China Telecom deploys SDN in datacentre

China Telecom has deployed software defined network (SDN) technology in a datacentre run by its Beijing subsidiary Beijing Telecom.

The solution, deployed by Huawei, comprises components including the smart network controller (SNC), which is powered by a carrier-grade SDN control algorithm, and the NetMatrix orchestrator, which optimises traffic for datacentre nodes.

The SDN implementation will enable China Telecom to better meet service customisation requirements of tenants, improve utilisation of resources and operations, and optimise network observation and measurement efficiency, said Huawei. Despite claims that Beijing Telecom’s datacentre is already the “data hub” for north China, the operator has taken the lead in deploying SDN technology on its network to further enhance its competitiveness.

According to the vendor, operators’ business models are under increasing pressure to move from selling bandwidth resources to offering “datacentre-as-a-service” offerings.

On top of the infrastructure the operator has launched “DC-one” for virtual resource services, “DC-care” for assurance services, “DC-keeper” for auxiliary services like detailed traffic reporting, and DC-private for customised services.

According to Zha Jun, president of Huawei’s fixed network business unit, Huawei has an extensive history of collaboration with China Telecom. He said that this deployment demonstrates the operator’s foresight in identifying important new technologies as well as faith in Huawei’s strengths in SDN.