Amdocs is wasting no time introducing service creation capabilities for virtual network functions (VNFs) based on the Open Network Automation Platform (ONAP). Today, Amdocs announced its new NFV Powered by ONAP portfolio.

Even as ONAP continues the work of merging code from two open source projects, Amdocs is simultaneously touting its new offering. Its NFV Powered by ONAP portfolio brings software that lets service providers design new services based on VNFs. The software will help to create the services, orchestrate them, and then operate them.

Amdocs has provided operational support systems and business support systems (OSS/BSS) to service providers for decades. But it’s now extending its expertise with physical networks to include virtual network functions.

Ann Hatchell, VP of open network marketing at Amdocs, said, “If you think of how the network is evolving it’s going to be a hybrid network. There’s going to be physical that continues.”

Amdocs’ new portfolio is based on modules that manage interactions with the network. There’s a service design and creation module, an active inventory module, and an orchestration module. “Part of our offering is to also include the interfaces to some of the backend systems around monetization,” said Hatchell. The various modules support the creation and operation of services.

For the services, Amdocs has created a partner ecosystem of vendors that provide more than 80 VNFs. It can tie these VNFs into service provider networks as well as integrate them with existing operational and business support systems.

Some of those third-party VNFs include things such as software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN), security, and virtual IMS for VoLTE. “Those would be the types of services you could create and design,” said Hatchell. “It’s our vendor neutrality that makes us attractive.”

For its initial release, Amdocs is offering a pre-defined SD-WAN acceleration kit, given the popularity of SD-WAN at this time.

NFV Powered by ONAP software can be deployed either locally or in the public cloud.

As far as service provider customers, Amdocs has been working closely with AT&T as it virtualizes its network. Amdocs was initially involved with AT&T’s home-grown ECOMP platform as an integrator. Later, ECOMP merged with the open source project Open-O to become ONAP. Amdocs has been working with AT&T throughout the process.

ONAP is currently in the midst of merging the code from ECOMP with the code from Open-O. ONAP is planning its initial code release — Amsterdam — this fall. Hatchell said Amdocs’ NFV Powered by ONAP software will be available later this year as well.

Besides AT&T, Amdocs is also working with other service providers within ONAP. Hatchell mentioned Bell Canada and Orange, but she wouldn’t confirm them as customers of its NFV Powered by ONAP software.