Nokia buys analytics business to automate network management

Nokia is acquiring privately held real-time analytics firm Deepfield, with an eye to solving network and service automation problems with the help of big data. Deepfield handles analytics for IP network performance management and security.

Cloud applications and services (particularly including video streamers like Netflix and Hulu) make up more than 60% of traffic today, according to Deepfield, but providers have little insight into what's running on their networks. Nokia intends to combine Deepfield's visibility into the traffic with software-defined networking to make real-time, automated network changes to adapt more quickly to flows. The deal is expected to close in Q1.