High traffic growth, service diversity, cloud services, escalation of service threats and low core utilization are creating challenges for service providers’ core networks. Although Cisco leads in market share in core routing, it has upped the stakes and embarked on a new vision for an elastic core.

Cisco’s Open Networking Environment framework, which features an elastic core that includes massive multi-chassis scale, continuous (hitless) operation, cloud intelligent networking and carrier-grade network services, addresses operators’ requirement of network value. Cisco’s vision brings the value of the network to applications thus enabling operators to monetize and accelerate service creation.

ACG Research investigated three Cisco software-based initiatives for the core: Anti-DDoS managed service using the CRS CGSE services module, Demand Engineering for optimization of routes and cloud services workload location, and nLight providing integration and optimization of the optical and packet layers network-wide. Each of these initiatives produced significant total cost of ownership and return on investments. 

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