ZTE launches container networking solution for open source NFV

• TECS OpenPalette is a unified PaaS solution using its elastic cloud
• Based on container and Kubernetes cluster management technologies
• Features its Knitter container networking solution
• Vendor says it will accelerate the evolution of Cloud Native apps

ZTE has unveiled an end-to-end container networking solution for open-source NFV, which it hopes will promote the development of cloud native technology and the open source ecosystem. The vendor says operators need the ability to quickly adapt to changing network demands with low cost solutions while maintaining continuous innovation. As such, it believes that containers are the best carrier for NFV transformation.

ZTE says that container-based cloud native applications will become the trend for communications technology applications. However, the native Kubernetes network model used in the IT industry is too simple to meet telco service requirements.

Hence the introduction of ZTE’s new unified ICT platform as a service (PaaS) product, the TECS OpenPalette. TECS actually stands for Tulip Elastic Cloud System, and is ZTE’s carrier-grade open source cloud platform. The TECS Open Palette is based on container and Kubernetes cluster management technologies, and ZTE says it is suitable for both enterprise and telco NFV deployments, enabling telcos to provide faster and better services, achieve continuous integration and continuous delivery, as well as reducing development costs.

To address specific telco application requirements, such as high concurrency, large throughput and multiple network planes, ZTE’s TECS OpenPalette platform features its Knitter container networking solution (details vague, we’re investigating...). In addition to supporting the native Kubernetes network, it also offers a complete set of end-to-end NFV container networking solutions, including multiple network planes, static application IP address, IP address migration, configurable IP resources and high-performance forwarding.

ZTE says it is the most active contributor to the Kubernetes and Docker communities. With its new open-source carrier-grade network solution Knitter, ZTE says it will help further develop the role of containers in telecoms.