Benu Networks uses Intel tech to reach 100 Tbps speeds on its virtual BNG

Benu Networks has taken its cloud-native broadband network gateway (BNG) to the next level, partnering with Intel to enhance its virtual BNG performance. The companies said the vBNG can reach up to 100 terabits per second (Tbps) of throughput, which can scale to support millions of users.

The benchmark testing was performed using Intel’s third generation Xeon Scalable processors and the company’s Ethernet 800 Series Controller. Alexander Quach, general manager of Intel’s wireline and wireless core networks division, said in a statement Benu’s use of Intel technology delivers the agility and scale service providers require “as they deploy their total cost of ownership (TCO) optimized next generation of converged access infrastructure.”

Benu has been leveraging Intel processors for over seven years, Mike McFarland, Benu Networks’ VP of product management and marketing, told Fierce. Intel and Benu’s technological collaboration demonstrated capabilities like N+1 redundancy to reduce TCO, geo-redundancy to handle disaster recovery and independent failover of control and user planes – resulting in higher network availability.

The 100-terabit benchmark has given broadband providers the confidence to more broadly adopt a cloud-native BNG architecture, McFarland said, noting that “multiple Tier 1 operators” across multiple continents are deploying cloud solutions for their networks.

“That said, not every operator is ready for ‘cloud-native,’ so we have a similar solution that is network-appliance based and allows the service provider to evolve to a cloud-native solution when they are ready,” he said.

Benu first unveiled its vBNG last year, an architecture targeted at telcos and based on Benu’s software-defined edge (SD-Edge) platform. According to Benu, disaggregated network functions help service providers use the gateway to scale their broadband service securely – within wired, wireless or converged networks.