A10 intros FlexPool software subscription model

A10 Networks introduced a software subscription model that provides enterprises and service providers a consumption billing model for its next-generation load balancers and application delivery controllers.

The A10 FlexPool aggregated capacity model allows customers to flexibly allocate and re-distribute capacity across applications, multiple clouds and data centers.

A10 said its new software subscription-based capacity consumption model represents a strategic step in its business strategy and vision because it allows customers to seamlessly use A10 services either on-premise or in the cloud. It also eliminates unnecessary overprovisioning expenses for the customer.

“Hybrid cloud is spurring greater innovation opportunities for IT to deliver business relevance and agility for network managers,” said Raj Jalan, CTO, A10 Networks. “Our new software subscription and capacity pooling model is designed to eliminate the traditional challenges of resource planning and portability across today’s hybrid network environments, offering greater flexibility and dynamic scalability to meet enterprise IT’s cloud environment needs well into the future.”

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Juniper enhances its Contrail Cloud

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.

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Proofpoint acquires Cloudmark for $110 million

Proofpoint, a cybersecurity company based in Sunnyvale, California, agreed to acquire Cloudmark, which specializes in messaging security and threat intelligence for Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and mobile carriers worldwide. The price is $110 million in cash.

Cloudmark correlates email threat telemetry data into its Global Threat Network, including intelligence derived from malware campaigns and targeted attacks like spear phishing and business email compromise (BEC).

Proofpoint plans to integrate the Cloudmark Global Threat Network into its Nexus platform, which powers Proofpoint’s product effectiveness across the portfolio covering email, social media, mobile and SaaS products.

“We are excited to welcome Cloudmark’s ISP and mobile carrier customers to Proofpoint,” said Gary Steele, Chief Executive Officer of Proofpoint. “By combining the threat intelligence from Cloudmark with the Proofpoint Nexus platform, we can better protect all of our customers – both enterprises and ISPs – from today’s rapidly evolving threats.”

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Orange and Red Hat collaborate on network virtualization

Red Hat is collaborating with Orange on open source community projects to accelerate technology innovation in network virtualization. The joint engineering program aims to deliver additional features supporting NFV into OpenStack and other open source communities.

The collaboration recently led to the integration of the OpenStack BGP VPN project and its reference implementation (BaGPipe). This would let telecom operators mutually interconnect Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) or NFV datacenters and businesses, using industry-standard routing technologies.

In addition, Orange is using Red Hat OpenStack Platform for its network functions virtualization infrastructure (NFVi) deployments as part of its network transformation strategy.

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Radisys' Q3 revenue dips to $29m

Radisys reported Q3 consolidated revenue of $28.8 million, above the midpoint of the company’s prior guidance range of $26 to $30 million, and down from $55 million for the same period last year.

GAAP loss per share was $0.39, and non-GAAP loss per share was $0.28. Included in both GAAP and non-GAAP loss per share was an expected inventory charge of approximately $7.0 million associated largely with legacy embedded products, which increased the loss by $0.18 per share;

“Our third quarter results were in-line with the expectations we outlined in early August, with both revenue and operating results being at or above the midpoint of our expectations,” said Brian Bronson, Radisys President and Chief Executive Officer. “Importantly, we made tangible progress in the third quarter towards converting proof-of-concepts into commercial wins as evidenced by the two new MediaEngine VoLTE wins as well as our first commercial award for deployment of our new FlowEngine appliance, the TDE-2000. Further, within MobilityEngine we continue to advance forward towards trials with two Tier 1 service providers tied to initial CORD deployments.

“As we navigate limited visibility for sizable DCEngine commercial orders, we are implementing a revised go-to-market strategy that will allow us to refine our cost structure while ensuring our ability to support our ongoing engagements with prospective customers. Importantly, outside of DCEngine the new wins we secured during the third quarter demonstrate tangible evidence of our ability to commercialize the pipeline of engagements across our Software-Systems offerings. Acknowledging the timing of incremental commercial wins is difficult to predict, our focus remains on advancing our funnel of prospective and existing customer opportunities, maximizing our cash resources, and taking the necessary actions to return the Company to non-GAAP profitability and positive operating cash flow.”

Some highlights:

• awarded first commercial win for FlowEngine TDE-2000 with a strategic channel partner for initial deployment with a European service provider beginning in the fourth quarter;
• secured two new Tier 1 service provider wins in the U.S. and India through channel partners for multi-year VoLTE deployments; and
• Closed agreement with global contract manufacturer to streamline supply chain and drive meaningful cost synergies beginning in 2018.
• Software-Systems revenue was $11.3 million, compared to $11.5 million in the prior quarter and $10.4 million in the third quarter of 2016. The sequential decline was the result of timing of professional services programs, which we expect to benefit from in the fourth quarter of 2017.
• Hardware Solutions revenue was $17.5 million, compared to $23.6 million in the prior quarter and $45.0 million in the third quarter of 2016. The sequential decline reflects an expected discontinuance in new DCEngine orders from the Company’s tier one U.S. customer.

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Private equity firm acquires AVST, a developer of Unified Communications software

StoneCalibre, a privately funded investment firm based in Los Angeles, has acquired Applied Voice & Speech Technologies (AVST), a developer of software-based Unified Communications (UC) solutions for businesses.

AVST has now been merged with XMedius Solutions Inc. The new company, which will have its headquarters in Montreal, will focus on communication tools that leverage voice and data through IP networks using different types of enterprise-grade solutions, either on-premises or in the cloud. AVST designs, delivers and supports software-based UC voice solutions. XMedius provides secure file exchange software solutions. Together, AVST and XMedius have over 500 partners and nearly 4,500 active customers worldwide.

"We are extremely pleased to announce this compelling transaction, as it brings together two highly complementary companies as part of the StoneCalibre family", said Brian Wall, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of StoneCalibre. "Both have long track records of innovation and commitment to helping their customers build cutting-edge solutions for today's business environments. And, while AVST focuses on improving the productivity of its customers' communications, XMedius enables those communications to be secure."

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