Avaya Announces New Innovations in Fabric-Enabled Networking


SANTA CLARA, CA--(Marketwired - Apr 17, 2013) -

  • Avaya VENA Fabric Connect increases simplicity, scalability and resiliency in new model for IP Multicast
  • Industry's first fabric-enabled multi-service / multi-tenant edge device extends the end-to-end reach of Avaya VENA Fabric Connect to remote offices
  • Avaya VENA Fabric Connect selected to support InteropNet, one of the world's largest temporary networks built for Interop 2013, a premier networking industry event

Avaya today unveiled new solutions demonstrating the company's continual innovation in network fabric technologies, including the industry's first fabric-enabled multi-service edge device and a new model for IP Multicast that significantly improves efficiency, reliability and scalability over traditional approaches. The solutions will be showcased in this year's InteropNet, one of the world's largest, temporary networks supporting Interop 2013, a premier networking industry event.

Avaya VENA Fabric Connect transforms the entire network from data center to desktop into a more agile one that is easier to configure, manage and maintain. Based on an enhanced implementation of Shortest Path Bridging, an open, standards-based1, extensible fabric technology, Avaya VENA Fabric Connect delivers the industry's most comprehensive array of network services, including Layer 2 and Layer 3 virtualization with optimized routing and now, fully integrated support for IP Multicast. 

Avaya VENA Fabric Connect allows customers to gradually phase out multiple complex legacy technologies and instead, enable all services through a single, next-generation technology. Services can be deployed using simple end-point provisioning that accelerates time-to-service and reduces the potential for error.

1 - IEEE as 802.1aq; IETF as RFC 6329

IP Multicast over Fabric Connect 
As the growth in video and as emerging transport models such as VXLAN and NVGRE take hold, IP Multicast takes on a more critical, central role in the network. The limitations of the traditional approach are exposed in impacts to scale, application performance and resiliency. In contrast, IP Multicast over Avaya Fabric Connect delivers the simplicity, scalability and resiliency needed for Multicast's most demanding applications by:

  • Using a single protocol as opposed to several complex protocol overlays
  • Supporting tens of thousands of streams as opposed to hundreds
  • Providing sub-second failover times ( < 200msec) as opposed to seconds or minutes
  • Enabling single command configuration on end-points as opposed to complex network-wide configuration
  • Driving network traffic through the shortest latent path as opposed to routing through various dedicated rendezvous points
  • Designing for multi-tenant functionality to support virtualization

IP Multicast over Avaya Fabric Connect is available now on the ERS 8800 platform and later this year on the VSP 9000 and the VSP 4000 platforms. 

VSP 4000
The VSP 4000 is the industry's first fabric-enabled multi-service / multi-tenant edge device that further extends the Avaya VENA Fabric Connect across the entire network to the campus, metro or WAN edge. The VSP 4000 is delivered on a low-cost, Gigabit /10 Gigabit access device, equipped with full multi-service functionality, a carrier-grade operating system, PoE+ support, and AC/DC power options and can deliver the following deployment models:

  • Smaller enterprises looking for cost effective virtualization technology to help reduce network complexity, increase agility and improve network uptime 
  • Distributed enterprises where there is a desire to extend Avaya VENA Fabric Connect over Service Provider WAN connections or Metro Area Rings to reach remote offices
  • Secure traffic separation for multi-tenant environments (different departments, companies) or for regulatory compliance (PCI DCC)
  • IP video surveillance networks to provide efficient and scalable Unicast / Multicast support as well as provide power for IP Surveillance cameras

InteropNet
As the leading provider of networking and communications equipment for the Interop 2013 network, Avaya is deploying Avaya VENA Fabric Connect for the InteropNet backbone. The technology will dramatically simplify the design, deployment and management of the InteropNet network, as well as support the heavy demand of this premier, networking industry event. The network will showcase the most recent Avaya innovations, including the extension of the network fabric from the Network Operations Center to the Interop show floor using the VSP 4000, and the integration of scalable Layer 2, Layer 3 and the newly announced IP Multicast services over Avaya Fabric Connect. In addition to VSP 4000, the network deployment will also include the VSP 9000 and ERS 8800 Series products. Interop 2013 will be held May 6-10 at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Quotes
"Avaya is fundamentally changing the way Multicast is delivered. When testing their IP Multicast over Avaya Fabric Connect functionality, all the resources I had in my lab couldn't stress their solution. Also, during failover testing, I was amazed that the network and the Multicast services re-converged faster than I could record it. We look forward to working with Avaya to deliver scalable, and efficient video surveillance solutions for our customers."
Darren Giacomini, Lead Architect, Pelco

"We are excited to have Avaya playing a critical role in the InteropNet as the backbone network provider. Avaya will be showcasing fabric technology and through the InteropNet deployment, demonstrating that it is ready for mass-market deployment by leveraging it at such a high provide industry event. We are impressed with the level of simplicity, flexibility and resiliency that this technology offers." 
Glenn Evans, Lead Architect, InteropNet

"Avaya is fundamentally changing the way that networks are designed, built and operated with our Fabric Connect technology. With this announcement, we are delivering all the services capabilities with far greater simplicity, agility and availability than the wide majority of current rigid, complex and error-prone networks supporting enterprises today."
Marc Randall, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Avaya Networking

Additional Resources
Fact Sheet: Virtual Services Platform 4000 Series
Images: VSP 4000 http://www.flickr.com/photos/avaya/sets/72157633248681395/
Whitepaper: The New World of IP Multicasting White Paper
Whitepaper: Avaya Fabric Enabled Networking to Power InteropNet at Interop 2013
Case Study: Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games
Miercom Report - Ethernet Fabric
Podcast: Considerations for turning your network into a Fabric

Tags: Avaya, Avaya Fabric Connect, Interop IP multicast, shortest path bridging, networking, virtualization, fabric networking, data center, multiservice device

About Avaya
Avaya is a global provider of business collaboration and communications solutions, providing unified communications, contact centers, networking and related services to companies of all sizes around the world. For more information please visit www.avaya.com.

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Contact Information:

Avaya Media Contact:
Deborah Kline
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