Service orchestration
in the next-generation
network

A powerful next-generation network can offer users a wide range of new applications—but that means incorporating more services than are on existing networks. Service-based offerings do not always integrate smoothly, and that can cause performance issues and inefficiencies.

Providers sometimes patch together disparate pieces of infrastructure, further compromising their ability to service and streamline network architectures. Engineers must sometimes design custom algorithms to help the systems to work together. This approach can make scaling and troubleshooting an ad hoc network difficult.

Orchestration offers the next generation of network services and integration. Network orchestration integrates network functions, provided by various technology providers, in a service chain with a single open-stack device. Businesses need to adopt a next-generation approach to keep pace to help remain competitive with rapidly advancing service offerings.

A service orchestration platform acknowledges that users still need the performance and security of an integrated vertical stack, but it recognizes that as networks expand to include massive numbers of users and devices, businesses must be able to scale to accommodate new services and applications in order to remain flexible, agile and efficient.

For businesses that use a platform solution, service orchestration offers several key features:

• Automated provisioning and single-source contracting offer more streamlined services.
• Centralized management and troubleshooting reduces cost.
• Broader visibility and monitoring can improve network performance.
• Leadership can update security policies and protect data across the network.
• Ability to add/remove users and service functions as business needs dictate.

A network orchestration platform can also reduce the risk of having to lock into vendors who, without service orchestration, are already integrated with your infrastructure, increasing your supplier flexibility.