerate their journey to the AWS Cloud.”

“For many enterprises, the cloud’s potential can be equal parts tantalizing and challenging. Emerging technology trends and fluctuating needs mean that a company’s plans are dynamic, and can quickly change,” said Mo Katibeh, Senior Vice President, Advanced Solutions, AT&T Business Solutions. “Together, AT&T and AWS can help streamline the leap to the cloud. We’re helping businesses connect everything and anything to the cloud. More importantly, we’re doing this so it can be simple, scalable and highly secure.”

http://www.att.com
https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/aws/

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CSC to Offer AT&T FlexWare to Businesses Worldwide

CSC will offer AT&T FlexWare to its clients worldwide as a “Virtual Edge” service in its next generation portfolio.

Under the expanded alliance, the companies are also developing a model to include CSC digital services at the edge of the network, where virtual network functions (VNFs) will reside.

AT&T FlexWare lets businesses adapt to their networking needs in near-real time, with easy management of VNFs from a single device.

“With CSC offering AT&T FlexWare to its customers, we’re gaining a wider reach to help customers be agile and expand their networking capabilities,” said Roman Pacewicz, senior vice president, Offer Management and Service Integration, AT&T Business Solutions. “There is a digital shift changing business for every sector. Working with CSC, we can help businesses keep up in the quickly changing environment.”

“This is a big step in our relationship with AT&T, which we have been expanding to support all of the global industries we touch,” said Dan Hushon, chief technology officer, CSC. “Through these new software-defined network services, clients will gain more agility and self-service capabilities. Our alliance with AT&T enables us to deliver value to both our new and existing clients through our industry-leading solutions.”

http://www.att.com
http://www.csc.com

AT&T Builds its FlexWare Portfolio of VNFs

Monday, October 03, 2016  #NFV, ATT  No Comments

AT&T is adding Palo Alto Networks' next-generation security platform to its catalog of virtual network functions (VNFs) available to global business customers on-demand. AT&T FlexWare, formerly called AT&T Network Functions on Demand, is available globally through the AT&T Network on Demand platform. AT&T FlexWare now offers two device form factors, a small device that can run up to two VNF applications and the previously available...

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AT&T is Testing Millimeter Wave for Last Mile Broadband

AT&T is trialing point-to-point millimeter wave wireless technology to deliver 100 Mbps class service to apartment buildings.  The trial is running at multiple apartment complexes in Minneapolis, outside of AT&T's traditional 21 state wireline service area. Wired connections are used in the building to reach each apartment. The trial is likely to increase the speed to 500 Mbps.

“We’re trialing the latest innovations in wireless and wired network technologies. This will make it possible for us to potentially deliver an internet connection to more locations where we have not previously been able to offer a home internet connection,” said Ed Balcerzak, senior vice president, Commercial and Connected Communities, AT&T. “If successful, this will give us the ability to offer a combination of internet, DIRECTV and wireless services to apartment complexes and multifamily communities in additional metro areas.”

http://www.att.com

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Panasonic and Cradlepoint Offer Toughbook FirstNet Mobile Devices

Panasonic and Cradlepoint announced the commercial availability of an integrated mobile computing and connectivity networking solution designed for public safety and EMS agencies as well as transportation and utilities industries. The mobile computing and connectivity solution supports both commercial 4G-LTE and the emerging FirstNet public safety networks based on Band-14.

The joint solution combines Panasonic’s Toughbook devices with a rugged Cradlepoint cloud-managed 4G-LTE router providing a “vehicle area network” to connect computers, cameras, sensors and telemetry interfaces together with access to commercial and emerging FirstNet broadband wireless networks.

“In today’s challenging and increasingly mobile-centric work environment, users must have the ability to link all of their devices regardless of where their job takes them. For first responders, lives depend on their ability to access and share information, and communicate in real-time in order to provide critical services quickly, reliably and efficiently,” said Victoria Obenshain Vice President of Wireless Strategy, Panasonic System Communications Company of North America. “Panasonic is bringing together all of the computing, in-vehicle connectivity and support services together to keep today’s data-driven mobile workforce and first responders—and the rugged devices they rely upon to do their job—always connected.”


https://cradlepoint.com/
http://www.panasonic.com

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