Juniper Networks rolled out a series of enhancements to its Contrail Cloud platform, including integration of OpenStack Platform and Ceph Storage from Red Hat, built-in AppFormix automation and visibility, pre-validated virtual network functions (VNFs) and new end-to-end support services.
These enhancements aim to make the deployment of a telco cloud easier through simplifying the underlying Linux distribution with Red Hat, seamlessly gleaning network insight with AppFormix, clearing the traditionally difficult task of validating VNFs by pre-qualifying, and adding end-to-end support services to smooth implementation.
Highlights:
- AppFormix Integration. Contrail Cloud now features AppFormix, which Juniper acquired in 2016, for fully integrated service assurance of network functions virtualization (NFV) workloads. Juniper's AppFormix introduces an NFV-centric service assurance capability that leverages machine learning to provide continuous response and learning capabilities for uninterrupted operation.
- Pre-Validated Virtual Network Functions. Contrail Cloud now comes as a pre-validated solution with a pre-vetted hardware and software compatibility list that ensures a smooth and rapid cloud deployment from the beginning. The solution includes support for Juniper's vSRX Virtual Firewall, Affirmed Networks' industry-leading Mobile Content Cloud virtual Evolved Packet Core (vEPC) solution, and future third-party virtual network functions. The joint solution with Affirmed, which combines their leadership in NFV for Mobile Networks and Juniper's leadership in SDN, IP Networking, and Security, will enable mobile service providers to gracefully migrate to a distributed cloud architecture to significantly improve their service agility and drastically lower their TCO.
- Contrail Cloud managed solution offering: Juniper has introduced an end-to-end services offering to build and operate the cloud infrastructure for customers, including 24/7 solution support, and high-touch services to ensure expert application and adoption of Contrail Cloud.
- Expanded collaboration with Red Hat. Juniper has expanded its collaboration with Red Hat to offer a proven foundation for modern and scalable communications industry deployments, including NFV. Juniper has migrated Contrail Cloud to Red Hat OpenStack Platform, a highly scalable, production-ready Infrastructure-as-a-Service solution, and Red Hat Ceph Storage, an open, massively scalable, software-defined storage solution.
