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Comcast (CMCSA) Unveils SD-WAN Gigabit-Ready Combo Products

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Comcast Business, a subsidiary of leading cable multi service operator and media giant, Comcast Corp. (CMCSA - Free Report) , stepped closer toward its Software Defined Networking (SDN) virtualization plans, with the launch of Comcast Business ActiveCore SDN platform. The platform is claimed to be the first cable-delivered, gigabit-ready SDN platform in the country with Software Defined Wide Area Networking (SD-WAN) as its first business product. Comcast Business is pairing its new SD-WAN offering with Comcast’s high-performance, DOCSIS 3.1-based gigabit broadband service.

Comcast started its SD-WAN beta trial for enterprise and mid-market customers in May 2017. Currently, it is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

The platform features an embedded orchestration capability, allowing it to seamlessly deliver and manage multiple virtualized network functions (VNF).

Comcast Business SD-WAN combines secure IP-VPN, application-aware routing and a stateful firewall. Leveraging Comcast’s broadband solutions, the SD-WAN service can deliver service over the public internet. By using Comcast Business SD-WAN on the ActiveCore platform, customers can augment or replace their existing Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) network with an alternative WAN connection.

SD-WAN continues to attract a growing number of enterprises because its software-driven approach provides greater control and flexibility to users without any hardware and costly equipment maintenance and labor. SD-WAN also reduces the reliance on legacy technologies which will help multi-site enterprises to be more agile in the future to be able to support multiple WAN topologies and dynamically deploy a set of features across all of their sites in a faster, more cost-effective manner.

SD-WAN is  expected to accelerate performance and reduce the cost of backhauling data traffic through corporate data centers.

Comcast Business has plans to add additional ActiveCore VNFs in the near future to complement SD-WAN. Comcast’s Business Internet 1 Gbps service is already available in the Northeastern, Mid-Atlantic and Central United States. The service will be available to the entire national Comcast service area by year-end.

Similar SD-WAN Related Events

In July 2017, U.S. telecom behemoth, AT&T Inc. (T - Free Report) acquired the Vyatta network operating system and associated assets of Brocade Communications Systems Inc. to boost its SD-WAN and white box capabilities for business customers.

In June 2017, Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ - Free Report) inked a managed services deal with Ericsson (ERIC - Free Report) . Per the Ericsson will be deploying Verizon's Managed Software Defined Wide Area Network (“SD-WAN”) for its corporate IT, including virtualized security services and Managed Enterprise Radio Access Network (E-RAN) solutions.

Price Performance

Over the past six months, shares of Comcast have increased 0.5% but failed to beat the 3.4% gain of the industry it belongs to.

 

When compared with the market at large, the stock’s performance is not impressive again, as the S&P 500 Index has soared 4.7%, over the same time span. 

 

 

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