Nortel is talking up its end-to-end network virtualization system, which the company says delivers on the promise of an end to silos in favor of a dynamic pool of resources that can be tailored to the shifting needs of the enterprise.

The company apparently hasn't branded the system in the usual fashion, referring to it simply as "Nortel's virtualization solution," although a major component is the company's line of Ethernet Routing Switches like the ERS 8600 and the ERS 5500, along with the Virtual Server Switch 5000 platform.

Key features include high-port-density 10G switching, Layer 3 routing virtualization and the ability to provision virtual private networks over existing IP infrastructures. There's also the ability to combine network services like firewalls, application switching and SSL acceleration under a single VSS 5000 platform.

Mid-level outfits like Canadian construction firm PCL report having successfully deployed the system to bridge VMware platforms with iSCSI SANs through a stackable network capable of supporting both physical and virtual resources.