Juniper Networks said Liberty Global will use its vMX platform to support a network functions virtualization (NFV) effort at the cable operator, which serves about 20 million customers across Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean and manages more than 10 million WiFi access points.
Juniper said the deployment marks a NFV-based approach, as Liberty Global will use the vendor’s vMX, billed as a software-based, virtualized MX Series Universal Edge Router that runs on off-the-shelf x86-based servers, across its footprint.
Using the vMX as a “virtual route reflector” will help the operator scale its control plane by spinning up new ones on an on-demand basis, they said.
"Virtualization solutions streamline our infrastructure, our operations environment and our global business outcomes,” Andy Grotzke, VP of core network strategy and engineering at Liberty Global, said in a statement. “While our first NFV deployment is for virtual route reflection, we are also evaluating the vMX to rapidly add network capacity and new customers. The ability to leverage a broad set of virtual routing capabilities is very important to Liberty Global as it will enable agile service innovation and increased operational efficiency."
Liberty Global is an existing Juniper customer that uses gear such as its MX Series 3D Universal Edge Routers and PTX Series Packet Transport Routers.
