Alcatel-Lucent virtualizes content delivery network

Alcatel-Lucent has introduced new management, programmability and automation features to its existing Velocix Content Delivery Network (CDN). Aimed at IP video delivery for pay-TV operators, the solution will make use of virtualization technologies, which enables further control over traffic and resource management within the CDN.

As a part of Alcatel-Lucent’s network functions virtualization (NFV) portfolio, the virtual CDN solution follows the traditional concept and approach of the much likened software defined networking (SDN). The CDN will decouple software, which controls and routes traffic along the network, from the physical hardware, which provides compute and storage resources. The intention is for the virtualization feature to reduce time to install and expand the CDN, provide greater continuity in the face of hardware failure, and guarantee quality of service.

Alongside the NFV announcement, Alcatel-Lucent also announced additional features to the Velocix platform, which includes a new API to cater for increased systems integration called the Velocix Universal Network Application Programming Interface. It also announced upgrades to content caching and processing to allow for greater personalisation of content deliver, as well as a traffic management optimisation capability to host both web and video traffic on to the same CDN.

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Paul Larbey, who is Head of IP Video for Alcatel-Lucent, sees virtualization as the next logical step for CDN, saying: “Video represents the most traffic on a service provider’s network. Applying the principles of virtualization to content delivery networks is about giving service providers greater control over that traffic and subsequently providing a better experience to customers.”

Alcatel-Lucent has been an active player in the burgeoning virtualization space over the past few years, with active projects in both SDN and NFV in the shape of Nuage Networks and the CloudBand ecosystem, respectively. The Velocix CDN solution is currently being deployed with some of the larger pay-TV operators across the Americas, including Telus, Time Warner Cable and Oi.