China Telecom Global Limited (CTG), a China Telecom global subsidiary, has chosen Versa Networks as its primary SD-WAN and SD-Security vendor, and is deploying the SD-WAN and security platform in 15 cloud hubs globally.

The SD-WAN service will also be deployed on x86 devices at CTG's customers' branch offices, and will be utilized by Chinese and global enterprises in verticals such as manufacturing, finance and retail. (See China Telecom Global Taps Versa Networks for SD-WAN Service.)

"One of the reasons why we chose Versa as the primary vendor for SD-WAN is the solution is completely NFV based and there is no need for a very heavy investment before go-to-market," says Nemo Lin, director of the Cloud Operation Center of CTG, in an email to Light Reading. "It helps the CTG network team to extend the SD-WAN coverage in the short term."

Lin added that Versa Networks ' SD-WAN platform enables carriers to combine the underlay and overlay network and provide a hybrid WAN solution to existing MPLS VPN customers, who can also reach new sites using Internet-based SD-WANs at a lower cost.

CTG is deploying the SD-WAN platform in cloud hubs in Asia, EMEA, North America and Australia, and Kumar Mehta, founder and CDO of Versa Networks, says CTG's enterprise customers' branch offices can connect to these hubs and utilize high-speed links provided by CTG. Lin says CTG plans to expand to 30 global cloud nodes by the end of 2017.

Mehta explains that Versa's platform aids enterprises in achieving network visibility and integrated security, and improves migration to cloud services such as Microsoft 365. He adds that CTG's mobile users can utilize the client-based VPN to connect to the remote access server functionality and access any application over SD-WAN.

"For mobile users to come in and connect into our remote access server functionality, and then get to the application over the SD-WAN network was something very unique for this particular customer," says Mehta.

The SD-WAN service also utilizes application-based steering of Internet traffic with remote breakout through a hub to access Microsoft 365, and local breakout from the branch to access Chinese websites, for example.

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With the addition of CTG, Versa now has about 40 Tier 1, 2 and 3 service provider customers across Asia, EMEA and the Americas, says Mehta.

CTG is one of China Telecom Corp. Ltd. (NYSE: CHA)'s 30-plus subsidiaries, and earlier this year, China Telecom announced partnerships with SD-WAN vendors including Silver Peak and Nuage Networks. (See China Telecom Deploys Tiered Managed SD-WAN Services and Nuage Networks Boasts SD-WAN Momentum .)

— Kelsey Kusterer Ziser, Senior Editor, Light Reading