Unity EdgeConnect and Universal CPE Platforms Unite to Accelerate New Service Delivery Models for Communications Service Providers
Silver Peak®, the global SD-WAN leader, delivering the transformational promise of the cloud with a self-driving wide area network™, today announced expanded collaboration with Ciena, bringing together Silver Peak network functions virtualisation (NFV) and Ciena universal customer premise equipment (uCPE) to create new service delivery models for communications service providers (CSPs) that bring new levels of flexibility to global enterprise customers. The Silver Peak Unity EdgeConnect™ SD-WAN edge platform uniquely unifies SD-WAN, routing, segmentation and WAN optimisation into a single NFV software instance that runs on the Ciena 3906 and 3926 platforms, creating the foundation for a modern business-driven WAN edge.
The Silver Peak EdgeConnect NFV supported by Ciena’s ability to host multiple virtual network functions (VNFs) and Ethernet connectivity services frees CSPs to offer a virtually limitless portfolio of connectivity and enhanced managed SD-WAN services to medium and large enterprises, accelerating new revenue streams.
Geographically distributed enterprises are now able to retire legacy hardware-based WAN edge routers, firewalls and WAN optimisation appliances in favor of turnkey managed services that unify advanced SD-WAN, routing, advanced segmentation and WAN optimisation capabilities into a single Silver Peak EdgeConnect VNF that runs side-by-side with advanced third-party firewall/unified threat management (UTM) NFVs from Silver Peak security partners – all centrally managed and hosted on a single, reliable, and secure Ciena platform at the customer premise or network edge. Ciena’s carrier-grade and field-proven 3906 and 3926 platforms are compact, smart CPEs optimised for 1-Gigabit and 10-Gigabit Ethernet connectivity, respectively.
“As enterprises advance digital transformation and cloud initiatives to gain business agility and competitive edge, many understand the foundational requirement for a modern WAN edge,” said Fraser Street, vice president of technical alliances at Silver Peak. “Cloud-first enterprises are increasingly turning to service providers for turnkey managed SD-WAN services that unite advanced network functions like the EdgeConnect NFV, enabling them to retire legacy WAN infrastructure and fully leverage the power of software that delivers a multiplier effect on cloud investments.”
“With an ongoing surge in demand for network connectivity and services, driven by high-bandwidth content and business-critical applications, the industry is witnessing firsthand how digital transformation impacts the network,” said Brian Lavallée, senior director of portfolio marketing at Ciena. “CSPs and enterprises are actively modernising their network assets to be increasingly intelligent, agile, and adaptive. Together with Silver Peak, we make this journey possible.”
About Silver Peak
Silver Peak, the global SD-WAN leader, delivers the transformational promise of the cloud with a business-first networking model. The Unity EdgeConnect™ self-driving wide area network platform liberates enterprises from conventional WAN approaches to transform the network from a constraint to a business accelerant. Thousands of globally distributed enterprises have deployed Silver Peak WAN solutions across 100 countries. Learn more at silver-peak.com.