Networking vendor Riverbed Technology is partnering with Orange Business Services in a bid to help expand the capabilities and reach of SD-WAN (Software Defined WAN). The partnership is part of Orange’s efforts to build a network-as-a-service strategy that is available around the world.
The deal is also the first of its kind for Riverbed.
“This is Riverbed’s first SD-WAN and Hybrid-VPN deal with a major service provider that also announces a joint co-development program,” Phil Harris, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Service Provider Solutions at Riverbed Technology, told EnterpriseNetworkingPlanet. “To deliver this SD-WAN service, Orange will integrate Riverbed SteelConnect technology into its hybrid network portfolio.”
SteelConnect is Riverbed’s software defined solution, providing organization with the ability to create SD-WAN capabilities in the cloud, as well as integrating application acceleration and WAN optimization features.
“As part of the co-development program, Riverbed is working with Orange to further define and standardize the virtualized network function (VNF) to address the SD-WAN requirements of Orange’s customer base,” Harris said.
While Riverbed has multiple products in its portfolio, the SteelConnect is the only Riverbed component to be used as part of Orange’s hybrid network strategy. That said, Harris noted that the scope of the joint co-development programs includes the breadth of the Riverbed portfolio.
Riverbed announcedits new Service Delivery Platform (SDP) last month. SDP is itself an effort to help enable providers to deliver networking-as-a-service capabilities. Harris commented that the scope of the deal with Orange currently includes Riverbed’s SteelConnect product but Riverbed is also leveraging a strategic partnership with Orange around jointly innovating other portions of the Riverbed product portfolio, including the Service Delivery Platform (SDP).
“With market leading SD-WAN and new approaches like Service Delivery Platform (SDP), we focus our partnership with Orange on continuously optimizing service delivery and effectively utilizing Orange’s existing infrastructure to bring new services and customers online quickly, and expand into new services areas,” Harris said.
From a revenue perspective, Harris explained that Orange, as a Riverbed partner, will subscribe to the Riverbed technology and create their own managed services underpinned by these technologies.
Sean Michael Kerner is a senior editor at EnterpriseNetworkingPlanet and InternetNews.com. Follow him on Twitter @TechJournalist.
