Redback finds a friend in HP

Redback Networks today announced that it has teamed up with HP to develop an integrated solution for managing multiprotocol label switching virtual private networking services.

The solution brings together Redback's SmartEdge Service Gateway with HP's OpenView Service Activator. The goal is to give carriers, particularly in Asia and Europe that may not have deployed MPLS VPNs, an easy route into the market, said Shailesh Shukla, vice president of strategy and business development at Redback.

At the same time, the deal opens up the SmartEdge product line to a whole new set of applications, he said.

"Typically the policy manager application [of the SmartEdge Gateways] is mostly around consumer applications," he said. "How do you set the specific policies for consumers? The relationship with HP is built more around the needs to address the business market. Typically businesses have all these locations scattered. How do you connect them in an IP world?"

Previously, Redback had either provided an open application interface or sold carriers the source code to the policy management application. That will continue, but for carriers deploying MPLS VPNs, the company believes teaming with HP will give it a more complete package.

"The world is moving away from nailed-up VPNs using leased lines," Shukla said. "Here we have a solution that takes the SmartEdge router and puts on top of it the very sophisticated smarts of the HP OpenView Platform."