CenturyLink is revving up for the race to total virtualization, saying Monday that it will have 40% of its global IP core network locations virtualized this year with full global virtualization coverage in its IP core network and data centers planned by 2018. That strategy is based on virtualizing the edge of the network now, using virtual routers at the network edge and virtualized CPE at the customer premises. (See CenturyLink Announces Virtualization Plans.)
