Colt Automates Service Delivery and Enhances Customer Experience with Their Next-Generation Carrier Ethernet Multi-Service Platform

Cyan (NYSE: CYNI), a leading provider of software-defined networking (SDN) and packet-optical solutions for network operators, today announced that Colt, Europe’s leading information delivery platform, is launching its next-generation modular Carrier Ethernet Multi-Service Platform (MSP) network building on Cyan’s Blue Planet software and Z-Series platforms.  The solution will help Colt deliver higher bandwidth, more automated and scalable business Ethernet services.  The approach taken is a step-change in the way hybrid Ethernet and IP services are delivered and paves the way for SDN and network functions virtualization (NFV).

"Businesses count on us to deliver critical managed IT services, cloud services, and communication solutions that provide a superior customer experience," said Luke Broome, CTO of Colt. "A necessary part of delivering that experience is evolving and automating our network infrastructure and deploying best-in-class technology in a flexible and modular multi-vendor environment that will fuel innovation.  Cyan technology is an important element in allowing us to automate, provision, and manage Ethernet transport and Carrier Ethernet services regardless of the vendor equipment we choose, scale our metro network resources, and provides us with a path to future SDN and NFV-based applications and services."

Colt has deployed a next generation network called Modular Multi-Service Platform.  The network is architected for scale, simplicity and service agility.  It is designed to meet the ever-increasing demand for bandwidth, while maintaining strict service requirements and also allowing for success-based growth and expansion over time.  In order to do this, Colt introduced several network innovations:

A Layer 2 Carrier Ethernet metro network simplifying service provisioning as well as reducing the number of different types of equipment required.

A multi-vendor design that enables the service provider to choose best-in-class platforms at each point in the network, optimize cost and performance, while having access to the latest technologies and innovations.

Software orchestration that delivers unified access and an end-to-end view of the network, providing multi-vendor network automation, management, and usability.

Cyan technology is also supporting Colt’s efforts to connect data center hosted compute resources with network resources to enhance end-to-end performance and develop the flexible and agile service types that CIOs demand today.

"Cyan is excited to be such an integral part of Colt’s Modular Carrier Ethernet project," said Mark Floyd, CEO of Cyan. "Besides helping to deliver the service automation, orchestration, and scale Colt requires today, we’re excited about what the future holds between the two companies. Blue Planet paves the way for future SDN and NFV offerings and we think this is the next step for next-generation architectures like Colt’s MSP."

Colt ranks 4th on Vertical Systems Group’s Mid-2013 Global Provider Ethernet Leaderboard.  With 20 data centers and direct-line connectivity to over 19,000 buildings in 39 major European cities, Colt delivers services to more than 30,000 organizations in 22 countries. In order to offer higher speed services, reduce provisioning time for customers, automate back-office processes and offer truly combined network and compute services Colt embarked on a major network and datacenter architecture refresh.

Colt is listed on the London Stock Exchange (COLT).

About Cyan

Cyan enables network transformation. The company’s software-defined network (SDN) solutions deliver orchestration, visualization, and scale to networks that, until now, have been static and hardware driven. Serving carriers, enterprises, governments, and data center operators globally, Cyan’s open platforms provide multi-vendor control and visibility to network operators, making service delivery more efficient and profitable. Cyan solutions include Blue Planet SDN and NFV orchestration software, Z-Series packet-optical transport platforms, and Cyan Pro professional services. For more information, please visit www.cyaninc.com or follow Cyan on Twitter at http://twitter.com/CyanNews.