Case Studies > Deutsche Telekom TeraStream: A Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) Using OpenStack Case Study

Deutsche Telekom TeraStream: A Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) Using OpenStack Case Study

Customer Company Size

Large Corporate

Region

Europe

Country

Germany
Croatia

Product

A10 Thunder Series CGN
vThunder
aCloud Services Architecture
OpenStack

Tech Stack

OpenStack
SDN
NFV
LW4o6

Implementation Scale

Pilot projects

Impact Metrics

Cost Savings
Customer Satisfaction
Productivity Improvements

Technology Category

Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Connectivity Platforms
Application Infrastructure & Middleware - API Integration & Management
Networks & Connectivity - Software-Defined Networking

Applicable Industries

Telecommunications

Applicable Functions

Business Operation

Services

System Integration
Cloud Planning, Design & Implementation Services

About The Customer

Deutsche Telekom is one of the world’s leading integrated telecommunications companies with over 142 million mobile customers, 31 million fixed-network lines, and over 17 million broadband lines as of December 31, 2013. The Group provides fixed-network, mobile communications, Internet, and IPTV products and services for consumers, and ICT solutions for business and corporate customers. Deutsche Telekom is present in around 50 countries and has approximately 229,000 employees worldwide. The Group generated revenue of 60.1 billion euros in the 2013 financial year, with over half of it outside Germany.

The Challenge

Deutsche Telekom faced the challenge of building a new, elastically scalable model for their core central-office data center optimized for performance, low latency, and cost. They needed to deliver IPv4 services to customers in a native IPv6 network and automatically provision IPv4 and other L4-7 services quickly and efficiently. The architecture had to comply with core ETSI NFV documents while maintaining simplicity and openness. The demand for broadband had exploded, and customers wanted always-on connectivity without paying a premium, driving average revenue per user (ARPU) lower. Traditional service delivery times were no longer competitive, requiring weeks or months to configure using conventional networking technologies.

The Solution

Deutsche Telekom partnered with A10 Networks to develop a carrier-grade, IPv4-over-IPv6 Softwire solution as a virtualized network function. A10 Networks’ software-based and API-driven architecture, commitment to open standards like OpenStack, and willingness to create innovative solutions were key to helping Deutsche Telekom develop TeraStream. TeraStream is an all-IP cloud-enabled network piloted at Hrvatski Telekom in Croatia, delivering all services, including voice, IPTV, and Internet access, as cloud services provisioned on demand. TeraStream uses OpenStack for cloud orchestration, allowing control over compute, storage, and network resources in its data centers. The network functions are virtualized to create customized communications services quickly. A10 Networks implemented LW4o6 in its A10 Thunder Series CGN, and TeraStream deployed vThunder as a virtual service. The Thunder CGN product line is part of the A10 aCloud Service Architecture, enabling cloud operators to dynamically provision Layer 4-7 tenant services while improving agility and reducing cost.

Operational Impact

Increased business agility with virtual carrier-grade networking service and pay-as-you-go licensing based on A10 Networks aCloud Services Architecture.
Differentiated services on a per-subscriber basis.
Reduced time-to-deploy IPv4 over IPv6 Softwire service with highly responsive partners.
TeraStream is an open multivendor network, allowing for greater innovation and avoiding vendor lock-in.
Automation through OpenStack and integration with aCloud on-demand licensing makes it possible to turn up new services for customers as needed and tear them down once they’re no longer needed.

Quantitative Benefit

Deutsche Telekom has approximately 229,000 employees worldwide.
The Group generated revenue of 60.1 billion euros in the 2013 financial year.
Deutsche Telekom has over 142 million mobile customers, 31 million fixed-network lines, and over 17 million broadband lines.