How ‘Brocade Flow Optimizer’ Can Recast Network Efficiency for Operators

Brocade is advancing its leadership in Software-Defined Networking (SDN) with the release of the first turnkey SDN application – the Brocade Flow Optimizer, which is an intelligent flow management application that addresses real-time network performance challenges.

Swapna Bapat, Director of Systems Engineering, Brocade India speaks with Zia Askari from TelecomDrive.com about how the company is helping operators gain more from their networks.

Today’s operators are looking for actionable network insights that can help them deliver the right experience for the right customers. How can Brocade Flow Optimizer help here?

The Brocade Flow Optimizer supports Open Daylight-based controllers, and provides real-time policy based management for network traffic flows. When coupled with Brocade MLXe routers, the Flow Optimizer enables service providers to gain proactive insights into their network traffic and mitigate network attacks and eliminate network congestion, with the ultimate goal of providing an improved end user experience.

What are some of the big advantages that this solution brings to the table for operators and CSPs?

Service providers are facing threats to the sustainability of their businesses and must reconsider their business models and their approaches to network design. Network intelligence is crucial for successful IP-based services and architectures.

Brocade Flow Optimizer provides innovative and intelligent policy based flow management that can detect and manage Layer 2-4 traffic flows that avoids expensive network failures and service interruptions. These in turn improve network efficiency and customer experience.

Service providers can gain real-time event logging and traffic statistics using a simple and user-friendly, Web-based Graphical User Interface (GUI). Easy integration with third-party cloud orchestration systems is possible with the support of REST APIs. Brocade Flow Optimizer Supports multiple aggregated 200 GB flows simultaneously, enabling data centers to handle large volumes of traffic flows.

What are some of the big challenges that lie ahead for a solution like this? Where is the big opportunity?

Brocade’s open SDN architecture is a low-risk and modular solution that consists of the Brocade Flow Optimizer application, Brocade SDN Controller, Brocade MLXe routers, and Brocade ICX® campus switches.

This unique approach to SDN means organizations can now use standards-based protocols, such as OpenFlow, OpenDaylight-based SDN controllers, and open APIs for integration with third-party orchestration systems.

With Brocade Hybrid Port technology, traditional forwarding and OpenFlow traffic are simultaneously supported on the same port. This allows organizations to start their journey to the New IP immediately, seamlessly introducing SDN into their existing networks while protecting current investments.

How big is the market that you are addressing with this solution and what are some of the key geographies for you?

With the introduction of the Brocade Flow Optimizer, Brocade is taking a concrete step to help its customers maximize the value of software-driven networks and increase network performance by mitigating network attacks and enabling policy-based traffic engineering. Brocade has designed the Flow Optimizer to be applicable to a broad set of use cases, including network attack mitigation, application traffic control, and traffic port mirroring.

Brocade is licensing Flow Optimizer based on the total bandwidth a network operator chooses to manage. The application comes in bandwidth license increments of 20 Gbps or 200 Gbps.

What kind of market expectations does Brocade have from this solution?

The India market is going through a dramatic transformation with investments in private cloud, public cloud as well as network refresh due to the 10G and 40G adoption across Enterprise, Government, Telecom and other verticals.

Strong fundamentals in the Indian market – optimistic and growing economy, rollout of 4G/LTE, growing adoption of smart devices, Government’s push with ‘Digital India’ and ‘Smart Cities’ all point to the need for next-gen network technologies (The New IP).

The significant network demands this imposes, offers opportunities for Brocade’s next generation of New IP products to meet this challenge. In the New IP, the Brocade Flow Optimizer is a prime example of a solution that will address this demand and will help telecom managers to more effectively optimize their networks. Ultimately, enabling them to deliver a better overall user experience, implement cost controls, and enhance revenue initiatives.