NICE, FRANCE – June 2, 2015 – At TM Forum Live! today, Cisco introduced a new network service management tool to its Evolved Services Platform (ESP), an open, elastic, and application-centric network infrastructure framework that enables service providers to accelerate time to revenue while reducing the operational costs of deploying cloud-based services. The new Cisco Evolved Programmable Network (EPN) Manager, a unified network service management tool, is a key component of Cisco's full multi-layer network service lifecycle management solution.  When working in a complementary manner with the Cisco WAN Automation Engine, the new Cisco EPN Manager enables design, provision and assurance capabilities to optimize management in an automated and real-time manner.

Current network service management implementations built for physical network elements rely on multiple, siloed systems that carry a high level of complexity and require costly manual provisioning. This can delay new service introductions to months, instead of minutes, and makes fault resolution across multiple network service domains cumbersome and error prone. 

In contrast, the Cisco EPN Manager accelerates the transition to a SDN and NFV-based programmable network architecture that spans both physical and virtual elements by utilizing a unique model-driven architecture and a clear separation of content, platform and devices.  Covering multiple network service domains, including packet optical transport, carrier Ethernet, service provider Wi-Fi, and data center, the EPN Manager is purpose-built to meet the future requirements of service providers for achieving automation and agility. The initial version targets fast-growing optical and Ethernet applications, with additional capabilities scheduled for subsequent releases.

With a state-of-the-art user interface featuring dynamic geographic maps, along with 3D and correlated multi-layer service traces for enhanced visibility and troubleshooting, the EPN manager enhances the customer experience by more rapidly identifying the source of a problem and reducing the overall mean-time-to repair.

 "The introduction of the Cisco EPN Manager enhances Cisco's industry-leading portfolio of programmable network lifecycle management solutions," said JL Valente, vice president of product management for Cisco's cloud and virtualization group. "We are enabling the seamless convergence of optical and packet, as well as physical and virtual properties within the network.  And we'll be able to do this from the customer site or service provider Wi-Fi access point, down to the data center application, with complete fault traceability. Service providers are excited to utilize this simple design and unified experience with a software architecture that can rapidly support new features, new technologies, and new devices."

Supporting Quotes

 Dana Cooperson, Research Director, Network Software and Virtualisation, Analysys Mason:

 "Multi-layer real-time management solutions such as Cisco EPN Manager will enable carriers to increase business agility and operational efficiencies through automated device operations, fast provisioning and service assurance. The ability to manage both physical and virtual elements is also critical to carrier deployment of NFV technologies."

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Tags/Keywords

Cisco, ESP, virtualized, network function virtualization, NfV, software-defined networking, SDN, software, hardware, EPN, Evolved Programmable Network, EPN Manager

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