Level 3 and Digital Realty Connect Clouds

In data center news from this week, Level 3 and Digital Realty said they will partner to give customers cloud connectivity solutions, Juniper is collaborating with Gainspeed on a converged virtual cable access platform, and Ciena was selected by Unitymedia and Integra to advance network performance and functionality.

Level 3 and Digital Realty connect clouds.  Level 3 Communications (LVLT) announced that it will connect Digital Realty Trust (DLR) customers in 14 major markets in the U.S. and Europe to its growing cloud ecosystem that includes Amazon Web Services (AWS Direct Connect) and Microsoft Azure (ExpressRoute). With Level 3 Cloud Connect solutions and virtual private network services Digital Realty customers can dynamically scale their bandwidth and only pay for what they consume as demand for computing capacity spikes. In a hybrid environment, transferring large data sets is expedited with greater bandwidth capacity, which also improves the performance of real-time voice and data feeds. "This relationship with Level 3 enables us to facilitate connections for our clients to AWS or Azure globally with Level 3 Cloud Connect Solutions in a seamless and highly secure manner," said Digital Realty Interim CEO, Bill Stein. "As our clients' capacity and connectivity needs grow, it's our goal to facilitate their easy access to a broad range of solution providers. Our alliance with Level 3 and their growing cloud ecosystem play a key role in the breadth of support we can extend to our clients."

Juniper collaborates with Gainspeed on cable platform. Juniper Networks (JNPR) announced the Virtual Converged Cable Access Platform (Virtual CCAP), a new solution from its collaboration with Gainspeed, that will enable cable operators to readily address growing consumer demand for data services over cable networks. The new Virtual CCAP solution combines Gainspeed's technology with Juniper's MX Series 3D Universal Edge Routers and EX Series Switches to allow cable operators to better automate and scale their edge/access network infrastructure while creating a platform for new cloud-based services for their residential and commercial subscribers. Additionally, the current access network infrastructure protocol for IP transport known as the Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) will no longer be used just for high-speed data, but will be the foundation for all services delivered to homes and businesses. "The world of the MSO is undergoing a radical shift due to advances in technology, changes in consumer behaviors and the insatiable demand for bandwidth and data services," said Mike Marcellin, senior vice president of strategy and marketing at Juniper Networks. "As a result, they are seeking ways to maximize their network resources, while priming their infrastructures to deliver new, high-value customizable services to their customers. Juniper Networks is excited to be partnering with Gainspeed to enable Cable MSOs to cost-effectively deploy High-IQ networks that can quickly adapt and scale to deliver the services and applications Cable MSOs need when they want them, without a forklift approach."

Ciena selected by Unitymedia and Integra. Ciena (CIEN) announced that Unitymedia KabelBW is deploying its 100G coherent optical transport platform to upgrade its backbone network. Unitymedia  is deploying the 6500 Packet-Optical Platform, part of Ciena’s network architecture. The platform, equipped with third generation WaveLogic Coherent Optical Processors, leverages an agile ROADM (Reconfigurable Optical Add/Drop Multiplexer) optical layer, which enables fast and efficient 100G connections between central locations. “It is important for cable operators such as Unitymedia KabelBW to extend their own infrastructure to meet growing demands. This is made possible by our converged Packet Optical Platform,” explains Eugen Gebhard, Regional Director, Germany & Pan-European Carrier Accounts at Ciena. “It also enables higher data speeds and new applications so that customer expectations can also be met in the future.” Ciena also announced that networking company Integra is deploying Ciena's converged packet optical portfolio to enhance its route that connects Salt Lake City to Sacramento. With this, Integra can increase transport efficiency, dramatically reduce network latency and better support wide area networks, private and hybrid cloud infrastructures. The new degrees of software programmability enable Integra to go beyond traditional offerings by tailoring its services, such as diverse path protection in addition to low latency, for datacenter, enterprise, government and wholesale carrier application demands.