Verizon Adds Versa Networks to SDN Platform

Verizon is integrating Versa Networks solutions into its software-defined networking platform.

The telecommunications giant’s SDN platform will now include Versa’s Software Defined Secure Branch managed service. This means Versa’s solution also has integrated with Verizon’s software-based networking and virtual network services. Verizon’s platform aims to lower the costs and complexity of branch offices.

“Businesses are adopting digital technologies as mainstream elements of their go-to-market strategy,” said Shawn Hakl, vice president of business networking and security solutions. “Software-defining the branch office and WAN provides them with a flexible networking platform to accelerate cloud and digital migration while reducing IT complexity and controlling costs.”

Versa’s Kelly Ajuha

Versa rolled out its “software-defined branch” offering in May. CEO Kelly Ahuja said at the time that the solution seeks to fix branch networks’ sprawl and lack of agility, which software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN) can only partially solve.

Ahuja tells Channel Partners that this agreement can help partners begin selling services.

“Many times they don’t have the capabilities to go and build out a service themselves, because traditionally they’re more of a systems integrator than an operator,” Ahuja said. “They can still go and sell the solution, but they can actually work with Verizon to be able to have someone that’s offering that technology and product as a service, and they take on the burden of management and operations while the partner takes on the task that they do well, which is customer engagement – tying the solution and service solving the business need – and then adding higher layer value to the services around that.”

Ahuja says SDN helps partners with two big needs: growth and profitability. It adds growth because it increases the partners influence on the customer’s infrastructure, and it is profitable because the partner can remotely manage the network instead of spending money on on-site troubleshooting.

“It’s clear that software-defined networking has driven a lot of interest across the entire channel community. I find that channel partners are very very curious as to how this is going to help them improve what they do,” Ahuja said.

Read more about Verizon’s SDN strategy.