Sonus advances virtualisation offerings to make communications networks more flexible, cost-effective

Sonus Networks, Inc. has announced the next milestone in the company’s strategy to virtualise its product portfolio with the introduction of the Sonus PSX SWe (Software edition) and the Sonus DSC SWe.

By virtualising communications networks, service providers and enterprises can dramatically reduce the time, risk and expense of introducing new services. The portability and flexibility of the PSX SWe—Sonus’ virtualised PSX Centralized Policy and Routing Engine, and the DSC SWe—Sonus’ virtualised Diameter Signaling Controller (DSC), make them the ideal choice for service providers and enterprises seeking virtualisation technology, that prefer pre-packaged “solutions in a box,” require remote network deployments, or want to expand opportunities into new geographic markets where deploying a hardware solution would be impractical or cost prohibitive.

Building upon its strategy to virtualise the field-proven code base of its industry-leading hardware platforms, Sonus customers can now seamlessly and flexibly deploy the PSX SWe and the DSC SWe software platforms into networks using commercial-off-the-shelf platforms. For customers looking to leverage new and existing platforms to support network functions virtualisation (NFV) functionality, the PSX SWe and DSC SWe allow customers to deploy a fully-featured policy engine or DSC co-resident with other applications.

In addition to the PSX SWe and DSC SWe, Sonus’ portfolio of virtualised solutions includes the SBC SWe—the industry’s first software-based Session Border Controller (SBC) architected to deliver user defined scalability with the same advanced features and functionality as hardware. Starting with the SBC SWe, Sonus’ virtualised software will interoperate with Juniper Networks’ Contrail SDN and NFV platform, which offers a secure, scalable, multi-tenant and carrier-grade environment in which network functions can be provisioned and orchestrated in an automated fashion. This platform is designed to simplify the way service providers deliver differentiated Cloud-based Unified Communications (UC) and video experiences to enterprises. This solution empowers service providers to offer a range of innovative new services, including same-day Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) trunking services in new markets and geographies, scale of SIP capacity anywhere in the network and delivery of high-end SIP services at a lower price point to small and medium businesses.

Designed to be “gold standard” in network policy and routing management for service providers and enterprises, Sonus’ PSX Centralised Policy and Routing Engine is the industry's most feature-rich policy and routing control platform, delivering unparalleled reliability in the world’s most demanding environments and scalability to millions of subscribers. The PSX SWe provides the same features, exceptional scalability and centralised policy/traffic control as hardware for today’s modern wireline and wireless networks, including Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), 4G LTE as well as legacy network elements including media gateways and soft switches. For Sonus customers, the PSX SWe delivers a wide range of real-world benefits, including intelligent routing, simplified network management, lower cost and increased margins for delivering real-time communications such as Voice over LTE (VoLTE), Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and video calls.

The demand for 4G/Long-Term Evolution (LTE) networks is projected to grow exponentially as mobile broadband demand for smartphones and tablets, and diameter-signaling messages in 4G/LTE networks grows correspondently. The Sonus DSC is a flexible, robust, carrier-grade solution to solve the diameter routing dilemma, and the DSC SWe provides all functionality required for both core and edge diameter routing within the all-IP, service-oriented, IMS and LTE networks. The DSC SWe offers customers the most nimble approach to scale deployments from proof of concept to production solely by adding licenses as needed.