Major network upgrade for Cloud Plus paid on subscription

CRN Fast50 provider Cloud Plus is upgrading its network infrastructure via a subscription offering from Brocade.

"We [have] to ensure that we have sufficient capacity to cater for significant bursts of growth without compromising performance. The infrastructure investment required to achieve that can tie up a lot of capital," said Cloud Plus chief executive Jules Rumsey.

A statement from Brocade said that the new Sydney data centre for Cloud Plus features its VDX 6740 switches connected to Supermicro and EMC devices, with the new infrastructure acquired under the Brocade Network Subscription program.

The vendor said that Brocade Network Subscription is an "open-ended acquisition model" that allows "flexibility" in deploying new equipment, while "only paying for the capacity that is actually being utilised".

Rumsey said: "Network traffic continues to grow exponentially while the cost of storing and switching data falls. As a service provider, we need highly scalable infrastructure to support this trend."

Brocade gave the example of Cloud Plus' points-of-presence running through 10 gigabits per second of traffic currently, while the newly deployed MLXe routers will allow 4 to 8 terabits per second – far in excess of current requirements but allowing plenty of room to grow. All without Cloud Plus having to pay for the unused capacity.

"Network capacity planning is a notoriously difficult discipline," said Gary Denman, Brocade's ANZ senior director. "Get it wrong and you could end up ripping out equipment long before its end of life or, alternatively, never utilising the capacity you installed several years ago."

Sydney's ASI Solutions provided assistance with network planning and Brocade-specific training for Cloud Plus engineers deploying the new gear.