Intel intros 3rd Gen Xeon including four NFV optimized versions

Intel launched its 3rd Gen Xeon Scalable processors (code-named “Ice Lake”) featuring an average 46% improvement on popular data center workloads over the previous generation.

The new Xeon processors, which are the foundation of Intel’s data center platform, also add new and enhanced platform capabilities including Intel SGX for built-in security, and Intel Crypto Acceleration and Intel DL Boost for AI acceleration. 

The processors use Intel 10 nanometer (nm) process technology and deliver up to 40 cores per processor and up to 2.65 times higher average performance gain compared with a 5-year-old system. The platform supports up to 6 terabytes of system memory per socket, up to 8 channels of DDR4-3200 memory per socket and up to 64 lanes of PCIe Gen4 per socket.

Intel is also offering network-optimized “N-SKUs” that are designed for diverse network environments for vRAN, NFVI, virtual CDN and more.

“Our 3rd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable platform is the most flexible and performant in our history, designed to handle the diversity of workloads from the cloud to the network to the edge,” said Navin Shenoy, executive vice president and general manager of the Data Platforms Group at Intel. “Intel is uniquely positioned with the architecture, design and manufacturing to deliver the breadth of intelligent silicon and solutions our customers demand.”

https://www.intc.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/1457/intel-launches-its-most-advanced-performance-data-center

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IRIS subsea cable to link Iceland to Ireland with up to 108 Tbps capacity

IRIS, a new six-fiber pair undersea cable system, will connect Iceland and Ireland with up to 108 Tbps of system capacity.

Farice, the international connectivity provider fully owned by the Icelandic Government, has selected Subcom as the primary contractor.

Currently, there are two other submarine cable systems that connect Iceland to Europe – FARICE-1 (2003) and DANICE (2009). 

IRIS will be approximately 1,700 km in length and connect south west of Iceland to Ballyloughane Strand in Galway, Ireland. Farice has already finalized the DTS and

marine survey work on Ireland’s continental shelf and will complete the remaining survey works to Iceland in 2021. Manufacture of the cable and equipment will take place at SubCom’s manufacturing headquarters in Newington, NH, USA during 2021 and early 2022, with main lay installation operations scheduled for summer 2022. The system is expected to be ready for service by the end of 2022.

“We are pleased to announce the contract in force for the IRIS undersea cable system, which we believe is an essential step for both the safety and security of Iceland. The system will also provide a new low latency connection between Iceland and Dublin that will bring Iceland closer to one of the key network hubs in Europe. In essence, the system will be a digital bridge between Iceland and Ireland and could, as such, advance the use of green energy in Iceland for international digital processing needs,” said Thorvardur Sveinsson, CEO of Farice. “Through our new IRIS system and existing DANICE system, a new North Atlantic Network route connecting Ireland, Iceland and Denmark is open. Having worked in partnership with SubCom to deploy one of our existing cable systems, we are confident in their design, manufacturing and installation capabilities and look forward to completing this highly impactful project.”

Farice opted to land the IRIS cable in Ireland, a nexus of trans-Atlantic connections and a center of European operations for many international businesses. IRIS will directly connect to a new high-speed undersea cable system that will enable more diverse, secure, high-speed connectivity between Iceland and mainland Europe.

“It is an honor to once again partner with Farice to supply a high-speed, high-capacity undersea cable system on behalf of the government and citizenry of Iceland,” said David Coughlan, CEO of SubCom. “Our experience in the region and commitment to delivering advanced systems ontime and on-budget will continue to benefit Farice as we move forward.” 

https://www.subcom.com/documents/2021/IRIS_CIF_SubCom_FARICE_Press_Release_5APRIL2021.pdf

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China’s 21Vianet data center operator upgrades with Juniper routers

21Vianet, the largest carrier-neutral data center service provider in China, has deployed Juniper Networks' MX Series Universal Routing Platforms using segment routing traffic engineering (SR-TE) protocols.

21Vianet operates a network of over 50 data centers in more than 20 cities nationwide where it houses more than 51,000 network cabinets offering over 2000G of port capacity and providing over 1000G of dedicated high-speed cloud access for its ever-growing user base across the world’s second largest economy.

Juniper says 21Vianet's latest upgrade has not just successfully increased the capacity, scale and stability of its network – but also provided the platform for much-improved efficiency and automation via the implementation of SR-TE protocols, allowing 21Vianet to pass on lower operational costs and management workloads to its customers, all while greatly improving the end-user experience. The implementation of the EVPN-MPLS/VXLAN protocol was applied to support application mobility, allowing network administrators to easily migrate applications within and between various data centers, allowing for operational efficiency while optimizing network traffic flow. The application of segment routing protocols has also enabled simplified traffic management across 21Vianet’s multiple network domains, all while fulfilling the demands of increased bandwidth capacity.

“21Vianet has rapidly established itself among the largest and most influential service providers within the IDC industry in China. We are proud to have helped drive that growth and data center development over the years and are honoured to have once again enabled their latest upgrades in support of their accelerated market expansion. We remain committed to our vision of enabling organizations with our experience-first approach toward networking and we are confident that this ever-deepening relationship with 21Vianet can be a continued growth catalyst for the long-term development of the IDC industry across China and beyond.”

https://newsroom.juniper.net/news/news-details/2021/Chinas-Largest-Carrier-Neutral-Data-Center-Service-Provider-21Vianet-Selects-Juniper-Networks-to-Power-Expanded-Interconnected-Data-Center/default.aspx

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Prosimo targets secure app delivery with multi-cloud networking

Prosimo, a start-up based in Santa Clara, California, emerged from stealth to unveil its Application eXperience Infrastructure (AXI) platform for secure application delivery in multi-cloud environments. The platform is positioned for multi-cloud networking, Zero Trust with Identity Aware Proxy, app micro-segmentation, access to lift-and-shift VMware on AWS, Azure or GCP, app-infrastructure modernization for Kubernetes and service mesh apps, and etc.  

Promiso, whose co-founders Ramesh Prabagaran (CEO) and Nehal Bhau (CTO) were part of the founding team at Viptela that was acquired by Cisco for its SD-WAN solutions, will offer an integrated "infrastructure stack" that provides secure access, app experience, real-time insights and quantified recommendations for multi-cloud. Prosimo  AXI platform is powered by machine learning and works with the platform’s Application-driven Intelligent Results engine (AIR) and AXI Edge.  The platform handles both user-to-app and app-to-app requirements, preventing multiple fragmented initiatives in the cloud. 

The company says this level of integration enables it to offer a per application SLA that includes secure access and optimized connectivity while managing cost. Prosimo says its early customers have experienced:   

• Up to 90% improvement in page load with improved app performance 
• 99% reduction in attack surface with increased security 
• Up to 60% savings in cloud spend 
• Up to 90% reduction in deployment time 

“Our mission is to make infrastructure transparent and secure and to deliver multi-cloud apps with the experience required at scale and controlled by the customer,” said Ramesh Prabagaran, co-founder and CEO of Prosimo. “A new architecture will define how applications should be delivered especially from the cloud -- we are set to lead this trend to help enterprises meet the ever changing needs of cloud applications. We are humbled to see large enterprises validate our vision by taking steps to modernize their stack.”  

The company also announced $25 million in seed and Series A funding co-led by General Catalyst and WRVI Capital with participation from Nepenthe Capital. Dr. Steve Herrod, managing director at General Catalyst, and Lip-Bu Tan, managing partner at WRVI Capital, have joined the board.  

https://www.prosimo.io/

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Who is Prosimo? CTO presentation

https://youtu.be/58YMebmBJwM

Prosimo, a start-up based in Santa Clara, California,  has launched its Application eXperience Infrastructure (AXI) platform for ensuring secure application experiences across multi-cloud environments.

In this 40-minute presentation, Nehal Bhau, Co-founder & CTO, Prosimo, shares his insights on the SD-WAN market, Prosimo's vertically integrated stack and its method to leverage the global infrastructure of the top cloud providers.

Think per application SLAs that include secure access, optimized connectivity and managed cost.

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T-Mobile and Lumen partner on 5G + Edge Computing

T-Mobile U.S. and Lumen Technologies agreed to expand their existing relationship to allow access to Lumen's Edge Computing platform over T-Mobile's 5G network, enabling enterprises to build, manage and scale applications across distributed environments. As part of this collaboration, T-Mobile will also become a preferred wireless connectivity partner for Lumen.

“By pairing America’s largest and fastest 5G network with Lumen’s enterprise solutions, we can break down industry barriers and deliver unparalleled network reach to enterprise and government organizations looking to optimize their applications across networks,” said Mike Katz, EVP of T-Mobile for Business. “With our leading 5G network, Lumen and T-Mobile have the opportunity to accelerate business innovation in an era where the network is more critical than ever.”

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CommScope offers Wi-Fi 6 APs for hotels, MDUs, open spaces

CommScope expanded its Wi-Fi 6 access point (AP) portfolio with new indoor RUCKUS H550 and outdoor RUCKUS T350 models designed for the hospitality industry and MDUs. 

The H550 AP powers the hyper-connected room, enabling hotel, apartment, dormitory and other multi-dwelling unit (MDU) owners and operators. It can be hidden discretely behind or next to cabinets, desks or televisions, providing PoE pass-through for VoIP phones and TVoIP.

The T350 AP delivers high-performance outdoor connectivity in a compact form factor, enabling it to meet the aesthetic requirements of smart spaces, community Wi-Fi installations, airports and other large public venues. In addition to built-in IoT capabilities the T350 includes a USB port to support additional wireless protocols. The T350 is built to handle the harshest outdoor conditions, including extreme temperatures, humidity, wind, salt and fog.

The new APs, like all other RUCKUS APs and switches, serve as data sources for the artificial intelligence (AI)- and machine learning (ML)-powered network analytics capabilities available in RUCKUS Analytics, for use in networks managed by RUCKUS Cloud and SmartZoneOS-based network controllers.

SmartZoneOS powers a family of high-scale physical and virtual network controllers for use by service providers and large enterprises to manage wired and wireless networks. New enhancements to SmartZoneOS include:

• Interoperability with Google’s Orion Wifi, which enables network operators to participate in the global cellular offload market;
• Native integration of Hotspot 2.0 (including Release 3) and RadSec, which simplifies OpenRoaming operations for service providers, enhances subscriber, guest and visitor convenience and opens new opportunities for roaming-driven revenue;
• A re-architected user interface that improves administrator experience through easy navigability, new search and “favorites” functionality, and faster response time; and
• Social login functionality, which makes it easier than ever for operators to facilitate a positive guest experience, and an enhanced captive portal that simplifies operations for administrators.

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Telefónica and Liberty Global advance their JV planning in the UK

Liberty Global and Telefónica will appoint Lutz Schüler as Chief Executive Officer and Patricia Cobian as Chief Financial Officer of the proposed 50-50 joint venture combining Virgin Media and O2. The merger is subject to approval by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in the UK.

Lutz Schüler joined Virgin Media in 2018 as Chief Operating Officer and has been CEO at Virgin Media since June 2019. Prior to that, Schüler spent more than seven years as CEO of Unitymedia GmbH, Liberty Global’s highly successful German operation, which was sold to Vodafone in 2018. During his tenure at Virgin Media he has transformed business performance with the acceleration of 1 Gig broadband, the rollout of new entertainment and smart WiFi services and the market’s first fixed-mobile bundles. Schüler is a 27-year veteran of the telecoms industry, beginning his career at T-Mobile Deutschland in 1994 and later serving in various senior management roles, including Chief Operating Officer, with Telefonica’s O2 German subsidiary from 1998 to 2010.

Patricia Cobian is currently Chief Financial Officer for O2, a position she has held since 2016. During a 15-year career with Telefónica she has held a number of senior management positions. Before taking on her current role, Cobian was Director for Business Development in Telefónica Europe, where she led strategy, marketing innovation and played a key role in a number of partnerships, spectrum auctions, infrastructure sharing deals and key acquisitions and divestitures in the region. She also led the post-merger integration planning of Telefónica Deutschland with ePlus. Before joining Telefónica, Cobian was a consultant with the TMT and Corporate Finance practices of McKinsey & Company.

Mike Fries, CEO of Liberty Global, and José Maria Alvarez-Pallete Lopez, CEO of Telefonica, commented: “We are about to embark on an exciting new chapter for Virgin Media and O2, and Lutz and Patricia are the right leaders to deliver on our ambition to create the UK’s national connectivity champion. Together they will build a strong, diverse and dynamic team that will bring more choice, more value and world-class innovation to over 46 million fixed and mobile customers and the broader consumer and enterprise market.”

Liberty's Virgin Media to merge with Telefónica's O2

Thursday, May 07, 2020  Mergers And Acquisitions, O2, Service Providers, Telefonica, UK, Virgin  

Liberty Global plc and Telefónica SA will merge their operating businesses in the U.K. to form a 50:50 joint venture focused on broadband + mobile + video + entertainment consumer services. O2 is the largest mobile platform in the UK, while Virgin Media claims to be the nation's fastest broadband network.

The "fully-converged" JV is also expected to become a leading challenger in the B2B space as the combination will accelerate the adoption of converged fixed-mobile services to Virgin Media’s and O2’s existing business customers.

The JV will have an approximate annual turnover of £11 billion, and 46 million mobile, home, and business connections.

The companies cite significant operating benefits for the JV, with estimated run-rate cost, CAPEX and revenue synergies of £540 million on an annual basis by the fifth full year post closing, equivalent to a net present value of approximately £6.2 billion post tax and net of integration costs, as well as significant synergies from the accelerated usage of existing tax assets. The vast majority of the benefits relate to demonstrable cost and CAPEX synergies, with an annual run-rate of approximately £430 million out of which approximately 80% are expected to be achieved by the third full year after the closing.

CAPEX synergies:

• Use of existing infrastructure to provide services for each entity’s customers at lower cost compared to standalone / wholesale capabilities;
• Migration of Virgin Media mobile traffic to Telefonica UK’s network;
• Combination of regional and national network infrastructures and IT systems;
• Reduction in combined marketing expenditures;
• Potential to reduce general and administration costs; and 
• Site rationalization

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Zayo to expand its fiber network in Florida

Zayo announced the final phase of construction for a network expansion in Central Florida, including Miami, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Bradenton, Lakeland, Orlando, Daytona Beach, Palm Bay and the surrounding areas. The additional 2,600 route miles of fiber will complement Zayo’s existing network, spanning 13 million fiber miles and providing connectivity to customers located in over 400 markets worldwide.

Zayo notes that this new fiber is installed completely underground, supporting network stability by protecting against weather-related events. Zayo is the owner and operator of the fiber, resulting in a more seamless customer experience.

“In addition to the first-ever Private Dedicated Network solutions in the state, the quality, density and diversity of our network provide a significant advantage to our customers,” said Marty Snella, SVP of Strategic Implementation. “Our expanded footprint in Florida underscores our commitment to extending global reach opportunities to the businesses and organizations that are fueling impressive growth and innovation.”

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