ZTE’s first OPNFV Arno testbed to drive network virtualization innovations  

ZTE Corporation has introduced its first testbed based on the open platform for network function virtualization (OPNFV) Arno, enabling partners to verify their network function virtualisation (NFV) products for compatibility.

The testbed, a project of the ZTE software defined networking (SDN)/NFV Joint Open Lab, will provide an open environment for NFV technology developers and help promote the development of NFV technologies internationally. OPNFV, a San Francisco-based organisation focused on driving the development of NFV, announced the availability of the Arno open source software in June.

Since opening in 2014, ZTE’s SDN/NFV Joint Open Lab has successfully completed interconnection tests with partners including ARM, Centec Networks, Accton and Hillstone. By building a hybrid cloud platform accommodating both the IT multi-tenant public cloud and carrier-class private cloud, and providing SDN and NFV development and test environments applicable to major scenarios covering the data center, access network, bearer network, and core network, the lab aims to accelerate the industrialisation of relevant products and solutions.

In 2014, ZTE launched the ElasticNet SDN internet protocol radio access network (IPRAN) solution, enabling customers to virtualize massive access-layer equipment, simplifying network structures and operations and maintenance (O&M). ZTE also provides an SDN-based virtual data center (vDC) that rides on the widely adopted configurations and infrastructure of the industry. The open software and hardware structure allows the vDC to flexibly connect and manage the SDN devices, components, and modules from other manufacturers to effectively coordinate computing, storage, network and other key elements for powerful networking and service verification. The successful interconnection of the ZTE cloud platform with devices from other vendors represents ZTE ElasticNet's strength in multi-vendor interconnection and integration, as well as ZTE's efforts in the evolution of SDN in various fields.