SDN/NFV

MWC24: Nokia’s Nvidia Deal: CPUs to Diversify the vRAN Ecosystem and GPUs to Disrupt

February 22, 2024February 22, 2024 by edgubbins, posted in Net Transformation, SDN/NFV

Summary Bullets:

• Nokia will use CPUs from Nvidia to bring more choices to the vRAN space, following the former’s ‘anyRAN’ concept.

• Nokia also aims to use Nvidia’s GPUs to transform telecom networks using AI – an aspirational future vision.

Nokia announced this week that it will collaborate with chipmaker Nvidia in two ways – both focused on virtual radio access networks (vRAN). Nokia will use Nvidia Grace CPU Superchip for processing vRAN functions at Layer 2 and above, together with Nokia’s RAN software and hardware accelerators (PCIe cards that boost vRAN performance). It will also use the graphics processing units (GPUs) Nvidia is most known for to handle AI applications and vRAN acceleration.

Continue reading “MWC24: Nokia’s Nvidia Deal: CPUs to Diversify the vRAN Ecosystem and GPUs to Disrupt” →

Ericsson’s Router 6000 Expansion Provides Intelligent Connectivity to Support its 5G RAN Vision

November 29, 2023November 29, 2023 by Glen Hunt, posted in Net Transformation, SDN/NFV

Summary Bullets:

• Ericsson brought the finishing touches needed to optimize its mobile access portfolio – tying together its RAN compute portfolio, cloud-native capabilities, transport controller, and new Router 6000 variants to leverage RAN innovation and spectrum efficiency with AI/ML to automate services.

• Ericsson brings to market two new Router 6000 variants: the Router 6671 designed for cell site deployment, which supports 10G and 25G Ethernet connectivity, and the 4.8 Tbps Router 6678 to support large scale centralized RAN deployments.

Ericsson’s two new Router 6000 family additions are designed to seamlessly integrate with its RAN portfolio to deliver the capacity, efficiency, and operational support needed to satisfy 5G service demands. With the recent uptick in the use of mid-band spectrum, operators will need to scale up their transport and RAN networks to leverage new Ericsson software features such as carrier aggregation data steering (which switches users from the FDD to TDD); and automated carrier aggregation, which automatically selects and configures carriers for aggregation.

Continue reading “Ericsson’s Router 6000 Expansion Provides Intelligent Connectivity to Support its 5G RAN Vision” →

Nokia Brings the Family Jewels (FPcx) to the Access Network – Raises Expectations

September 26, 2023 by Glen Hunt, posted in SDN/NFV, Ultra Broadband

Summary Bullets:

• Operators are challenged to build access networks that transition from the 1G era to meet 10/100/400G service expectations. It is not only a bandwidth issue, but one of sustainability, flexibility, and the adaptability to deliver 5G services.

• Nokia’s move to adapt its FPcx silicon to fuel a new range of access and aggregation routers elevates the access layer as an integral part of the intelligent network and changes the game.

The access and aggregation routers of the past were based on platforms designed to deliver effective access and aggregation services for 1G to 10G services. Most were based on merchant silicon, which hosted a vendor’s network operating system and networking features, including platforms such as Nokia’s 7250 IXR. In contrast, the higher-scale IP services edge and IP core have been based on proprietary silicon, which delivered high-scale switching capacity, rich telemetry, and programmability needed to meet automate and meet stringent performance, power, and security requirements. The use of merchant silicon was widely adopted by equipment vendors to deliver solutions that kept pace with market demands, and a few vendors also leveraged programmable silicon such as field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). Part of the draw for merchant silicon was driven by operators who desired to minimize vendor dependance – i.e., the white box era.

Continue reading “Nokia Brings the Family Jewels (FPcx) to the Access Network – Raises Expectations” →

Ericsson Aims to Give Operators More vRAN Options with AMD, Dell Deals

May 2, 2023 by , posted in SDN/NFV

Summary Bullets:

• Ericsson announced a deal to include Dell servers in its cloud RAN solution, giving operators more choice in virtual RAN sourcing.

• Ericsson also announced a collaboration with chip maker AMD aimed at improving vRAN performance.

Ericsson announced two partnerships last week to help diversify its virtual RAN offerings.

Continue reading “Ericsson Aims to Give Operators More vRAN Options with AMD, Dell Deals” →

Intel’s New Chips with Integrated Accelerators Could Boost vRAN Performance Enough to Spur Disruption

November 18, 2022 by , posted in Net Transformation, SDN/NFV

Summary Bullets:

• Intel’s new system-on-a-chip (SoC) features integrated accelerators, which help close the performance gap between virtual RAN (vRAN) and traditional RAN. Thus far, accelerators have been offered as separate hardware cards.

• Rakuten Symphony’s plans to offer a vDU based on the new SoC, following the availability of Qualcomm’s new accelerator and Juniper’s recent move to give away its RAN Intelligent Controller, show vRAN momentum building.

Recently, vRAN vendor Rakuten Symphony revealed plans to produce a virtual distributed baseband unit (vDU) based on new Intel SoC, due in 2023, whose accelerator is integrated with the CPU rather than being offered as a separate hardware card. This represents a departure from the status quo (accelerators as separate hardware cards), but the two vendors say it also addresses a key obstacle that has been holding vRAN back.

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Network Automation (2.0) Takes on Service Assurance Challenges

June 28, 2022June 29, 2022 by Glen Hunt, posted in Net Transformation, SDN/NFV

Summary Bullets:

Automated network service provisioning (via SDN technologies) is an established industry norm; however, dealing with service quality assurance requires advanced capabilities such as real-time network visualization, multi-factor path computation, and the ability to dynamically handle high-scale network variations.
Service assurance benefits include optimization of network resources, increased revenue potential, and reduced operational costs, among others; achieving these objectives can yield significant operational efficiency and improved quality of experience for end users.

Operators continue to invest and scale their IP and transport networks to meet growing capacity and new use cases demands, and the need to expand automated network management beyond network element and service provisioning, as well as begin to address service assurance, has become a top priority. Experience has shown that today’s highly complex and dynamic networks rely on automation as the key to successfully delivering high-quality services. In the two most recent networking conferences (i.e., MWC 22 and MPLS SD & AI Net World), network automation demonstrations and proof of concept (PoC) presentations by vendors and network operators alike were front and center and show promise when addressing service quality assurance.

Continue reading “Network Automation (2.0) Takes on Service Assurance Challenges” →

Starlink’s Role in the Russia-Ukraine War Could Inspire Further LEO Investment

May 11, 2022May 11, 2022 by Emir Halilovic, posted in Net Transformation, SDN/NFV, Ultra Broadband

Emir Halilovic, Principal Analyst

Summary Bullets:

At the start of Russia’s war in Ukraine, Starlink – with ample financial support from the US and its allies – supplied terminals and active service in the country.
Starlink’s service has proven unparalleled resilience, giving a new set of arguments for further development of low earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations.

Since the beginning of the all-out Russian invasion of Ukraine, Starlink has consistently proven its worth as a critical communications medium. The service has been proven resilient, both in its design and operations. The service requires no ground-based infrastructure aside from a user terminal, allowing users to set up internet access quickly. It circumvents terrestrial infrastructure, which has not only been damaged by the ongoing warfare, but has also crumbled under targeted Russian cyber and physical attacks and sabotage. This part of its performance was expected.

Continue reading “Starlink’s Role in the Russia-Ukraine War Could Inspire Further LEO Investment” →

2022 Predictions: Three Things to Watch in the Mobile Access Sector This Year

January 6, 2022January 6, 2022 by , posted in Net Transformation, SDN/NFV

Summary Bullets:

In 2022, RAN vendors will increasingly focus on the energy efficiency of their solutions as a competitive differentiator.
Network management applications for Open RANs will multiply – developed by both incumbent RAN vendors and third-party developers.

The past two years have been anything but predictable, but the new year brings hope for a return to normalcy. In that spirit, here are a few predictions for what to expect in the RAN space in 2022: Continue reading “2022 Predictions: Three Things to Watch in the Mobile Access Sector This Year” →

NEC and Netcracker Delve Deeper into 5G Xhaul

November 12, 2021May 30, 2023 by Emir Halilovic, posted in Net Transformation, SDN/NFV

Emir Halilovic, Principal Analyst

Summary Bullets:

• NEC and Netcracker wrap their respective professional services and domain orchestration solution around Juniper’s IP networking and ADVA’s open line system for a multi-layer, multi-vendor, and automated 5G Xhaul.

• The cooperation has great potential to increase each of the vendors’ credibility in 5G transport, but must show tangible advantages in functionality and cost savings to uproot entrenched competitors.

The 5G transport market continues to heat up, as operators are gradually waking up to the fact that transport renovation and automation will be one of the key ingredients of their future end-to-end 5G architecture. In that context, accelerated activity by NEC and Netcracker in 5G Xhaul illustrates well the importance of transport for 5G, and the size of the market opportunity awaiting. NEC, Netcracker, Juniper, and ADVA contributed their leading capabilities to their joint solution introduced in September.

Continue reading “NEC and Netcracker Delve Deeper into 5G Xhaul” →

Industry Mulling Impact of AT&T-Microsoft Core Deal

July 8, 2021 by , posted in SDN/NFV, Vendor Transformation

Summary Bullets:

AT&T announced it will transfer its mobile network to the Microsoft Azure cloud, beginning with the 5G core.
Other operators are likely to make a similar transition, though many will take much longer to do so than AT&T.

AT&T certainly grabbed the headlines – and stole some of the already dim MWC Barcelona spotlight – with its announcement June 30 that it will move its 5G network to Microsoft’s Azure for Operators cloud, beginning with its 5G core. Continue reading “Industry Mulling Impact of AT&T-Microsoft Core Deal” →