For a world that runs increasingly on software, software development itself has become a valuable skill. Skill alone has never been enough, however; just ask the master sculptor who decided to work in marble armed only with his forehead. Tools are just as important as skill, and with Ciena's new Blue Planet toolkit, the skilled get access to some really impressive new tools to work with.
With Blue Planet, users can bring DevOps capabilities to bear on networks set up for software-defined networking (SDN) and network functions virtualization (NFV) operations. New virtualized services can quickly be brought into use, and that means reduced costs, less need for professional specialists, and faster rollouts, which improve user perception of the network at hand. Network operators can use more in-house talent—including product development and network operations teams—to bring out several virtualized network functions (VNFs) like virtual firewalls, Layer 2 metro networks, both virtual and physical domains and more.
Using a DevOps approach allows network operators to better control the development process instead of handing it off to external developers, meaning that the end product is better tailored to needs on the ground rather than what some independent third party thinks is needed most. Plus, since DevOps allows local elements to engage in the development, those users can better collaborate and develop solutions that better address what's needed.
With several tools on hand, ranging from the Blue Planet Network and Service Orchestration system to the Blue Planet Developer Community portal, it's a safe bet that whatever is needed on the ground will be on hand in the tool kit. If it isn't there already, it likely can be found in the libraries of resource adapters, service templates, and similar matter on hand.
In the end, it's all about giving the user the tools needed to respond to issues unaided. It's almost like selling shovels in the middle of a gold rush; users need these tools in order to take full advantage of the potential market conditions, so there's almost as much value in offering the tools as there is in offering the produce of what these tools make. Blue Planet provides the necessary tools to let users make solutions in-house and with the talent on hand, which removes a whole intermediary step from the process and helps ensure that the solutions meet the problems.
The old adage about teaching a man to fish and letting him eat forever comes to pass here with Blue Planet, which doesn't just address today's problems, but potentially, problems for a lot of tomorrows to follow.
Edited by Stefania Viscusi