Digital transformation is a popular buzzword that has entered the lexicon of the telecommunications industry, but what does it really mean for communications service providers (CSPs)? What we’re seeing in the industry isn’t so much a single transformation as a series of transformational trends around convergence, diversification and densification.
For example, CSPs are converging their LTE/4G, 5G, wireline and other networks into a single, unified network architecture based on the cloud. At the same time, they’re diversifying their network investments across multiple vendor platforms to build a best-of-breed network instead of locking into the 5G vision of a single vendor. And they’re densifying network resources by moving them where they make the most sense: far edge, near edge, centralized, in public clouds and on bare metal cloud servers.
It starts with a unified cloud infrastructure
As of the writing of this blog, there are more than 18 mobile core vendors alone in the telco market.
In order for CSPs to converge, diversify and densify their networks, they first need to demystify the selection, integration and deployment of their cloud-native core networks. Building a cloud-native architecture often requires additional guidance and services from experienced partners and vendors. Unfortunately, bringing these parties together can be problematic. Traditional network equipment vendors, many of whom sell proprietary solutions, lack the motivation to bring in partners and managing the integration process is often overwhelming for all but the largest telco operators.
Dell Technologies 5G Core Validated Design with Oracle Communications and VMware
Recognizing the need for an accelerated, validated path to a unified telco cloud infrastructure, Dell Technologies has partnered with Oracle Communications and VMware to create a validated 5G core solution design for CSPs. The 5G core design features Dell’s telco-grade hardware and infrastructure automation tools, VMware’s Telco Cloud Platform™ and a suite of cloud-native 5G core network functions from Oracle Communications. Together, these integrated components offer a fully validated design for 5G core solutions that can be extended across the entire telco infrastructure.
VMware Telco Cloud Platform is built specifically for CSPs to provide a cloud-native foundation for telco services including core, edge and RAN. The platform delivers a highly scalable, flexible and reliable cloud environment that enables CSPs to quickly deploy new cloud resources through automation, reduce operating costs through simplified management, deliver new services using cloud-based containers and enforce service level agreements with residential and enterprise customers.
Oracle Communications Cloud-Native Core Solution delivers a full suite of integrated cloud-native network functions (CNFs) for a cloud native 5G mobile core including the network slice selection function (NSSF), network repository function (NRF), policy control function (PCF), service communication proxy (SCP) and binding support function (BSF). Additional 5G core components can be added to create a fully customized 5G core solution.
Dell’s telco-grade servers deliver high-performance hardware for a variety of mobile applications including core, RAN and edge server/storage needs. These servers are designed for both rack-mounted and ruggedized environments and feature Dell’s iDRAC technology to centralize and automate the management of both Dell and non-Dell infrastructure.
Get more from your core
A validated 5G mobile core solution offers a host of benefits to CSPs. It eliminates the need to integrate, test and validate multivendor components in the CSP’s hosted test environment. It supports the rapid deployment of 5G services in the core and at the edge. More than that, the joint 5G core solution from Dell, Oracle Communications and VMware brings additional value into the core network including built-in security, real-time orchestration, automated lifecycle management, dynamic network slicing and KPI monitoring for network optimization.
The reality is that the single, monolithic core of the past is just that, part of the past. The future of mobile services is multiple cores, flexible RAN resources and an ever-evolving network edge. It’s a future that, frankly, is too big and too important for any single vendor to handle. CSPs need to be able to tap into a trusted ecosystem of partners to build the right network for their customers. Dell is committed to fostering that ecosystem by delivering integrated, validated 5G solutions with the world’s leading technology partners.
To learn more about the Validated Design with Oracle Communication and VMware, read our Solution Brief and to find out more around our best-of-breed telco solutions from Dell and our partners, visit us here.
