The purpose of the association is to develop effective methods for automating and programming the networks of communication service providers, independent of the network technology.
Ten Israeli companies and ten universities and research institutes in Israel announced today the establishment of Maged Neptun for research on "programmed networks". The purpose of the association is to develop effective methods for automating and programming the networks of communication service providers, independent of the network technology.
The ability to automatically program and operate the future communication networks will ensure flexibility and simplicity in establishing new network services, and operational efficiency that will drastically lower the costs of the providers.
Maged Nepton is funded with the help of the Magnet Program of the Chief Scientist at the Ministry of Economy, and among the companies included: ECA Telecom, Red Communications Data, Gilat Satellite Networks, Elbit Systems, Sargon Networks, Batem Telecom, Adva-Optical Israel, Mellanox Technologies, Mobilicum, Bezeq International, Technion, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Bar-Ilan University, Tel Aviv University, Haifa University, Tel Aviv Jaffa Academic College, Holon Institute of Technology, Lev Academic and Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya.
The contrast between ever-increasing demands for bandwidth and budgetary constraints, and the need to dynamically launch new services and applications, requires communication providers to adopt more efficient networks that adapt themselves automatically to the changing requirements at any given time. In fact, a completely new network architecture is required that will enable the rapid establishment of new services, simplicity in the initialization and operation of the network, real-time optimization of network resources and a significant reduction of equipment and operation costs.
Future networks will strive to benefit from the relative advantages of different network technologies in different situations and conditions. Therefore, the operators are looking for ways to combine network segments from different and varied technologies, wired and wireless, terrestrial and satellite, into a unified network that is optimally managed from a central control center.
"By adopting sophisticated algorithms of multi-level optimization while utilizing new virtual network functions, we will achieve a completely different level of automatic solutions for network operation, which will allow service providers to move from "network planning" to "network programming", says Gali Melchiel, Yu Dr. Maged Nefton, and manager of the management and SDN product line at ECI. "The synergy between industry experts and academic researchers in Israel gives Maged Neptune an excellent mix of knowledge and skills, which guarantees success in the project and smarter and more open networks for the communication operators."
In recent years, two complementary technologies have been developed in the world:
- Software-oriented networks (SDN - Software Defined Networking)
- Network Functions Virtualization (NFV)
The purpose of Maged Neptune is to utilize SDN and NFV technologies to achieve automation, immunity and stability of networks and thus allow communication operators an available, continuous and reliable service.
The main topics that will be investigated as part of Maged Neptune are:
- • Dynamic and automatic allocation of network resources
- • Multi-level optimization for network resources
- • Real-time load control and flexible routing mechanisms
- • Integrated optimal management for SDN and NFV
- • Rapid establishment of complex network services that includes optimal real-time routing and optimal location of network functions
- • Integration and conversion of traditional networks with SDN/NFV networks
Maged Neptun has already started working to achieve these goals during the next three years. Also, the association will work in coordination and cooperation with the relevant standardization bodies and open source communities.
