Open Network Featured Article

The impact of software-defined networking (SDN) and network functions virtualization (NFV) in the communications space has been profound. Networks are being re-architected using a software-defined model, the structure of the data center has been overhauled, and enterprises are getting in on the game, adopting SD-WAN solutions and services at a rapid rate.

The companies adopting and promoting virtualization and the software-defined approach are also largely open source proponents, and a new project called CORD has been formed to put the spotlight on SDN and NFV technologies for telcos. The Central Office Re-architected as Data Center (CORD) project is the brainchild of the Open Networking Lab and The Linux Foundation (News - Alert). Attracting massive technology companies like Google, Radisys and Samsung, CORD seeks to bring data center economics and cloud flexibility to the telco central office and the entire access network.

According to the CORD website, “CORD lets the operator manage their central offices using declarative modeling languages for agile, real-time configuration of new customer services. Major service providers like AT&T, SK Telecom (News - Alert), Verizon, China Unicom and NTT Communications are already supporting CORD.”

Google stepped into a CORD leadership position last week, hosting the first CORD Summit with ON (News - Alert).Lab and The Linux Foundation at its Sunnyvale Tech campus. The event brought together developers and engineers in an effort to lay out a roadmap for CORD initiatives and innovations. So far, the first reference implementation for CORD has been released, and the Broadband Forum (News - Alert) has pledged to work with ON.Lab on broadband requirements and standards to further support CORD. The reference implementation is built on SDN, NFV and the cloud along with open source platforms like ONOS, Trellis, OpenStack, Docker and XOS. It also leverages merchant silicon and white boxes to support connectivity and cloud services for residential, enterprise and mobile subscribers.

“Given Google (News - Alert)'s track record as a provider of cloud and access services, we anticipate it will play an important role in strengthening the CORD architecture, implementation and deployments,” said Guru Parulkar, executive director at ON.Lab.

“CORD presents a revolutionary architecture that uniquely exploits the best of SDN, NFV, and cloud technologies, creating cutting-edge connectivity and cloud-scale services,” added Brian Bronson, president and CEO of Radisys.