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Communications systems specialist Avaya Data Solutions announced the launch of Virtual Enterprise Network Architecture (VENA), a data networking architecture designed to provide an end-to-end connection from the desktop to the data center. The new architecture features a “Virtual Services Fabric” that spans the network and enables one-touch provisioning for a range of capabilities provided by Virtual Services Networks.
Avaya VENA’s Virtual Services Fabric is built on enhanced IEEE Shortest Path Bridging and is implemented on new data center modular and fixed platforms in addition to being a simple upgrade option for existing products. The company said this architecture increases flexibility and scalability by delivering an infrastructure that creates a “private cloud,” to deliver always-on content and access to applications in a dramatically simplified model.
“Yankee Group research shows that human error accounts for 37 percent of all network downtime-the single biggest factor in network disruption. VENA reduces costs and improves time to service by providing a more efficient way to manage the connectivity between users and their content,” said Zeus Kerravala, senior vice president and distinguished research fellow at research firm Yankee Group. “VENA provides an end-to-end connection from the desktop all the way through to the data center-a critical requirement to the success of virtual computing. The new architecture also reduces risks for CIOs by providing new, streamlined tools for network management and IT agility, and it simplifies the process of provisioning and policy configurations.”
Avaya also announced a series of relationships in support of Avaya VENA with companies including VMware, a provider of virtualization and cloud infrastructure; QLogic, specializing in converged networking; Coraid, a provider of converged Ethernet SAN storage solutions; and Silver Peak Systems, a specialist in data center WAN optimization. The company noted that other companies have joined as members of Avaya’s DevConnect program, an initiative to develop, market and sell innovative third-party products that interoperate with Avaya technology. Avaya VENA is based on open industry standards.
“Enterprises today are asking for more than just choice when looking at networking solutions. They clearly need solutions that will empower IT to quickly respond to changing business requirements, improve time to service, while simplifying their network and reducing costs,” said Mark Fabbi, vice president and distinguished analyst at IT analytics firm Gartner. “Enabling the agile enterprise requires a new way of approaching network architecture. It requires a new level of synergy between collaborative real-time applications, the virtualized data center environment and the underlying, enabling network.”
The new architecture is supported by the Avaya Virtual Services Platform 9000 (Avaya VSP 9000) and is also supported by Avaya Ethernet Routing Switch 8600 and 8800 products. The VSP 9000 provides fully redundant hardware with no single point of failure, including a hardened data center operating system with re-route capabilities. It offers Layer 2 and 3 network virtualization along with 10GbE, and provides an evolution to 40/100 Gigabit with a life-cycle architecture that has been designed to scale up to 27T bps.
“No one else can offer this level of simplicity around virtualization and collaboration,” said Kevin Kennedy, president and CEO of Avaya. “Together with our technology partners, we are delivering a truly revolutionary and unique solution that maximizes the business model for virtualization and data center networking. The new Avaya VENA architecture, coupled with our cutting-edge innovation in business collaboration, is redefining the way enterprises communicate.”