NETWORKING
48
‘ M ake money instantly with softwaredefined networking ! Slash CAPEX with virtualisation !’: These were the kinds of claims that were flying around at the dawn of software-defined networking ( SDN ) and network function virtualisation ( NFV ) and which have not helped its adoption in the fixed access space . Operators still have a hard time calculating or even understanding the impact of it . Of course , the concept of software-defined access networks ( SDAN ) has been around for several years , but you have to look at it the right way to realise the best applications for its use .
Some still consider SDAN a cure for everything but , in the world of last-mile access , simply virtualising everything as far as the eye can see is not a recipe for success . Operators feel daunted by the idea of a wide-scale application of SDN / NFV . They would much prefer to take a measured and deliberate path towards virtualisation without disrupting current operations .
As it turns out , many desirable outcomes can be achieved through abstraction and automation and the ways in which openness and the programmability of SDAN can make for smarter and more cost-effective operations . The operational excellence SDAN creates can deliver annual recurring savings in routine tasks of up to 40 %.
JULY 2019