BT has activated its new network-as-a-service (NaaS) platform, Global Fabric, and is conducting live tests ahead of its early 2025 launch. This platform aims to simplify secure, scalable connections between employees, customers, and devices to applications and services hosted across multiple clouds, including those for AI. The service addresses the challenges of rapidly growing AI-driven data traffic, with real-time adaptability compared to the traditional weeks-long setup process for legacy networks.
The company has already deployed over 45 Global Fabric points of presence (PoPs) in major cloud data centers globally, with plans to increase this number to 140. These PoPs will allow customers to choose their preferred locations for connecting to Global Fabric based on operational and regulatory needs. BT will also offer new network links for customers without direct access to these cloud data centers, ensuring full readiness for the 2025 launch.
To facilitate the transition, BT will introduce a digital management portal by November, enabling IT teams to experiment with APIs and network configurations. This hands-on tool will help customers integrate Global Fabric connectivity into existing business platforms and optimize their multi-cloud network setups.
• Global Fabric live testing is underway, with launch expected in early 2025.
• Over 45 PoPs installed globally, set to reach 140 by 2025.
• Digital management portal demo to launch in November for customer trials.
• PoPs are located in major carrier-neutral facilities worldwide.
• BT offers new links for customers lacking access to cloud data center PoPs.
“BT’s Global Fabric will help customers hit the cloud running,” said Colin Bannon, chief technology officer, BT Business. “It will give them a choice of the world’s best cloud locations to interconnect with their customers, partners and suppliers, making them easier to do business with not just today but tomorrow too. With the achievement of our latest Global Fabric delivery milestones, we take another step closer to a new age of AI-ready, digital interconnectivity.”
- In July 2023, Juniper announced that it is providing the high-performance, high-availability fabric for BT Network Cloud, which is the infrastructure that underpins BT Group’s U.K. consumer and business network services. BT Network Cloud integrates a variety of network applications, including broadband, fixed, mobile, and other mission-critical services, on a unified platform, leveraging Juniper Networks’ advanced cloud-native solutions and professional services. To enhance automation, the service provider utilizes Juniper’s SDN platform for the creation and management of its OpenStack-based telco cloud. This platform enables hybrid SDN orchestration and centralized management of virtual switching, routing, and security functions. By running cloud-native, containerized applications on OpenStack, BT is able to optimize costs. The high-performance, high-availability fabric provided by Juniper QFX Series Switches supports BT Network Cloud. BT’s data centers are equipped with over 1,000 Juniper QFX Series Switches and 2,000 Juniper vRouters, connecting all mission-critical application servers to the core network. The SDN platform deployed on these servers enables secure, virtualized routing for connecting workloads across BT’s network.
