Blue Planet Unveils Industry’s Only Multi-Cloud Native OSS Platform
- Introduction of Blue Planet Cloud Native Platform with Kubernetes technology
- Enhanced operational efficiency and automation for CSPs
- Convergence of inventory, orchestration, and assurance applications on a common platform
- Significant advantages including in-service software upgrades and AI-driven operations
- Support for any cloud environment and lower total cost of ownership
- Flexibility in deploying individual applications for OSS modernization projects
- None.
Insights
The introduction of the Blue Planet Cloud Native Platform by Ciena's division represents a significant shift in the telecommunications industry, particularly for Communication Service Providers (CSPs). The move towards a Kubernetes-based architecture is a strategic one, as it aligns with the industry's broader trend towards virtualization and cloud-native solutions. This transition is not just about technological advancement but also about the ability to rapidly deploy and manage services, which is critical in an era where speed to market can be a competitive edge.
From an operational standpoint, the platform's promise of simplified end-to-end automation could lead to a reduction in operational expenses (OpEx) for CSPs. By streamlining service lifecycle management and reducing the need for custom integrations, CSPs could potentially see a decrease in the time and resources required to bring new services to market. However, the total cost of ownership (TCO) savings will depend on the ease of integration with existing systems and the learning curve associated with adopting new technologies.
The emphasis on a cloud-native approach is particularly noteworthy. By supporting multiple cloud environments, including public, private and hybrid, Blue Planet's platform is designed to reduce vendor lock-in, which has historically been a concern for CSPs. This flexibility can lead to enhanced operational resilience and scalability, as CSPs can leverage different cloud infrastructures based on their specific needs and cost considerations.
Furthermore, the platform's capabilities for in-service software upgrades and continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) are critical for maintaining uptime and rapidly iterating on service offerings. The integration of AI-driven operations through the AI Studio could also be a game-changer, enabling CSPs to harness machine learning for predictive maintenance and enhanced customer experience. However, the actual impact on CSPs will be contingent upon their ability to effectively leverage AI and integrate it into their operational workflows.
The potential of AI-driven operations in the Blue Planet Cloud Native Platform should not be underestimated. AI and machine learning can provide CSPs with predictive insights that could revolutionize network management and service assurance. By applying these technologies, CSPs can anticipate and resolve issues before they impact customers, leading to higher satisfaction and reduced churn.
However, the successful implementation of AI will require CSPs to have robust data governance and quality data sets to train their models. The expertise of data science teams and the ability to collaborate with third parties for AI capabilities will be crucial. While the promise of AI is enticing, it's important to recognize the challenges in operationalizing AI, such as ensuring transparency, avoiding bias and maintaining customer trust.
Game-changing Cloud Native Platform readies CSPs to drive network automation and monetization in a cloud, AI-focused era
CSPs want to transform into software-driven, AI-informed connectivity engines optimized to help end-customers access cloud, commerce, broadband, mobile and more. Modernizing their OSS is key to achieving this vision because it reduces customizations and complexity and automates operations resulting in increased agility and much lower costs. Blue Planet’s Cloud Native Platform serves as the backbone for this digital transformation journey, simplifying end-to-end automation for critical service lifecycle management processes across any vendor, service, or network type.
Built on a K8s-based architecture, the new platform offers significant advantages to CSPs beyond what Blue Planet is already known for today. These new features include:
- In-service software upgrades (ISSU) and continuous integration / continuous delivery (CI/CD) support, allowing CSPs to embrace a DevOps model and quickly introduce innovative new services.
- Support for any cloud environment, including public, private and hybrid cloud environments, to reduce vendor lock-in and significantly improve operational scale, flexibility, and resilience.
- Common lifecycle management across all Blue Planet OSS applications, delivering a lower total cost of ownership (TCO).
- AI-driven operations by using an AI Studio that can apply machine learning and AI-based capabilities developed by CSP data science teams, Blue Planet, or third parties, to any mix of product applications or operational processes.
The new Blue Planet Cloud Native Platform allows CSPs to deploy individual applications independently or together to address their most important OSS modernization projects at their own pace. These include the Blue Planet Inventory (BPI), Blue Planet Orchestration (BPO) and Blue Planet Assurance (BPA) applications, which are all readily available on the platform today.
Executive Comments:
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“The Blue Planet Cloud Native Platform transcends the traditional approach of custom ‘spaghetti integrations’ that have shackled CSPs’ ability to be adaptable, open and agile. We are pioneering a new level of convergence that embraces the cloud and transforms the OSS to be a competitive differentiator, reducing operational costs and allowing for rapid creation of new business models.”
- Joe Cumello, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Blue Planet
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“CSPs’ legacy OSS is a complex environment of highly customized, siloed systems that represent a constraint on growth and greater agility. The new Blue Planet Cloud Native Platform consolidates Blue Planet's unique capabilities, telecom experience, and cloud-native vision, giving CSPs a foundation for simplifying and modernizing their operations.”
- Francis Haysom, Principal Analyst, Appledore Research
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“Communication service providers are digitally transforming their networks by transitioning their OSS workloads to Google Cloud. Utilizing Kubernetes as the foundation of their new platform, Blue Planet will not only streamline service providers' evolution to a modernized, AI-driven and cloud-native OSS, but also help drive faster innovation, lower operational costs, and greatly improve end-user experiences.”
- Ankur Jain, Vice President, Google Distributed Cloud Engineering & Telco Industry, Google Cloud
Additional Resources:
- Blog: Collaborate to innovate: A blueprint for OSS modernization
- Blog: Change your OSS mindset with Blue Planet’s new Cloud Native Platform
About Blue Planet
Blue Planet empowers communication service providers (CSPs) to be more software-driven, digital businesses with the industry’s only cloud-native Operations Support System (OSS) platform. The Blue Planet intelligent automation portfolio helps CSPs automate network and service operations to speed the introduction of new services across any network domain or vendor. A division of Ciena and a key provider for many of the world’s leading CSPs, Blue Planet brings unparalleled expertise in accelerating digital transformation.
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View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240409688439/en/
Press Contact:
Chua Wei Wei
Ciena Corporation
+65 9833 2654
pr@ciena.com
Investor Contact:
Gregg Lampf
Ciena Corporation
+1 (410) 694-5700
ir@ciena.com
Source: Ciena Corporation
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