Telstra has launched its first software-defined networking products developed with Cisco.
It allows businesses to instantly deploy and configure services over Telstra’s network, delivering a platform and products, using software defined networking (SDN) and network function virtualisation (NFV).
First up is the Internet Virtual Private Network (Internet VPN) that will be available later this month. Businesses can connect multiple sites and mobile workers to office networks with secure, encrypted links over the public internet in Telstra’s online portal. For a basic Internet VPN, customers can expect to pay $119 for a basic package and the premium package will cost $299.
The second product, which is currently available in beta is the Cloud Gateway Protection, which a virtual security appliance that can be deployed and configured within minutes in the Cloud to protect internet access, Cloud services and Next IP networks.
Data Centre Interconnect will be available later this year and it’s an extension of the telco’s global data centre interconnect SDN product, PEN. Through adding Australian PoPs, it allows businesses to instantly set up point-to-point links between domestic and global data centres, configure them on the fly and pick from a variety of pay-as-you-go, flexible contract terms on the same portal.
The new products will be housed in Telstra’s central marketplace for virtualised managed services, which Telstra CTO Vish Nandlall, said presented a significant milestone in the telco's history.
"We're going to mark the transformation of Telstra from just a simple carrier into an agile telco and technology company," he said. "We're redefining the customer experience and we're redefining the consumption model of networking services.
Nandlall said customers are going to be able to purchase and provision the network in the same way as the Cloud.
“What kind of benefits do we expect for our customers? We’re trying to bring a software driven network experience. Customers are going to gain control of their deployment through an online self service portal,” he said. “This is going to allow them to consume services on demand, improve service insurance and maintenance, give them instantaneous access and connectivity to the Cloud applications and business services.”
Julia Talevski traveled to Cisco Live in Melbourne as a guest of Cisco.
