NEC Upgrades ProgrammableFlow

Recently, NEC (News - Alert) announced upgrades to its software defined networking product family, ProgrammableFlow. From a single console or application programming interface, the UNIVERGE PF Series ProgrammableFlow Controller 3.0 is an OpenFlow controller that allows end-to-end quality of service (QoS) design and network management abilities that support various software defined networks.

NEC has developed a "Programmable Flow Switch" to increase Reliability and Flexibility of network and Data Centers – important aspects of the cloud. The company achieves this by adopting a new technology called Open Flow.

Composed by different concepts and architecture, the system is an innovation to identifying the communication as "Flow."

With version 3.0, the company is redefining the role of the network from focusing on connectivity to an intelligent, unified and open fabric that allows dynamic service provisioning and scalable cloud solutions. Network operators can concentrate on strategic projects by offloading configuration work and by utilizing new UNIVERGE PF Series with integrated API capabilities. With the help of a well-defined functional approach, the API framework allows third-party applications, such as network management or orchestration systems, to directly interact with the network, the company stated recently.

“These enhancements to NEC's UNIVERGE PF Series meet the growing need for virtual networks using OpenFlow technologies in support of cloud data centers and business networks," said Hiroyuki Watanabe, general manager of Global Solutions, NEC. "Additionally, they satisfy the demand for lower installation and operational costs while providing greater security and higher quality."

By applying a new UNIVERGE PF Series with integrated API capabilities, network operators can focus on strategic projects by offloading configuration work.

Recently, the company announced an enhanced partnership with Brocade to bring to market combined solutions around Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and OpenFlow switching, including network virtualisation. With an open standards-based approach, Brocade (News - Alert) and NEC will jointly market solutions for network virtualization, large-scale data center infrastructure management, traffic engineering and wide area network (WAN) flow management.

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