NEC/Netcracker Technology recently demonstrated how its multilayer software-defined networking (SDN) controller could control both Infinera’s optical controller and Juniper Networks’ IP controller in service provider networks.

NEC/Netcracker provided full visibility across the IP and optical network in labs of both Telefónica and Verizon. The demonstration was part of the Optical Interworking Forum (OIF)/Open Networking Foundation (ONF) Transport API project. The participants executed a multidomain path selection and recovery test plan.

In the demo, NEC/Netcracker's multilayer SDN controller used the new Transport API defined by the ONF to communicate with Juniper's NorthStar Controller at Verizon's lab, and with Infinera’s Xceed optical SDN domain controllers at Telefónica's lab.

Ari Banerjee, VP of strategy with Netcracker, stressed that the partners in the recent demo were Juniper and Infinera, but NEC/Netcracker’s multidomain controller can lord over the IP, optical, and microwave controllers of many vendors.

Earlier this year Netcracker unveiled its Ecosystem 2.0 portal, providing a digital marketplace for service providers to select multivendor SDN and NFV commercially-ready services. Banerjee said,”We’re getting pulled into a lot of projects where there are different controllers, some from IP vendors, some from optical vendors. They [service providers] are trying to create a unified view.”

As far as Telefónica and Verizon, Banerjee said, “Telefónica is a major customer of ours.” NEC/Netcracker does SDN and NFV work for Telefónica’s business arm as well as traditional BSS work. For Verizon, NEC/Netcracker does traditional billing and may work with the company in the future as Verizon evolves its network virtualization efforts.

NEC/Netcracker’s multilayer controller also automates service provisioning, said Banerjee.