Mobile Internet and the
Internet of Things are delivering a stream of new technologies, new services,
and new business models. In particular, the rise of over-the-top (OTT) services
has disrupted old value chains, and posed new challenges to telecom operators.
But these changes also mean new opportunities. Telcos can find their way back to
the top of the digital services pyramid, but they will need to build All Cloud
networks, and go through their own digital revolution.
Now that ICT has united
information technology and communications technology, new technologies and
concepts can be a shared resource for both industries. For example, the Cloud Native
concept came from IT, where it informed a new wave of distributed software
design. This same concept is now being applied to the architecture of
cloudified telecom networks. Network equipment is increasingly standardized and
virtualized. With Cloud Native software, networks can become fully distributed
and automated, meaning that they will be elastic, robust, and agile.
You want network scale
out/scale in within seconds? Deployment of new services completed in minutes?
An inspired user experience, anywhere, anytime? With a Cloud Native telecom
network, it's a piece of cake.
Three
strengths of Cloud Native networks
Cloud Native telecom networks
offer three key advantages: elasticity, robustness, and agility.
Elastic: The
Cloud Native network has a distributed architecture, so resources can be
dynamically deployed wherever they are needed to support applications. It is a
"sensing" network that recognizes the services deployed; and an
elastic network that can adapt to support them. There are two types of
elasticity: capacity elasticity and topology elasticity. Capacity elasticity means
that all network resources are pooled. Network software can orchestrate any
part of the fabric across multiple data centers, and capacity is no longer the
bottleneck. Topology elasticity means the ability to deploy resources to
whatever geographical location they are required, enabled by control/user plane
separation and service orchestration.
Robust:
An
intelligent network builds in robustness at the network and service levels. The
network is decentralized, with stateless elements, N-way redundancy, and
inter-DC service provisioning. Active fault injection, monitoring, and
self-healing processes are combined with big data analysis and management of
services, enabling fault prediction and automated controls. Ultimately, an
intelligent network can deliver reliable connectivity even over unreliable
infrastructure.
Agile:
Agility means service orchestration + programmability + A/B test. Flexible service
assembly, service autonomy, and distributed deployment are achieved by
decomposing network functions into micro services, and applying a service governance
framework, data model, and a programmable user interface. Services and new
functions can be delivered as needed, so the network can instantly respond to
the needs of very different services required by different industries.
How
Cloud Native networks bring value
A Cloud Native telecom
network enables a telco to increase the efficiency of network asset usage. It
supports more efficient O&M. It can cut the costs of trial and error,
enable fast innovation in services, and support a telco through its digital
transformation so that it can capture new business. There are three key areas
in which a Cloud Native network delivers value:
Efficiency:
A
Cloud Native network uses standardized infrastructure: the same hardware, the
same spare boards and equipment. This means savings in total cost of ownership.
N-way redundancy in place of the old 1+1 backup model means more efficient use
of resources. Centralized deployment and stateless design mean that the network
can be self-healing. And offline debugging means lower costs for network
operations and maintenance.
Inspired
experience: A Cloud Native network can deliver carrier-class
reliability even without high-reliability infrastructure. More importantly, with
Cloud Native, telecom networks can remain elastic all the time and are able to adapt
their resources and deployment topologies to services and scenarios. In this
way, they can deliver the best user experience. For example, user plane
functionality can be generated locally to support the very low latency required
by virtual reality or connected driving services.
Agile
innovation: Network-as-a-service architecture supports
fast innovation in services, as well as fast service assembly. Network
programmability and A/B test mean that the costs of trial and error can be reduced,
enabling bolder, quicker, agile innovation.
Evolution
of Cloud Native networks
NFV solutions alone will not
enable telcos to address the challenges of the future. The entire network
architecture needs to be cloudified to make telcos Cloud Native.
The Huawei Cloud Core Network
has All Cloud architecture. It was designed entirely on Cloud Native
principles: N-way redundancy, inter-DC provisioning, KPI-based active fault
prevention and recovery. And Cloud Native VNF is already widely adopted on
cloud core networks. As of January 2017, Huawei has won over 170 contracts for
cloud core networks. In September 2016, Huawei's NFV solution was named Best
NFV/SDN Solution at 5G Asia in Singapore, in recognition of its Cloud Native
architecture, its leading capability to evolve to future networks, and
commercial success.
Huawei is a strategic partner
and co-innovator with Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom, and other leading world
operators on their Cloud Native strategies. At MWC 2017, we will be presenting
a Cloud Native demonstration developed with Vodafone. Looking to the future,
Huawei will continue to help operators build more open, more innovative, more
sustainable ecosystems around their Cloud Native networks. Together, we can create
more new services and more value. Together we can succeed in the digital era.
-End-
About Huawei
Huawei is a leading global
ICT solutions provider. As a responsible and robust business player, innovative
information society enabler, and cooperative industry contributor, Huawei is
committed to building a Better Connected World. Through our dedication to
customer-centric innovation and strong partnerships, we have established
end-to-end capabilities and strengths across carrier, enterprise, consumer, and
cloud computing domains. Huawei's 180,000 employees worldwide create maximum
value for telecom operators, enterprises and consumers. Our innovative ICT
solutions, products and services have been deployed in over 170 countries and
regions, serving more than one-third of the world's population. Founded in
1987, Huawei is a private company that is fully owned by its employees. For
more information, please visit Huawei online at www.huawei.com.
