ConteXtream Launches Software-Defined Network Virtualization Solution for Cloud and Hosting Providers

PALO ALTO, Calif., Dec. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- ConteXtream, Inc., a leading provider of cloud-scale network virtualization, today announced the availability of ConteXtream Grid for Cloud and Managed Hosting providers. ConteXtream Grid fundamentally changes the way cloud providers can address elasticity, multi-tenancy and scale challenges. With ConteXtream Grid network virtualization software, customers can offer tenants sophisticated networking and security services, achieve optimal utilization of physical resources, reduce capital costs for network infrastructure and drive down operational expenditures.

"Cloud and managed hosting providers are continuing to make the transition from physical to virtual computing," said Lauren Robinette, principal analyst, managed services and cloud, ACG Research. "As a Hypervisor-agnostic solution, ConteXtream's Grid product is unique in its ability to help service providers bridge their physical and virtual infrastructures.  This allows them to attract enterprise customers to the cloud with on-demand services such as cloud bursting that complement the server infrastructure they already own."

Based on the principles of Software-Defined Networking (SDN), the ConteXtream Grid is a distributed virtual L4-7 switch that works as an overlay on existing networks to connect an unlimited number of endpoints to a flat network. ConteXtream Grid software simplifies network build-up, administration, and management, and eliminates scalability challenges associated with VLANs, Spanning Tree and flooding-based address learning. With ConteXtream Grid software, IT organizations no longer need to retrofit legacy solutions, limit virtualization zones, or constantly reconfigure networking infrastructure. ConteXtream Grid software is both hypervisor and networking equipment independent, enabling customers to maximize their ROI from previous investments in networking and virtualization solutions. The commercially-available ConteXtream Grid is fundamentally different from other proposed SDN solutions in three ways:

• Distributed Control Plane: ConteXtream Grid implements a fully distributed control plane as opposed to relying on a centralized controller. A distributed control plane maintains autonomy of network elements to increase reliability and security, eliminate network chokepoints and prevent vendor lock in.
• Efficient Address Learning: ConteXtream Grid uses a unique Distributed Hash technique rather than flooding to identify new elements as they connect to the network. This allows for massively scalable networks and eliminates a significant source of network congestion from address broadcasting.
• Top-Of-Rack Deployment: ConteXtream Grid creates a natural demarcation between networking and compute at the top-of-rack in the data center. It reduces the number of connections that have to be managed in the network by three orders of magnitude and eliminates the need to install software on every application server. Because the Grid solution is not integrated with the hypervisor, customers can support both virtualized and non-virtualized environments.

ConteXtream Grid software is deployed today by tier one service providers, providing them with a new approach to monetizing and managing their broadband networks.  ConteXtream Grid virtualizes how operators connect subscribers to content and services, leveraging operators' real-time awareness of subscribers, network and application context to optimize every subscriber-application flow.  With ConteXtream, service providers can drive significant CAPEX savings in application resources and networking costs, more effectively add value to and partner with Application Service Providers (ASPs), increase ARPU and improve subscriber loyalty through personalized service bundles and improve overall quality of experience.

"ConteXtream is eliminating barriers to cloud adoption with a market-proven solution that provides superior mobility of end points, flexible allocation of resources, and granular security services within and between data centers," said Joel Brand, vice president of marketing at ConteXtream. "Our solution enables service providers to quickly react to the elasticity demands of customers by spinning up and down resources as their business require. With ConteXtream Grid, cloud and managed hosting companies have access to a commercial network virtualization solution that mirrors the likes of which Amazon and Google have created for their own infrastructure."

About ConteXtream
ConteXtream, Inc., is a leading provider of cloud-scale network virtualization for cloud, managed hosting and broadband service providers. Based on the principles of software-defined networking, ConteXtream's Grid software works as an overlay to existing networks that enables customers to achieve optimal utilization of physical resources, offer the most sophisticated set of networking functions, and reduce CAPEX and OPEX. Headquartered in Palo Alto, Calif., ConteXtream is backed by leading Silicon Valley and global investors including Benhamou Global Ventures, Gemini Israel Funds, Norwest Venture Partners and Sofinnova Ventures as well as Comcast Interactive Capital and Verizon Investments. For additional information, visit www.contextream.com.

SOURCE ConteXtream, Inc.