Ericsson’s ICT Development Center Eurolab in Aachen, Germany, includes Cisco products for integrated and verified IP network infrastructure solutions, giving customers the benefit of real network testing.
The partnership between Ericsson and Cisco, announced in November 2015, offers powerful benefits for network operators, as demonstrated by the latest network testing from Ericsson’s Evolved IP Network solution.
With the introduction of Cisco products into its Eurolab facilities in Aachen, Ericsson has raised the bar for integrated and verified IP network infrastructure solutions. The solutions activities in the Eurolab go beyond standard, general interoperability tests to real network applications testing, based on IP network design principles and application requirements. All of this takes place, not in simulators, but on real network application nodes.
Martin Ottosson, Solution Owner for Ericsson’s Evolved IP Network solution, says: “We firmly believe that solutions should mean something more than just a name, so we use extensive processes for design, integration, and testing to make sure that network operators will be able to deploy with confidence and that our solutions will be fully supported and easily upgradeable to meet future demands.”
While pre-verification has been a part of Ericsson’s IP solutions for many years, the Cisco partnership creates new opportunities to integrate a broader range of solutions, starting with the Aggregation Services Routers. The IP solutions from Ericsson and Cisco support current and emerging technologies including virtualization, programmability, software-defined networking, IP/optical integration, cross-domain service management, and enterprise mobility. These additional scale- and service-creating capabilities will extend across Ericsson’s worldwide customer base, where they will ultimately provide essential support to many network operators.
Ericsson and Cisco raise bar on IP solutions integration
The Aachen facility plays a key role in the ongoing, comprehensive integration and testing of solutions for critical networking applications.
“This is not just plugging interfaces together and running a few test cases,” says Martin Baum, responsible for the development of the Ericsson Evolved IP Network Solution in Aachen, and responsible for Cisco integration at ICT Development Center Eurolab. “This is full end-to-end testing, including handsets, base stations, microwave transport, and fixed and mobile edge/packet core nodes, all connected to Cisco and Ericsson IP transport equipment.”
Ericsson’s integrated solution approach – involving forward-looking verified solutions and customized solution-specific professional services – will be critical to the success of network operators, who face unprecedented technology and changes in user behavior. Ericsson’s IP solution offering therefore lowers the risk for operators in the network rollout phase, enabling a faster time to revenue.
Customers will be able to visit the ICT Development Center Eurolab to take part in live demonstrations, inspect lab environments comprised of Ericsson and Cisco products, and discuss future network challenges with solution architects and technology experts.
Ottosson says: “We try to put ourselves in our customer’s place and take care of the problems they face day to day, while at the same time trying to foresee the challenges they will face with new technology introduction.”
And the payoff for customers from this approach is clear, with solutions that are highly robust and reliable from the day of deployment and tuned up for high application performance.
“Having a real, pre-verified solution – rather than one integrated on site – means that we can deploy systems faster, and our customers can bring new services into revenue generation faster,” Ottosson says.
Background
Ericsson and Cisco – two industry leaders in the development and delivery of networking, mobility, and cloud – formed a global business and technology partnership in November 2015 to create the networks of the future. The partnership offers customers the best of both companies: routing, data center, networking, cloud, mobility, management and control, and global services capabilities. The next-generation strategic partnership will drive growth, accelerate innovation, and speed digital transformation demanded by customers across industries. Please note that the Cisco-Ericsson partnership is effective worldwide, except for Brazil. A separate partnership has been created specifically for Brazil, but that project is still subject to regulatory approval.
