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Three Different Approaches to VNF Data Management Could Spell Trouble Ahead

by , posted in SDN/NFV, Vendor Transformation

Summary Bullets:

  • David Snow - Principal Analyst, IP Services Infrastructure
    David Snow – Principal Analyst, IP Services Infrastructure

    ‘Stateless operation’ is the result of taking all the state (or session) data out of an application and relocating it into some form of ‘shared data entity’ to enable easier VNF scaling, failover, upgrade and so on.

  • With at least three different approaches emerging, VNF data management may prove as much of a hindrance to NFV rollout as NFV MANO.

In a previous Network Matter blog post, we identified how ‘cloud native’ terminology is now being used to highlight the differences between simply converting existing physical network function-based software into VNFs and creating VNFs ‘designed for the cloud’ from the start. In “Microservices: How ‘Cloud Native’ Are Network Vendors Today?”, we looked at some of the unanswered questions around microservices. This blog takes the cloud native discussion a little further by discussing the issues around ‘stateless operation.’ Continue reading “Three Different Approaches to VNF Data Management Could Spell Trouble Ahead” →

Comptel and Apttus Advance the Salesforce Communications Industry Framework to Drive Operator Engagement Models

by , posted in Net Transformation
Ron Westfall - Research Director, Service Provider Infrastructure
Ron Westfall – Research Director, Service Provider Infrastructure

Summary Bullets:

• Comptel and Apttus recently debuted a joint solution built on the Salesforce Communications Industry Framework (SCIF). The solution targets operators adopting cloud-based business-to-consumer (B2C) platforms to meet their emerging digital engagement demands.

• The Comptel/Apttus partnership indicates that SCIF, originally introduced in May, is building the supporting ecosystem it needs to produce innovative cloud-oriented solutions. However, the framework needs to add security and assurance specialists to spur wider operator consideration and adoption.

In October 2016, Comptel and Apttus unveiled a joint B2C solution developed on the new SCIF. The cloud-based framework is designed to help operators improve the customer engagement experience across all their channels by integrating Salesforce into existing operator environments, streamlining the transfer of data between business and consumer applications and between operator OSS and BSS processes.

The Comptel/Apttus solution meets emerging operator B2C application demands such as self-service configuration; real-time network usage tracking; and catalog-to-order flow, orchestration and fulfillment. What competitive advantages can Salesforce, Comptel and Apttus look to generate from their collaboration?

Continue reading “Comptel and Apttus Advance the Salesforce Communications Industry Framework to Drive Operator Engagement Models” →

Building 5G: NB-IoT

by , posted in Internet of Things, Net Transformation, Ultra Broadband, Vendor Transformation
Peter Jarich
Peter Jarich – VP, Consumer Services and Service Provider Infrastructure

Summary Bullets:

  • NB-IoT is often invoked in discussions of next-generation wireless network evolutions as part of “paving the way to 5G.”
  • While there is no way to interpret NB-IoT as a 5G technology, it provides a “bridge” to the massive IoT capabilities that 5G promise, giving operators insight into IoT opportunities and tool to address many of them.

Our blog post from late October highlighted a fundamental MEC dynamic: while MEC is fundamental to 5G, it’s not strictly a 5G concept.  It can be deployed well before 5G becomes a commercial reality.

This same dynamic is at play with NB-IoT.  It’s here today, but expected to be critical to 5G in the future.

An evolution of LTE, nobody considers NB-IoT a 5G technology.  And yet that doesn’t stop NB-IoT from getting routinely called out as part of the “race” to 5G or “paving the way” to 5G.  At the same time, the move to accelerate NB-IoT commercialization started in 2015 with demos from Ericsson, Nokia and Intel at MWC this year.  Just last month, then, we saw Vodafone announce plans for commercial NB-IoT networks in Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and Spain to be launched in Q1 2017.  Not to be bested, T-Mobile Netherlands almost simultaneously revealed that they would have NB-IoT up and running in major cities before October came to an end. Continue reading “Building 5G: NB-IoT” →

Microservices: How ‘Cloud Native’ Are Network Vendors Today?

by , posted in SDN/NFV, Vendor Transformation
David Snow - Principal Analyst, IP Services Infrastructure
David Snow – Principal Analyst, IP Services Infrastructure

Summary Bullets:

  • ‘Cloud native’ is the new virtualization mantra, often used to highlight the characteristics of applications designed for the cloud from the start.
  • A host of smaller network vendors are already claiming to be ‘microservices-based,’ a key attribute of being ‘cloud native.’ Larger vendors need to be careful not to lag behind.

It could hardly have escaped anyone’s notice at the SDN World Congress in The Hague this October that ‘cloud native’ is the new mantra in describing virtualized network functions (VNFs). Hardly a discussion or presentation from either operator or vendor took place without mentioning the term at least once. Generally, the term ‘cloud native’ highlights the differences between simply converting physical network function-based software into VNFs and creating VNFs ‘designed for the cloud’ from the start. Continue reading “Microservices: How ‘Cloud Native’ Are Network Vendors Today?” →

5G Implications on the Network Core: Moving Beyond Vagaries

by , posted in Internet of Things, Net Transformation, Ultra Broadband, Vendor Transformation
Peter Jarich
Peter Jarich – VP, Consumer Services and Service Provider Infrastructure

Summary Bullets:

  • The deployment of 5G networks will require innovation in the radio access network (RAN) as well as the network core. Most discussions of 5G network transformations, however have focused on the RAN alone.
  • Outside of the RAN, 5G will require changes to the mobile core, SDN/NFV implementations, OSS/BSS, analytics, orchestration, self optimizing networks (SON) and cloud systems. Executing on those changes successfully will require service providers to begin identifying (and messaging) their requirements.

Founded in 1991, ETIS bills itself as “The Community for Telecom Professionals.” What this translates into is an information sharing organization bringing together telecom service providers to tackle pressing issues along diverse business lines and business imperatives: Procurement, Innovation, OSS/BSS, Business Intelligence, CIO.  Current Analysis has been fortunate to work with ETIS for several years.  This year, we joined their Community Gathering in Zagreb (October 13-14) to talk about 5G – specifically, the impact 5G will on telecom networks beyond the RAN.  You can find a a copy of our presentation here.

5G RAN innovations have gotten a lot of attention from vendors and telecom service providers, and with good reason; a new air interface, new spectrum bands (mmWave) and new spectrum architectures (unlicensed / shared) all point to the need for critical new RAN R&D and RAN solutions. Yet if we recognize that 5G will be more than just the radio access network, we need to acknowledge the need for 5G-oriented core network innovations as well. Continue reading “5G Implications on the Network Core: Moving Beyond Vagaries” →

Building 5G: Mobile Edge Computing

by , posted in Internet of Things, Net Transformation, Ultra Broadband, Vendor Transformation
Peter Jarich
Peter Jarich – VP, Consumer Services and Service Provider Infrastructure

Summary Bullets:                 

  • Mobile edge computing (MEC) is often cited as central to 5G core network evolutions, supporting the key 5G use cases: Critical Communications, Massive IoT, and Enhanced Mobile Broadband.
  • 5G use cases may require MEC and edge computing, but MEC deployment does not need to wait until 5G arrives as signaled by operator trials.

While it’s not exactly clear what a 5G mobile core will look like, two topics almost always get raised when talking about it: MEC and network slicing.  We’ll talk about network slicing in a future post.  In the meantime, I wanted to dig into MEC. Continue reading “Building 5G: Mobile Edge Computing” →

5G @ SDN World Congress: Prepare to Be Disappointed?

by , posted in Net Transformation
Peter Jarich
Peter Jarich – VP, Consumer Services and Service Provider Infrastructure

Summary Bullets:

• This week’s SDN World Congress looks to explore the necessary connections between SDN, NFV and future 5G networks; with past experience and the event agenda as a guide, don’t expect any real revelations or insights.

• What the industry needs to begin grappling with are the specific SDN solution requirements driven by 5G along with deeper details on how fundamental technologies like NFV Network Slicing will operate.

This week, Layer 123’s SDN & OpenFlow World Congress takes place in The Hague. Since its inception, the event has been one of the most important gatherings for understanding the state of SDN (as well as NFV) and how the technology is evolving. Vendors show up to talk about their new products. More importantly, service providers show up to talk about their progress with SDN and what they’re looking for from the market. This is why we ran a webinar last week to discuss our expectations out of the show.
Continue reading “5G @ SDN World Congress: Prepare to Be Disappointed?” →

TEOCO: Can Its New 5G ASSET Design Tool Ready Operators for 5G Buildouts?

by , posted in Internet of Things, OSS/BSS/CEM, SDN/NFV
Ron Westfall - Research Director, Service Provider Infrastructure
Ron Westfall – Research Director, Service Provider Infrastructure

Summary Bullets:

  • TEOCO recently unveiled its 5G ASSET Design tool solution aimed at driving operator network modelling of 5G deployment scenarios and elevating operator consideration of its overall portfolio for 5G network builds.
  • The 5G ASSET Design tool counters existing OSS/BSS solutions that include 5G network design and planning tools, creating a time-to-market shortfall for TEOCO. Moreover, the new tool does not paper over TEOCO’s portfolio gaps in driving overall 5G network buildouts.

In September, TEOCO unveiled its new 5G ASSET Design tool solution. The solution addresses the following 5G network design priorities:

– Ensuring smooth transitions from existing 4G network performance optimization planning to the early-stage design of 5G networks;
– Planning 5G networks to ensure the automation of traffic offload processes and maximize revenue capture opportunities; and
– Generating 5G network designs that account for the expected effect of 5G frequency bands in relation to network site and cell densities. Continue reading “TEOCO: Can Its New 5G ASSET Design Tool Ready Operators for 5G Buildouts?” →

AT&T’s AirGig Announcement: Why Now?

by , posted in Het Nets, Net Transformation, Ultra Broadband
Ed Gubbins - Senior Analyst, Mobile Access Infrastructure
Ed Gubbins – Senior Analyst, Mobile Access Infrastructure

Summary Bullets:

  • AT&T wasn’t very candid in explaining how its latest lab project works, a twist on broadband over powerline.
  • Multiple forces might have given the operator reason to announce AirGig now, before it could say much.

AT&T’s announcement last week of a new technology dubbed AirGig was striking for a few reasons. One was the novelty of the technology itself, which enigmatically promised to transmit wireless signals around power lines rather than through them, putting a new spin on old broadband-over-powerline tech concepts and posing the possibility of self-backhauling mesh networks deployed along the power grid that could deliver 4G and 5G services to the home.

Another thing that was striking about AT&T’s announcement of AirGig was just how little about it the company was at liberty to discuss. For starters, how does the technology work, exactly? AT&T declined to elaborate much. How far could these networks (which use millimeter waves without necessarily being restricted to them and provide both access and backhaul) extend from a wireline backhaul source? It wouldn’t say. How would they be powered if, as AT&T offered, they wouldn’t need to physically connect to the power grid? Inductive (wireless) power transmission is one approach, the company said, but left it at that.

So, why announce a technology that is still being developed if you can’t say much about it? Continue reading “AT&T’s AirGig Announcement: Why Now?” →

The ‘Open’ Telecom Application Server (TAS): Helping Carriers Go ‘Beyond VoLTE’

by , posted in Net Transformation, Vendor Transformation
David Snow - Principal Analyst, IP Services Infrastructure
David Snow – Principal Analyst, IP Services Infrastructure

Summary Bullets:

  • Deploying just VoLTE makes little difference to carrier voice revenues or competitiveness; carriers now need ‘beyond VoLTE’ services differentiation.
  • Such service differentiation is sparking a new wave of vendor telecom application server (TAS) offerings and openness.

Nokia recently launched a new version of its TAS (see here), positioning it as a ‘beyond VoLTE’ offering. Nokia, however, isn’t the first to focus on the ‘beyond VoLTE’ business issue. Oracle Communications did something similar last year (see here), and in April, OpenCloud went as far as to produce a downloadable software package for ‘VoLTE service development’ on its own application server (see here). Continue reading “The ‘Open’ Telecom Application Server (TAS): Helping Carriers Go ‘Beyond VoLTE’” →