Description
Software-defined networking (SDN) and network function virtualization (NFV) promise to rewrite the rules of network design, engineering, configuration and management. Their impact is being felt across the stakeholder spectrum from OEMs to telecom operators. The number of companies associated with NFV and SDN is already in three digits. What are SDN and NFV? At the risk of oversimplifying things, it can be said that SDN decouples the control and forwarding functions, and NFV heralds the advent of virtualization in the network equipment space. At individual vendor level, there is considerable heterogeneity about what SDN and NFV entail, and their interrelationship. There are a few clear pointers though. Telcos are cautiously optimistic that NFV and SDN will facilitate their ascent into services and solutions with better profitability potential. NFV and SDN also democratize the network equipment manufacturing landscape to an extent, by opening the door wider for ISVs. Predictably, network equipment OEMs are proactively attempting to embellish their portfolios with NFV and SDN offerings. This report will answer the following questions in the context of NFV and SDN: What are the direct and indirect revenue opportunities? How large is the NFV market? What are its hardware, software and service components? How large is the SDN market? What are its hardware, software and service components? What are the key geographical trends to look out for? Who are thought leaders? How do they influence implementation methodologies? Who are the key players? What are their initiatives and the implications of these initiatives? How similar are they, and how different? What are the motivations behind their development? Who are their principal champions? This report will answer these questions and also present a threadbare qualitative and quantitative implications of SDN and NFV for telecom products and services. This report is a result of extensive primary and secondary research spanning a cross section of the industry. It will be an invaluable resource for telcos, OEMs, ODMs, ISVs, data centers, enterprises and investors with anything at stake in NFV and SDN.