Global networking solutions provider, CMC Networks, and next generation networking and security platform provider, Redvine Networks, have partnered to pioneer a new way of injecting intelligence into SD-WAN configurations.

Using the Juniper/128 Technology Secure Vector Routing (SVR) routing architecture as foundation, the two organisations have launched an SD-WAN solution that delivers session-aware capabilities that intelligently manage network traffic for enterprise customers and ISPs alike.

“This is the very first production implementation of an Ethernet over Secure Vector Routing (EoSVR) network in the world and aims to deliver a dedicated layer 2 service between any two nodes, enabling services that normal layer 3 networks simply cannot,” says Morne Vermeulen, Senior Core Engineer at Redvine Networks. “Some of these will include extending the layer 2 domain between datacentres or extending the scope of services that can now be offered in countries where other service providers lack the dedicated equipment often needed in these use cases.”

Geoff Dornan, CTO for CMC Networks, adds, “This joint solution flips the traditional way routing is done on its head. By applying intelligence at this fundamental layer of the infrastructure, the network can differentiate how it delivers applications and services with security, scalability, and simplicity at significantly more affordable rates than was possible before.”

According to CMC Networks, EoSVR has enabled it to deploy core infrastructure upgrades without impact on customers and within a fraction of the time needed in the legacy networking world.

This feature also opens the doors to use any type of last mile or underlay connectivity to deliver these services over, it adds.

Testing in Africa

Binesh George, CEO and co-founder of Redvine Networks, says the way the technologies integrate with one another, deliver significant cost savings out of the orchestration layer.

“During the research and development phase, the companies shipped the Juniper/128 Technology-driven solution to Burkina Faso and Sudan. The fact that it worked straight off the shelf especially in a country like Sudan that has the most unreliable connectivity in Africa, reflected how robust the solution was.

“This was followed by extensive testing in Kenya, Zimbabwe, and South Africa to ensure the solution delivered on various scenarios and provide the services seamlessly to what CMC wanted to accomplish,” says George.

The solution has been conceptualised, built, and tested with the African market in mind and its unique connectivity challenges especially when it comes to the efficient delivery of SD-WAN services.

This has global potential and has already been rolled out to 48 countries.

SVR defines the industry’s first control plane protocol designed specifically for service-based routing and topology – Service and Topology Exchange Protocol (STEP). STEP works to describe connectivity between all routers, exchanging details about each service and its status. In the simplest terms, STEP enables a truly global view of service, tenancy, and policy information.

The result is quicker deployment times for core infrastructure and customer facing services, more agile service offerings and capabilities, a more coherent and stable experience as well as extending cost saving to the customers.

“By applying the intelligence of the SVR architecture along with STEP and combining that with the Redvine Networks’ SD-WAN expertise and our own solutions, we have developed a way to push our core network into a virtualised environment that is fully SDN-enabled. This provides our entire customer base ranging from the wholesale space, enterprise and ISPs across Africa with a self-thinking and self-healing network never seen before,” adds Dornan.

It delivers the building blocks to do service fulfilment in-flight and bring automation orchestration visibility and telemetry as cost-effective as possible.

“And being a software-driven solution, customers can deploy it in the cloud as a virtualised offering to scale up quickly as per client requirements. It provides edge users with an optimised route the entire time to ensure the likes of video, voice, and data are transmitted to the most stringent SLA requirements,” continues George.