VMWARE
JetStream Software Inc. | November 19, 2021
JetStream Software Inc., an innovator in cloud-native disaster recovery (DR), announced its disaster recovery software, JetStream DR, which supports Microsoft Azure VMware Solution, is now generally available through the Azure Marketplace. JetStream Software has integrated its offerings with Azure Portal to deliver new DR capabilities for Azure VMware Solution, employing JetStream DR software along with Azure Blob Storage.
JetStream DR protects VMware virtual machines (VMs) in the customer’s on-premises data center with failover and VM recovery in Azure VMware Solution. Additionally, VMware VMs already deployed to and running in Azure VMware Solution can be protected with VM failover and recovery to an alternate Azure VMware Solution data center.
“By combining Microsoft Azure Blob Storage, Azure VMware Solution, and JetStream’s VMware-certified software, we can fully transform the economics of disaster recovery for the enterprise. At the same time, we are providing a compelling cloud-based solution ensuring enterprises can have the protection they need, both now and for the future.”
Tom Critser, Co-founder and CEO, JetStream Software
“Microsoft Azure is committed to working with leading third-party vendors to ensure our customers have the best options to meet their needs. We are pleased JetStream DR completed our rigorous testing process and is now generally available,” said Eric Lockard, Corporate Vice President, Azure Dedicated at Microsoft. “Disaster recovery and protection against ransomware are paramount issues for small and large businesses alike. JetStream DR provides a world-class solution utilizing the power and capabilities of Azure.”
Enterprises that choose JetStream DR benefit from continuous data protection (CDP) in a disaster recovery service offering with lower infrastructure costs as the data from protected VMs are maintained in Azure Blob Storage.
Support for Azure NetApp Files
For customers who need to fail over quickly and recover large amounts of data, JetStream DR supports integration with Azure NetApp Files, the highly scalable storage file service in Microsoft Azure. This enables a much faster recovery time at a lower cost than provisioning additional vSAN hosts solely for the purpose of data storage.
Meeting Market Needs
JetStream DR enters general availability amid a coalescing of trends. Disaster recovery is ideally suited to move to the cloud, however, this transition has proven complex from a technical standpoint. JetStream DR is specifically designed for the cloud, enabling it to support capabilities such as maintaining recovery data in object/blob storage and dynamically provisioning compute resources when needed. This is something other first-generation DR companies can’t offer.
Additionally, it is very expensive for enterprises to replicate data into a redundant system. If they can replicate data into an object store, as with JetStream DR, enterprises pay only a fraction of the cost per gigabyte compared to file system-based storage. This is especially advantageous at a time when enterprises are expected to do more with less.
Furthermore, with risks arising daily magnified by new threat vectors, finding the best scalable disaster recovery solution has become a business imperative.
How JetStream DR for Azure VMware Solution Works
JetStream DR provides continuous data protection for VMware vSphere environments. The cloud-native software platform is specifically designed to provide the software infrastructure for an enterprise-grade DR service offering from a managed service provider (MSP) or cloud service provider (CSP).
JetStream DR is validated for Azure VMware Solution and is VMware-ready, offering unique capabilities amongst DR solutions, including:
Cost-Effective DR: Maintains VMs and their data in Azure Blob Storage, enabling enterprise-grade DR at a lower cost of operation.
Agentless CDP: Captures and replicates data continuously via VMware IO Filters for continuous data protection without VM agents.
vSphere to vSphere Recovery: Supports Azure VMware Solution, so customers no longer need to maintain their own failover site. They can fail over to Azure VMware Solution and fail back when the original protected data center is restored.
Storage-Independent: Protects VMs with any VMware-compatible datastore types: block, file, vSAN, VVOL and third-party HCI.
Live Failback: Returns VMs to the protected site from Azure VMware Solution without interruption to VMs’ operation or protection.
Decoupled Design: Azure Blob Storage is more than just a journal or “cold data tier” — it is the repository for all VMs, data, configuration metadata, and recovery policies.
About JetStream Software
JetStream Software Inc., an innovator in cloud-native disaster recovery technology, gives enterprise customers, managed service providers (MSPs) and cloud service providers (CSPs) a better way to support business continuity across multi-cloud and multi-data center infrastructures. JetStream DR software is optimally suited to complement VMware-based cloud infrastructures including VMware Cloud Provider Partners and the VMware Cloud Foundation. JetStream Software is headquartered in San Jose, California, with a subsidiary in Bangalore, India. The company is privately held.
JetStream DR and JetStream DR for Microsoft Azure VMware Solution are trademarks of JetStream Software Inc. VMware, vSphere and vSAN are registered trademarks or trademarks of VMware, Inc. in the United States and other jurisdictions. All other brand names and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
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SERVER VIRTUALIZATION
VIAVI | December 21, 2021
Viavi Solutions Inc. shared the company's role in the third annual global O-RAN plugfest hosted by Tier-1 communications service providers and the O-RAN ALLIANCE. The plugfest involved a series of on-site demonstrations across multiple countries, conducted in October and November 2021.
VIAVI provided benchmarking and validation for plugfest tests and demonstrations at locations including: New Brunswick, USA, hosted by AT&T and Verizon with Rutgers University; Menlo Park, USA, hosted by AT&T and Verizon at the TIP Community Lab with Meta; Berlin, Germany, hosted by Deutsche Telekom; Madrid, Spain, hosted by Telefónica; Gurgaon, India, hosted by Airtel; Tokyo, Japan hosted by Yokosuka Research Park with participation from major service providers including Rakuten Mobile; and Taiwan hosted by Auray OTIC and Security Lab and Chunghwa Telecom.
This year's plugfest demonstrated the rapid evolution of the O-RAN ecosystem with increasing focus on the RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC), which changes the way network resources are managed, bringing artificial intelligence and big data into day-to-day operations. To mitigate the risk involved in introducing this new technology, operators depended upon tools from VIAVI including the TeraVM RIC Test to test the performance of the RIC when presented with a wide range of RAN scenarios, to test the functionality of rApps and xApps, as well as provide the means to generate the data needed to train AI models.
The VIAVI Test Suite for O-RAN Specifications also supported conformance, performance, interoperability and end-to-end testing:
Open Radio Unit (O-RU) and Open Distributed Unit (O-DU) – Casa Systems Apex 5G Evo Radio was validated using the VIAVI TM500 O-RU Tester in conjunction with the Rohde & Schwarz SMW200A Vector Signal Generator (VSG), FSW Signal and Spectrum Analyzer and Vector Signal Explorer (VSE) software. Performance testing of the Sercomm Small Cell O-RU/O-DU was conducted using the VIAVI TeraVM O-CU Simulator and TeraVM Core Emulator. The Foxconn/WNC/Alpha/ITRI O-RU was tested using the VIAVI TM500 O-RU Tester.
Open Central Unit (O-CU) – Performance (load/scale) testing of the Accelleran O-CU installed on a cloud native router was conducted using the VIAVI TeraVM O-CU Tester.
Open Fronthaul (OFH) – OFH interoperability between Intel's FlexRAN™ reference software and Capgemini Engineering O-CU, O-DU and Core, with IP Infusion fronthaul switch as grandmaster clock, was validated using the VIAVI TM500 O-DU Tester and E500 UE Emulator. VIAVI also provided the T-BERD/MTS-5800 for Xhaul Transport and Synchronization testing on the Ciena 5164 and 5168 with grandmaster, and on the Cisco NCS540.
End-to-end interoperability testing of the Foxconn O-RU with another vendor’s O-DU and O-CU was conducted with the VIAVI E500 UE Emulator and TeraVM Core Emulator. OFH and end-to-end interoperability was demonstrated between the TeraVM Core Emulator, Foxconn O-RU, Capgemini O-DU/O-CU and commercial device.
RIC – The TeraVM RIC Test was used to validate the Accelleran dRAX™ RIC and xApps, and the TCS RIC and traffic steering xApp. TeraVM RIC Test also supported a demonstration of the Rakuten Communications Platform (RCP) enabling RAN self-healing and optimization, including rApp impact compensation with RAN optimization xApps working on latest O-RAN SC RIC stack.
With each O-RAN plugfest, we have seen commitment from more service providers, a proliferation of vendors, and clearer signs that the technology is progressing toward maturity. In 2021, the scope of investigation has expanded beyond connectivity between O-RAN elements to automated assurance and optimization using the RIC and xApps."
Sameh Yamany, Chief Technology Officer, VIAVI
VIAVI offers the most comprehensive test platform on the market for lab validation, field deployment and service assurance of O-RAN networks, deployable on premise, in public or private clouds, and as Test as a Service (TaaS). With over 85% of NEMs using the VIAVI RANtoCore platform for gNB development, the company uniquely offers market-leading 5G and Open RAN test solutions for conformance, performance and interoperability of O-RU, O-CU, O-DU, RIC and Core elements.
About VIAVI
VIAVI is a global provider of network test, monitoring and assurance solutions for communications service providers, enterprises, network equipment manufacturers, government and avionics. We help these customers harness the power of instruments, automation, intelligence and virtualization to Command the network. VIAVI is also a leader in light management solutions for 3D sensing, anti-counterfeiting, consumer electronics, industrial, automotive, and defense applications.
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VMWARE
Windstream Enterprise | October 19, 2021
Windstream Enterprise (WE), a managed communications service provider, announced a partnership with VMware to bring Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) to mutual customers faster. The solution fuses Windstream Enterprise’s Cloud CoreTM network and VMware SASE Points of Presence (PoPs) to deliver an optimal and more secure application experience to remote access users.
“The integration of the Cloud Core and VMware SASE makes it easier for customers to transition from outdated legacy networks to the next era of networking and security. This partnership gives us the ability to quickly expand our feature set as VMware develops additional innovative cloud-delivered features and functionality.”
Mike Frane, vice president of product management, Windstream Enterprise
The unification of Cloud Core with the hosted VMware SASE PoPs allows Windstream Enterprise to deliver a Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) with optimum performance on its own cloud-based services such as Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS), OfficeSuite UC and managed security in addition to native MPLS integrations. Windstream Enterprise’s Cloud Core architecture maximizes the reliability and performance of its cloud services while streamlining the extension of services to include VMware SASE cloud services, including VMware Cloud Web Security (CWS) and its Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) solution, VMware Secure Access.
“The global footprint of VMware and our partner PoPs delivers cloud-based networking and security services that effortlessly scale with customers’ needs,” said Mark Vondemkamp, vice president of edge operations and services, VMware. “The services delivered through our PoPs will be quickly and seamlessly consumed by both Windstream Enterprise and our end users to deliver a leading-edge SASE solution.”
By bringing Cloud Core and VMware SASE closer together, customers benefit from:
Advanced SASE solution that enables hybrid SD-WAN and MPLS networks
Maximum control over the quality and experience provided by the application since the applications never leave the Cloud Core network
Unparalleled visibility, personalization and control via Windstream Enterprise’s award-winning WE Connect portal
Centralized and consistent security policies for all remote workers, regardless of location or device
The solution supports today’s need for a highly distributed remote workforce. Once a mere 6 percent of the pre-pandemic workforce,1 work-from-anywhere has surged to 62 percent over the course of last year.2 Today’s organizations require immediate and uninterrupted access to critical network and cloud-based resources in order to support the swift pace of digital business transformation and the rise in hybrid work.
One of the most effective technologies being used increasingly by businesses to address these shifts is SASE, which is set to explode with growth. According to Gartner, “By 2024, at least 40% of enterprise will have explicit strategies to adopt SASE, up from less than 1% SASE at year-end 2018.”
“There is a need to enable secure connectivity from anywhere, on any device. This integration allows businesses to simplify security to protect all users, devices, applications, services and data,” said Layne Levine, president of Windstream Enterprise. “The end result is a highly differentiated customer experience.”
About Windstream:
Windstream Holdings is a privately held Fortune® 1000 communications and software company. Windstream offers managed communications services, including SD-WAN and UCaaS, and high-capacity bandwidth and transport services to businesses across the U.S. The company also provides premium broadband, entertainment, and security services through an enhanced fiber network to consumers and small and midsize businesses primarily in rural areas in 18 states.
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