Huawei MEC@CloudEdge Builds a Ubiquitous Edge Network

[Beijing, China, April 27, 2017] At 2017 MEC Technology and Industry Development Summit, Guo Jianhua, PS MEC chief marketing expert for Huawei Cloud Core Network Product Line, delivered a keynote speech "MEC@CloudEdge Builds a Ubiquitous Edge Network", which demonstrated the MEC evolution process, Huawei MEC solution architecture, and application scenarios.

Guo Jianhua, PS MEC chief marketing expert for Huawei Cloud Core Network Product Line, delivered a keynote speech

In 2012, Huawei and Vodafone jointly proposed the original MEC concept. In 2014, six carriers and communications equipment vendors, including Huawei and Vodafone, worked together to set up a MEC work group for ETSI. In 2016, MEC-related techniques were written into 5G specifications and MEC had become a native feature of the mobile core network. Since then, MEC developed rapidly.

As a MEC solution towards 5G, Huawei MEC@CloudEdge solution co-deploys applications, contents, and some service processing and resource scheduling functions of the MBB core network at the radio access network (RAN) edge. This solution processes services in close proximity to subscribers and coordinates applications, contents, and networks, offering a reliable and improved service experience.

Technical highlights of Huawei MEC@CloudEdge solution are as follows:

• Uses the cloud native architecture and techniques, such as stateless design, hardware and software decoupling, cross-DC deployment, service-oriented architecture, and automated O&M integration, to improve reliability, flexibility, and performance when resources are limited.
• Separates the control plane from the user plane to flexibly deploy network functions. Such separation function enables the central DC instead of the gateway to support complex control and logical functions and moves the user plane to the edge DC to locally process and forward services, thereby implementing local breakout.
• Opens network capabilities and integrates third-party applications. This solution integrates Huawei CloudUIC, CloudMSE, and third-party applications to open network capabilities, providing new business applications and innovative business models for carriers.

MEC is applicable to multiple scenarios and has applied to B2B and B2G markets. Currently, Huawei cooperates with leading global carriers, such as China Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom, and Vodafone, to make contributions in MEC service innovation and business practices. Service scenarios involved are local breakout scenarios and network capability exposure and application integration scenarios.

• Local breakout is implemented on applications that have high requirements on bandwidth, latency, and security. For example, a high-definition (HD) video can be cached on a node close to the RAN side, saving transmission bandwidths and improving user experience. Network and service functions of the core network are moved to the RAN edge, reducing unnecessary intermediate levels and supporting low-latency real-time sport event broadcasting. For office campuses with high information security requirements, data processing is terminated in the campus DC to ensure information security.
• More diversified business scenarios are implemented by network capability exposure or third-party application integration. For example, when network QoS capability exposure is enabled, the control plane invokes this capability to establish dedicated bearers for subscribers, ensuring QoS. When location data exposure is enabled, a population density map is provided for subscribers in business districts to support indoor navigation. When a third-party video acceleration tool is integrated, subscribers can watch videos smoothly. Contents can be filtered by inserting push information into the toolbar and integrating URL filter.

At MEC Congress held on Munich, Germany in September 2016, Huawei MEC@CloudEdge won the ‘Best Edge Computing Technology’ award. This award shows industry recognition of Huawei’s MEC@CloudEdge in terms of providing leading architecture and technology standards for future-oriented cloud-based networks and for Huawei’s outstanding contribution to the MEC industry.

Ecosystem construction is indispensable to MEC development. Huawei MBB Interconnect Open Base and MBB Interconnect Open Industry Alliance have cooperated with about 100 partners for in-depth communication, cooperative research, R&D, and test. In future, Huawei will further coordinate with carriers and partners to build an ecosystem, achieving a win-win outcome.