Telstra launches new software-defined networking services

Telstra has launched two additions to its Software Defined Networking (SDN) solution, the Telstra PEN Platform. It has added on PEN Exchange and PEN Marketplace to the service range. The telco said its PEN Exchange lets customers identify and connect network circuits on-demand with other PEN customers, driving faster, easier and more secure digital partnerships. The PEN Marketplace is an online portal which allows organisations to order virtual network functions like firewalls and routers based on a preferred vendor.

Telstra head of international products and pricing, Jim Clarke, said the two new enhancements were designed to satisfy customers’ growing needs and was built on the expansion of the company’s PEN Platform to the optical layer across 26 points of presence worldwide in 2015. “With provisioning time measured in minutes rather than months, PEN Exchange customers can also use a new application programming interface, which triggers additional capacity depending on their changing bandwidth needs.”

Clarke added that the variety of virtual network functions accessible through the PEN Marketplace meant Telstra customers no longer had to wait for the delivery and installation of hardware appliances as they were able to manage their applications virtually and across multiple countries simultaneously.“Being able to order virtual applications based on specific business requirements at specific times, means customers can also avoid over-provisioning and consequently, unnecessary costs. “These are two exciting milestones in Telstra’s SDN journey and means we can now, more than ever, deliver the choice and flexibility our customers require, in an age of bandwidth hungry applications, fuelled by distributed computing, Big Data and mobility,” he added.

Telstra Corporation Limited (known as Telstra) is Australia’s largest telecommunications and Media Company which builds and operates telecommunications networks and markets voice, mobile, internet access, pay television and other entertainment products and services. Telstra has a long history in Australia, originating together with Australia Post as a government department, the Postmaster-General’s Department. Telstra is now fully privatized and has been undergoing a change program to become more customer focused under its recent CEO, David Thodey. New CEO Andy Penn is expected to increase the focus on growth in international markets.