Liberty Global taps Juniper for network virtualisation

Liberty Global has tapped Juniper Networks as a network virtualisation partner, as it looks to achieve “ high-performance and cost-effective scale” for its voice, video and data services.

The pay TV giant said that it is taking a network function virtualisation-based approach, deploying Juniper Networks vMX as a virtual route reflector across its network footprint.

“Virtualisation solutions streamline our infrastructure, our operations environment and our global business outcomes,” said Andy Grotzke, vice president, core network strategy and engineering at Liberty Global.

“While our first NFV deployment is for virtual route reflection, we are also evaluating the vMX to rapidly add network capacity and new customers.”

Juniper Networks’ vice president, portfolio marketing, Paul Obsitnik, said: “Virtualised network services are a key technology in the transformation to agility. Juniper’s high-performance virtualisation technologies enable Liberty Global to deploy new services and products quickly and easily.”

The vMX is a carrier-grade virtualised MX series universal edge router. Implementing it as a virtual route reflector offer cost-effective control plane scale and addresses future growth by spinning up new virtual reflectors on-demand, according to Juniper Networks.

It added that virtual route reflection provides efficient scale in large border gateway protocol networks, helping Liberty Global streamline operations and reduce total cost of ownership.

Liberty Global is an existing Juniper Networks customer and already uses Junipe’s routing, switching and security solutions at various locations in its network.