Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) is a network architecture concept that uses the technologies of IT virtualisation to virtualise entire classes of network node functions into building blocks that may connect, or chain together, to create communication services. NFV relies upon, but differs from, traditional server-virtualisation techniques. It also differs from Software Defined Networking, although SDN is often leveraged to implement and manage an NFV infrastructure.
NFV, SDN and their underlying virtualisation concepts have been disruptive, game-changing technologies. Physical hardware hosts a number of virtual guest machines (VMs), controlled by a Hypervisor, and agnostic in terms of OS to the host machine. Originally server-based, it encompassed the desktop environment, and now network resources (routers, switches) are virtualised. Few organisations today do not have some element of virtualisation in their networks.
Most of IP Performance’s partners offer their products and solutions as virtual as well as physical instances. IP Performance partner with VMware, one of the pioneers of virtualisation, for their virtualisation and NFV technologies. Click on the partner logo below for more information.
VMware provides cloud and virtualisation software and services, and is the leading virtualisation vendor in the industry. IP Performance are leveraging their expertise in networking and security by specialising in Network Virtualisation and Software Defined Networking (SDN), enabling Software Defined Data Centres (SDDC) and Network Function Virtualisation (NFV), through VMware NSX technology.
‘We are really happy with the Juniper Mist solution provided by IP Performance and in fact when you look at the number of daily connections I would say it’s exceeded our expectations, for example in our Coatbridge campus the feedback from all staff and students for a number of years has been really negative regarding the Wifi but right now we currently have 600 users connected. The ability to look at the monitor and see what the trends are in terms of time-to-connect and successful connections also gives us the ability to see a problem before it impacts on a number of users. Therefore this reduces the amount of Wifi issues that are submitted to our helpdesk, so this again shows that the solution works.’
