Steel ORCA Developing Software-Defined Data Center Built on Avaya SDN Fx Architecture
Avaya, a provider of contact center and business communication solutions for customer and team engagement, has entered into a strategic relationship with Steel ORCA to collaborate on the development of a next-generation software-defined network (SDN)-based data center. Under the terms of the agreement Steel ORCA will standardize its data center architecture according to Avaya Fabric Connect, an SDN solution that enables the creation of simplified, dynamic service environments.
Agility is key in the modern business environment, and next-generation facilities built on fabric-based SDN architectures are able to deliver global cloud services much more easily and with higher efficiency. Avaya Fabric Connect lets new or changed services be implemented in just a few minutes, whereas the elimination of complex protocol overlays simplifies management and troubleshooting duties while allowing faster recovery times. The future-proof solution is ideal for fostering success with network virtualization, cloud, mobility and video services with drastic reductions to the complexity of the network as well as operating costs.
“Competitive pressures are driving businesses to deliver unique, reliable services while reducing costs, maintaining high levels of security and to do it faster than anyone else,” commented Jean Turgeon, Chief Technology Architect of SDN at Avaya. “Companies seeking this competitive edge can find it within Steel ORCA’s unique environmental approach to creating a Digital Utility Center. By using Avaya's SDN Fx architecture with Fabric Connect, Steel ORCA breaks the mold to offer unparalleled value, speed and resiliency to customers via their best-in-class, next-generation data center architecture.”
Steel ORCA plans to launch a full Avaya SDN Fx deployment later in 2015, citing the immense benefits brought by automation and programmability for everything from the network core to the user edge. The company is currently developing its Internet of Things (IoT) strategy on this foundation to bring these benefits to its customers, who are rising in number and bringing more intelligent devices on board.
“When we looked at traditional networking solutions with their associated costs and complexity, we knew we had to move in the direction of SDN using a fabric-based architecture,” said Richard Craig, CTO of Steel ORCA. “Avaya SDN Fx and Avaya Fabric Connect technologies simplify network administration for us — which is critical in a demanding co-location and cloud computing environment — improve network resiliency and security for our clients, and reduce operating costs. We think that’s a pretty powerful combination.”
Edited by Peter Bernstein
