Orange Business Services selects Ekinops and Dell Technologies for uCPE platforms

• Enterprises can remotely deploy multiple virtual network functions
• Solution available to mid-market and large enterprises worldwide

Orange Business Services has chosen Ekinops and Dell Technologies as partners for a new universal customer premise equipment (uCPE) solution. This platform plays a key role in network transformation, including software defined networking (SDx), providing customers with increased business agility, flexibility and simplicity in service deployment. Orange will deliver solutions based on this uCPE to mid-market and large enterprise customers worldwide starting in 2020.

The solution is a result of co-innovation between Orange and its strategic partners Ekinops and Dell Technologies, combining Enterprise Branch Server IT and Virtualization Management. The uCPE uses hardware provided by Dell Technologies OEM | Embedded & Edge Solutions running middleware built by Ekinops, a supplier of advanced network access solutions. It will allow enterprises to consolidate their site connectivity and functionality with virtual network functions (VNF) management.

Enterprises can install VNFs remotely to a uCPE deployed at any site. A single box can run multiple network functions, such as routers, SD-WAN, firewalls and WAN optimization, allowing customers to provision new sites and services much more quickly. The Ekinops VNF certification program currently has certified over 30 third-party VNFs.

Supporting push towards Edge computing

The solution will also help enterprises move toward Edge computing, with use cases such as video, AI or IoT running locally on the uCPE. Carrying out data processing at the Edge will help them improve application performance and assure data privacy.

“Our global enterprise customers require increased flexibility in terms of connectivity solutions and infrastructure optimization. This uCPE solution developed with Ekinops and Dell Technologies will give enterprises further choice in terms of deployment and reinforces our ecosystem-based approach. We believe that flexible solutions such as these are essential for customers looking to run an increasing number of services at the Edge,” said Anne-Marie Thiollet, Vice President, Connectivity Business Unit, Orange Business Services.

“The combination of our middleware and VNFs with the powerful uCPEs and global presence of Dell will ensure the best possible quality, performance and support for Orange enterprise customers. We are committed to help service providers adopt software-defined networking, and our growing line of software products has proven to be at the cutting edge, as this announcement attests,” said Didier Brédy, Ekinops CEO.

“Our uCPE range offers an ideal solution for service providers who are looking to modernize operations for connecting branch locations to the WAN, reduce complexity and foster business impact,” said Sanjay Tyagi, Vice President and General Manager, EMEA OEM | Embedded & Edge Solutions, Dell Technologies.