Virtual CPE: What is it? Why do you care?

Virtual CPE (vCPE) products offer perhaps the highest return on investment (ROI) of any networking solution available today. Why? Keep reading. . .

vCPE Guide Banner Image
Conceptual aerial view of a global network

Written in simple, layman’s terms, Patton’s latest publication makes it clear.

Authored by Glendon Flowers, the educational white paper, A Guide to Virtual CPE, de-mystifies the underlying technology of vCPE solutions.

As you read through the document, you will learn about the important features and the different types of vCPE. The guide also offers expert guidance on how to select the right vCPE for your networking challenges and environment.

What’s Inside the Guide?

Besides the obligatory “what is it?” and “how does it work?” the guide also covers some important related concepts—including hypervisor, edge orchestration.

Example Data Center Where Edge Orchestration May Be implemented
Example Data Center Where Edge Orchestration May be Hosted

Two other important trending topics in the world of networking are also briefly explained:

  • NFV –  Network Function Virtualization
  • SDN – Software-Defined Networking
Virtual CPE as an enterprise session border controller (SBC) in a SIP trunking application
Virtual CPE deployed as an enterprise session border controller (eSBC) in a SIP trunking application

Some of the network functions a vCPE can provide are also covered:

  • eSBC – Enterprise Session Border Controller
    • SIP Trunking application
    • Hosted PBX application
  • IP Access Router
  • VPN Server
  • Virtualized IPv4 to IPv6 Network Gateway

The publication finishes by providing a five-step guide for selecting the right vCPE for your needs.

Get the White Paper: A Guide to Virtual CPE

What do you think?

  • Are you clear about vCPE technology? Will you read the guide?
  • Do you know what sort of network function you might use a vCPE to provide?

Add your thoughts in the comments below…

Chris Christner
Director of Marketing Communications | PATTON Electronics Co.
As director of the Marketing Communications department, Chris manages the creation of advertising, product literature, user documentation, and the Patton web sites. Chris has over 30 years of experience working in the computing and telecommunications industries. Previously, Chris has held Senior Technical Writer and Principal Writer positions with Hughes Network Systems, Star Technologies, and TRW, and a Senior Field Engineer position with PE Systems. Chris has received several international awards of excellence for his technical documentation from the Society of Technical Communications. He worked for two years in Saudi Arabia.


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