Afribone, an Internet service provider in the Republic of Mali, deployed a disaggregated router solution based on IP Infusion's OcNOS network operating system to expand its MPLS network. The expansion lets Afribone connect fixed wireless enterprise customers to its backbone and deliver carrier-class connectivity to its data centers, while lowering both capital and operational expenses.
The Challenge
Founded in 1999, Afribone serves local private and public enterprises, including national and international NGOs, embassies and several United Nations organizations. As demand from fixed wireless enterprise customers and data center applications grew, Afribone needed to expand network capacity without locking itself into a single vendor or carrying the cost of traditional, purpose-built hardware.
- Expand MPLS capacity to serve fixed wireless enterprise clients
- Provide high availability, carrier-class connectivity to data centers
- Reduce capital and operational expenses across the backbone
- Migrate from legacy, purpose-built routers without disrupting existing services
The Solution
Afribone selected OcNOS running on white box routers to replace legacy hardware across its expanding network. The OcNOS-based disaggregated routers connect fixed wireless enterprise clients to Afribone's backbone network and data center, and support the company's transition to an MPLS-based backbone.
Eric Stevance, CEO of Afribone, said the company chose OcNOS for its feature-rich MPLS capabilities, carrier-class per-port VLAN support, and the ability to migrate seamlessly from the existing legacy network.
成果
- Backbone network evolving entirely to MPLS on OcNOS
- Expanded network capacity by replacing legacy, purpose-built hardware with disaggregated white box routers
- Lower capital and operational expenses contributing to a better total cost of ownership
- Simplified operational model by selecting the best combination of hardware and software components and eliminating vendor lock-in
為什麼選擇 OcNOS
"In our initial evaluation, the open networking option was much more flexible and cost effective than other solutions," said Eric Stevance, CEO of Afribone. "We have been using disaggregated networking with IP Infusion for over six years. In that time, OcNOS continues to outperform competitors on features versus price, dramatically changing our relationship with costs and ongoing expenses."
For Afribone, OcNOS provides a common software layer across access, aggregation and data center roles, supporting the operator's continued growth in Mali and across the region.