NEC Successfully Tests Mobile Core Network Virtualization in a Multivendor Environment
NEC, Alcatel-Lucent, Cisco, Ericsson, Huawei and Nokia Networks took part in the testing NFV, which is aimed at realizing a next-generation mobile core network based on network virtualization technology.
In addition to NEC, Alcatel-Lucent, Cisco, Ericsson, Huawei and Nokia Networks took part in the testing, which is aimed at realizing a next-generation mobile core network based on network virtualization technology and marks the largest test of Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) in the telecom industry. NEC conducted testing with all of the participating companies.
As part of the testing, NEC's virtualized Evolved Packet Core (vEPC) successfully operated on the virtualization platforms built by each participating vendor. Applications from all the participants also ran safely on NEC's virtualization platform. Moreover, NEC's platform was able to increase processing capacity in response to data traffic demands, and in the event of a hardware failure, the NEC platform was able to quickly and automatically reconfigure the preliminary configuration using different hardware, thereby confirming the stable continuation of data communications. As a result, this testing demonstrated that systems can be built freely by vendor-independent combinations, which enables CSPs (communication service provider) from around the world to realize the advantages of virtualization they have been seeking.
Going forward, NEC will continue to develop networks that are ideal for the services provided by CSPs in a flexible and swift manner while providing solutions that optimize total cost of ownership, thus contributing to the innovation of communications.
"Thanks to collaborative efforts in the mobile network industry, NFV is soundly moving toward practical realization, rather than just ending up as a pie-in-the-sky dream. I am delighted that we have confirmed the feasibility of NFV through multi-vendor initiatives with NEC and other top ICT players," said Mr. Seizo Onoe, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at DOCOMO.
"NEC is honored to have worked with DOCOMO and major vendors around the world to successfully conduct tests of virtualization-based mobile core technologies in multivendor environments. NEC conducted testing with all of the participating companies and successfully verified interoperability. Based on the issues and results revealed by the testing, we plan to hold discussions with standardization groups, including the ETSI ISG-NFV (The Industry Specification Group for NFV) to ensure that CSPs around the world can fully reap the benefits of VNF-based mobile core technologies," said Mr. Shunichiro Tejima, Executive Vice President of NEC.
NEC proactively cooperates with companies and groups working on NFV, including joint research and testing. Moreover, NEC is working with over 10 leading global telecom carriers for the commercialization of NFV.
In 2013, NEC led the industry with the launch of its vEPC solution, which has already been deployed in Myanmar's backbone communication network. NEC has also conducted joint testing of vCPE for in-home communications devices with Telefonica and has bolstered its efforts towards Software-Defined Networking (SDN)/NFV. Moreover, NEC holds top-level membership along with DOCOMO and other major telecom carriers and vendors around the world in Open Platform for NFV (opnfv.org/), which was founded in September 2014, and is playing a leading role in the field of NFV.