Network News: Xsigo, Level 3, Cisco

Here’s a roundup of some of this week’s headlines from the network industry:

Xsigo launches virtualized server fabric.  Xsigo Systems announced the Xsigo Server Fabric, a fully virtualized infrastructure for cloud-optimized data centers. The new fabric enables one-click network connections from virtual machines to any data center resource - including servers, networks, storage and other virtual machines.  "Of the fundamental data center building blocks – servers, storage, and the network connectivity that ties it all together – only connectivity remains as it was 20 years ago, locked to an inflexible and inefficient switch and port-based management model," said Zeus Kerravala of the Yankee Group. "The cloud computing era places demands on data center infrastructure that cannot be met through traditional networking technologies. Xsigo's Server Fabric technology changes all this by addressing the desperate market need to fully integrate resources, while also providing unprecedented levels of simplification through software." The Xsigo Server Fabric allows hardware-independent connections between resources to be dynamically created without having to configure switches, switch ports, or VLANs. The Xsigo Server Fabric solution consists of  the Xsigo I/O Director and Xsigo XMS Management Software – together with a software upgrade package called the SFS 1.0 Server Fabric Suite.

Level 3 connects with Amazon AWS. Level 3 Communications (LVLT) announced that it is a solution provider for Amazon Web Services’ (AWS) new service, AWS Direct Connect, offering dedicated network connectivity and services to support high-bandwidth customer adoption of  the AWS platform. "AWS Direct Connect customers can leverage Level 3’s network to meet the demands of high-end cloud adopters with extensive network reach, bandwidth scale and established connectivity to AWS Direct Connect sites," said Andrew Crouch, president of Sales at Level 3. Enterprise customers at Level 3 can establish a dedicated connection between their data center, colocation or main office and AWS using AWS Direct Connect. With the collaboration Level 3 can offer 1 gigabit and 10 gigabit connections to the AWS cloud at Direct Connect sites.

Cisco selected by Charter Communications.  Cisco (CSCO) announced that Charter Communications is deploying the Cisco CRS-3 Carrier Routing System and ASR 9000 Series Aggregation Services Routers to deliver enhanced video, data, voice and mobile backhaul services to residential and commercial customers. Using the Cisco NGN architecture allows Charter to support IPv6 traffic and Cisco technology will pave the way for the 100 Gigabit requirements from Charter, protecting their infrastructure investment and readying it for future video needs. To simplify network operations and utilize the modular IOS XR software operating system Charter will use ASR 9000 and CRS-3 equipment. "The Cisco CRS-3 and Cisco ASR 9000 platforms are the foundations of the highly-reliable, scalable and agile network that Charters' customers rely on. As we continue our sharp focus on the greater convergence of video, Internet and phone, we are pleased with the network reliability these platforms deliver.Our customers have high expectations of us and our network, and we aim to exceed those expectations," said Don Detampel, executive vice president, technology and president, commercial services at Charter. Cisco also announced that Consolidated Communications has deployed the Cisco Carrier Ethernet System and that mobile operator 3 Scandinavia is deploying Cisco ASR 9000 Series Aggregation Services routers to deliver 4G and Long Term Evolution (LTE) services.