Five Ways Dell Can Help Telecom Increase Cloud Sustainability

Sustainability is a non-negotiable for communication service providers (CSP). A recent study by the GSM Association tells us that CSPs spend 20 to 40% of OpEx on energy. With increasing pressure to reduce their carbon footprint, CSPs need to find innovative ways to manage their network infrastructure while keeping it reliable and efficient. Dell Technologies has a variety of products and solutions to help the telecom industry achieve their sustainability goals. And we aren’t talking about recycling – although we do that (that’s table stakes).

Dell Technologies Bare Metal Orchestrator (BMO) is a powerful software platform that automates the deployments and lifecycle management of bare-metal servers (or infrastructure network) at massive scale. BMO helps CSPs manage their network infrastructure all the way out to the edge in a more efficient and automated way, which can help reduce the time and effort required to manage infrastructure and improve overall performance.

Here are five ways BMO can help you achieve telecom achieve its sustainability goals:

1. Energy Efficiency: CSPs can use BMO to monitor and manage server utilization. By optimizing server utilization, CSPs can reduce the amount of energy required to run their data centers and, in turn, reduce their carbon footprint.
2. Resource Management: BMO can help CSPs manage their resources more effectively, which can help reduce waste and improve the sustainability of their operations. BMO can define consistency in processes around how the backup, data erase happens correctly and hence enable security and data breaches and feedback to the organization they need to plan the server procurements. For example, CSPs can use BMO to automate the provisioning and decommissioning of bare-metal servers, which can help reduce the amount of waste these servers generate. Servers that are no longer being used still use the energy and network bandwidth.
3. Data Center Optimization: CSPs can use BMO to optimize the performance of data centers, which can help reduce the amount of energy required to run these centers. This can include optimizing the utilization of bare-metal servers, improving the cooling and ventilation systems based on the telemetry collected from the servers and reducing the amount of energy required to power the data center.
4. Increased Agility: BMO can help CSPs be more agile in their operations, which can be especially important in a rapidly changing market. By automating the management of their infrastructure, CSPs can respond more quickly to changes in demand and ensure they have the resources they need to meet the changing needs of their customers. Examples include reduced downtime by enabling IT staff to respond quickly to issues and faults in the data center, deploy renewable infrastructure and adapt to changing sustainability requirements due to its flexibility and scalability. Furthermore, since BMO is software-based, CSPs can deploy servers remotely without traveling to the site, eliminating the carbon footprint of commuting.
5. Future-proofing: By implementing sustainable practices and using tools like BMO, CSPs can ensure they are well-positioned for the future. As sustainability becomes increasingly important, CSPs that have implemented sustainable practices will be well-positioned to meet the changing needs of their customers and remain competitive in the market.

Using Dell’s Bare Metal Orchestrator can help CSPs optimize the utilization of bare-metal servers, manage resources more effectively and improve the performance of data centers, thereby reducing their impact on the environment and ensuring the long-term sustainability of their operations.

Source: dell.com

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For CSPs, the Chatbot Discussion Heats Up Around AI

Let’s talk about chatbots for a moment. We’ve all used them before and, by now, most of us have accepted their limitations as the lesser of two evils (the greater evil being stuck in an endless IVR loop). Many users report at least some level of satisfaction with chatbots, particularly when handling common issues such as password resets, basic account information and other frequently asked questions. Yet the fact remains that traditional chatbots struggle with replicating a human interactive experience when the conversation goes off script. In those cases, it’s often necessary to call in the live troops to resolve a customer’s issue.

And that would be the end of our conversation about chatbots, except for the disruptive potential that AI brings to the discussion.

AI-powered chat agents have the potential to take automated customer service to another level. The ability to apply dynamic, human-like intelligence and real-time machine learning to customer experiences (CX) is what every chatbot has always dreamed of being. It is not, however, just a simple matter of bolting AI onto your existing chatbot app and waiting for better outcomes. There’s a lot of business process integration and customization around industry-specific large language models (LLMs) that need to take place before a chatbot becomes an AI chat agent. Fortunately, that work is being done right now in an industry that can desperately use it: telecommunications.

Dialing Up AI for better Customer Experiences

Dell Technologies is honored to be part of an initiative led by SK Telecom to develop an AI chat agent application for communications service providers (CSPs). In addition to SK Telecom, which is developing the application, there is a critical middleware component being developed by Compax (on the business integration side) and Matrixx Software (on the billing integration side) to bring everything together. Dell’s contributions center on three solution aspects: the cloud foundation for the application (via Dell Telecom Infrastructure Blocks), the underlying AI infrastructure (via Dell and Nvidia’s AI Factory) and the multivendor solution integration and validation, which is being hosted in Dell’s Open Telecommunications Ecosystem Lab (OTEL).

Part of the challenge of building an LLM-based AI chat agent for CSPs is the language itself. Telecommunications has its own set of industry-specific terms, from roaming fees to family plans. SK Telecom is currently building a customized LLM for CSPs that is capable of understanding the nuances of telco terminology. Beyond that, there is the challenge of integrating these conversations with back-office and billing systems that are often highly complex and, in some cases, have been in place for decades. And, finally, the entire solution needs to be deployed in a cloud-native architecture featuring AI-ready infrastructure. It’s these individual components that brought SK Telecom, Dell, Compax and Matrixx together, with Dell’s OTEL being the logical place to integrate and validate the entire solution.

Once completed, SK Telecom plans to roll the solution out to other CSPs around the world. For an industry that thrives on communication, AI chat agents are a potential game changer for telcos. Imagine, for example, being able to get real-time recommendations on plan changes and shop for new devices with an intelligent shopping assistant. Or get AI advice on choosing the best roaming plan right before you leave for your European vacation. These are the kinds of complex tasks that AI chat agents can perform and—here’s the key—get better at over time by learning your preferences. Even human agents often struggle to connect on that kind of personal level.

We’ve come a long way from switchboard operators, and the best is yet to come. Want to talk about developing your AI app for telecommunications? Talk to Dell or check out more on the AI Chat Agent we are working on with SK Telecom. We’re here to keep the AI conversation moving forward.

Source: dell.com

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Resilient and Secure Data Protection for VMware Telco Cloud

In the dynamic landscape of telecommunications, where 5G networks are rapidly evolving, ensuring data protection is paramount. As communications service providers (CSPs) embrace cloud-native platforms like VMware Telco Cloud Platform, they need robust solutions to safeguard their critical workloads and components. Enter Dell Technologies PowerProtect Data Manager, a comprehensive data protection solution designed specifically for VMware Telco Cloud Platform.

The Challenge: Protecting Modern Telecom Infrastructure

VMware Telco Cloud Platform empowers CSPs to deploy and manage virtual network functions (VNFs) and containerized network functions (CNFs) across distributed 5G networks. With its holistic visibility, orchestration capabilities and operational consistency, the VMware Telco Cloud Platform enables CSPs to modernize their infrastructure efficiently. However, any modernized environment requires a robust data protection strategy to prevent downtime and data loss, and to ensure rapid recovery in case of disasters.

Introducing Dell Technologies PowerProtect Data Manager

Dell Technologies recognizes the critical role of data protection in today’s telecom landscape. The PowerProtect Data Manager is purpose-built to address the unique challenges faced by CSPs deploying VMware Telco Cloud Platform. Let’s explore its key capabilities:

• Software-defined data protection. PowerProtect Data Manager offers flexible data protection and compliance across applications and cloud-native IT environments. Its software-defined approach ensures adaptability to changing workloads and applications.
• Unique protection for telco cloud platform components. CSPs rely on VMware’s Telco Cloud Platform components for mission-critical operations. PowerProtect Data Manager ensures the availability of these components without business disruption. Whether it’s management/workload clusters or application instances, your critical workloads remain protected.
• Autonomous operation. Automated discovery and protection are at the core of PowerProtect Data Manager. It seamlessly safeguards databases, virtual machines, file systems and Kubernetes containers. This results in competent and reliable data protection without manual intervention.
• Efficient data protection. PowerProtect Data Manager integrates seamlessly with Dell PowerProtect DD series appliances. You can protect data directly to these appliances, with optional replication to secure Cyber Recovery vaults. Efficient, reliable and scalable data protection is now within reach.
• Self-service backup and restore. Empower data owners with self-service capabilities. From our native interfaces, CSPs can initiate backups and restores effortlessly. No more dependency on specialized IT teams for routine data protection tasks.

This solution is more than just technology. It has been fully developed and verified in in Dell’s Open Telco Ecosystem Lab (OTEL), which validated the effectiveness of PowerProtect Data Manager for VMware Telco Cloud Platform. Dell’s OTEL facilities provided access to the latest cutting-edge technologies and tools to develop this solution. Our hybrid connectivity model enabled seamless collaboration between Dell and VMware through a global, virtually accessible lab. This approach allowed us to validate this solution effectively making it more consumable for mobile operators. Rest assured that you are deploying a solution that meets industry standards and best practices.

As CSPs embrace VMware Telco Cloud Platform, Dell Technologies stands by their side with robust data protection solutions. PowerProtect Data Manager ensures the resilience and security of your Telco Cloud Platform components and workloads. Modernize confidently, knowing that Dell Technologies is safeguarding your critical data.

Source: dell.com

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Dell Advances Telecom Self-Certification with PowerEdge XR8000 Test Line

Foster Innovation through Dell Technologies Self-Certification Program

In the dynamic landscape of telecommunications, ensuring software compatibility with cutting-edge hardware is crucial. Dell Technologies recognized this need and created the Telecom Partner Self-Certification program, empowering independent software vendors (ISVs), network equipment providers (NEPs) and telecom start-ups to validate their software on Dell’s telecom-grade infrastructure. The latest addition to this program is the Dell PowerEdge XR8000 series test line incorporating the PowerEdge XR8620t server, designed specifically for telecom workloads.

The PowerEdge XR8000 is a game-changer for telecom vendors. The server is a robust 2U server chassis that combines power and versatility. Equipped with the latest 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors, it delivers exceptional performance for demanding applications across the telecom ecosystem. Whether it’s OSS, BSS, core, edge, security or other telecom workloads, the PowerEdge XR8000 rises to the challenge.

The PowerEdge XR8000 supports a rugged design with its advanced cooling and power efficiency technologies to ensure reliable operation even in the most adverse scenarios. Its modular flexibility also allows for easy customization. After completion of self-certification on industry standard test lines, telecom vendors can tailor the server configuration to their specific use cases, incorporating GPUs, NICs and storage options. This flexibility ensures optimal performance for diverse telecom workloads.

Qualifying Assurance of Telecom Partner Software Workloads

At the heart of the Telecom Partner Self-Certification program is our Open Telecom Ecosystem Lab (OTEL). Here, ISVs, NEPs and telecom start-ups can test their software on Dell’s latest telecom equipment using predefined test cases and scenarios. OTEL provides a low-touch, automated environment for self-certification. The introduction of the new test line reaffirms OTEL’s commitment to provide access to cutting-edge hardware by granting telecom vendors access to the PowerEdge XR8000 and other next generation Dell PowerEdge servers without cost or commercial commitments. By validating their software on these platforms, telecom software vendors ensure compatibility and stability. The PowerEdge XR8000’s performance capabilities empower them to optimize their applications for telecom use cases.

The “Dell Technologies Telecom Certified” Badge

Upon successful completion of self-certification, the telecom partner will receive the official “Dell Technologies Telecom Certified” badge. This badge signifies that the quality of their software meets key test capabilities required by communications service providers (CSPs). It assures CSPs that the software is ready for stable deployment on Dell’s telecom server platforms.

The PowerEdge XR8000 and the OTEL program are driving telecom innovation. ISVs, NEPs and telecom start-ups gain confidence in their software, and CSPs benefit from validated solutions. As the telecom landscape evolves, Dell Technologies remains committed to fostering an open and modern ecosystem.

Source: dell.com

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AI-Phone Home

We’ve entered the artificial intelligence (AI) era, and there is growing interest in the telecom industry on how best to leverage AI’s superpowers to generate business growth, to build differentiated networks and to achieve unprecedented operational efficiencies. While all these outcomes are achievable, they are daunting—and worse, if left behind can be fatal for a business.

The telecom industry has been gradually adopting AI/machine learning (ML) in networks and for business operations. For example, the Open RAN industry has been working on several use cases to increase spectral efficiency, improve energy efficiency and optimize network performance. Similarly, telecom business operations have been working on chatbots to improve customer engagement, conduct sentiment analysis and predict churn.

The journey ahead is going to be transformational.

In a survey released in February 2023, NVIDIA found that nearly all telecommunications respondents (95%) were already engaged with AI. However, much of this engagement was in early stages, as only one-third (34%) had been using AI for over six months, while nearly a quarter (23%) were still learning how to apply AI on their networks.

In this blog, I’ll cover several aspects of how AI/ML will transform the telecom business.

AI Applied to the Network

Today, AI is already being used to assist networks to achieve some level of automation and efficiency. Going forward, the industry is poised to move from AI-assisted, where AI is only used peripherally, to AI-native, where the core of the systems is built and operated with AI/ML models.

AI/ML will permeate through the entire network stack, presenting unique opportunities for communications service providers (CSPs) to create differentiated networks that are highly automated, delivering higher performance, achieving higher energy efficiency and more. Every layer of the network stack—from neural receivers to neural schedulers to neural optimizers—is poised to be transformed with AI/ML to deliver higher performance and better quality.

And from network planning to network deployment to network optimization—the entire network lifecycle is poised to be automated. The use cases range from applying traditional AI/ML for network optimization, to harnessing the natural language processing (NLP) superpowers of generative AI (GenAI) for network troubleshooting. Further, network digital twins will enable CSPs to carry out exhaustive simulations in the digital world before rolling out changes in the real physical world.

This is just scratching the surface. AI will enable CSPs to build differentiated and automated networks.

AI Supporting the Business

AI will play a pivotal role in simplifying, modernizing and automating CSPs’ business operations. AI is poised to enable CSPs to achieve unprecedented productivity gains, to effectively monetize their networks and to grow both their top line and bottom line.

The journey has already begun for many CSPs with chatbots and call center copilots that are creating new ways to deliver customer care, perform sentiment analysis and proactively mitigate churn. We are collaborating with our partners in a TM Forum Catalyst project “AI chat agent: The game changer for telecoms” to pave the way for the industry on this. This Catalyst project is powering chatbot with telecom-trained large language models (LLM) to provide swift, precise and personalized customer care. The goal is to enhance both customer experience and deliver revenue growth. The Catalyst demonstrates the power of GenAI by showing how LLM-based chatbots can understand customer intent and trigger automated actions to offer personalized data plans or initiate new service subscriptions.

Copilots will drive productivity gains, from code development copilots to field support copilots, and GenAI-powered new digital assistants will enable telecom teams to achieve outcomes much faster. On same lines, GenAI will enable network operations teams to quickly analyze large logs and sift through a high volume of signaling message flows to detect anomalies and reduce troubleshooting time from days to hours to minutes.

With sustainability and lowering energy costs being top of mind for almost all CSPs, AI will play a pivotal role in network energy efficiency—especially at the edge in (usually) unstaffed locations. By using AI/ML to understand what equipment is in use and when, organizations can automate energy management at edge locations.

Meaningful efficiency and productivity gains, as well as the ability to lower operating costs, will be unlocked for networks with GenAI.

Building an AI-ready Infrastructure

To capture the full business potential of AI, CSPs need to get their network infrastructure ready for a whole new class of workloads: AI workloads.

AI-ready infrastructure will enable CSPs to not only create differentiated networks and realize productivity gains, but it also will enable them to offer new services and generate new revenue streams. CSPs are uniquely positioned to offer inferencing services at the edge.

Networks are the edge of the real world, and they are pervasive. As AI proliferates across different industries, demand for inferencing will substantially grow. Inferencing closer to where the data is generated has both technical and business benefits—consider data transport costs, latency, ability to reject low value data at the edge and so on. With AI-ready infrastructure, CSPs can offer inferencing services for this new class of AI workloads at the edge. And in many markets, CSPs are also building AI-factories to offer sovereign AI model training/tuning services.

To build the right AI-ready infrastructure, CSPs will have to navigate a range of questions. Right sizing the AI infrastructure for training and inferencing will require taking AI model sizes and complexity into account and simultaneously meeting real-world constraints for power, cooling, form factor, etc. for a given location in the network.

Dell Technologies has a wide range of our PowerEdge server and GPU portfolio that caters to the growing performance requirements of AI workloads while also meeting real world constraints. For example:

• PowerEdge XE9680 with 8x Nvidia H100 GPUs is well-suited for large AI model training/tuning and can be hosted in CSPs’ national and/or regional data centers (NDC/RDC).
• PowerEdge R760XA can hold up to 4x double-wide GPUs or up to 12x single-wide GPUs and is well suited for telecom’s core network deployments.
• PowerEdge XR8000 CPUs are AI ready to handle small edge AI inferencing workloads and paired with GPUs can handle medium inferencing workloads.

These are just some examples, and with our comprehensive PowerEdge server and GPU, portfolio CSPs can right size their infrastructure.

These are exciting times in technology. AI is a transformational force that will redefine the telecom landscape. Those who get out of the gates early have much to gain, and those who get left behind have a lot to worry about.

AI phone home.

Source: dell.com

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Accelerating Telecom Transformation: A Strategic Partnership Between Dell and Ericsson

The TMForum DTW Ignite conference is in full gear this week in Copenhagen, so it’s the perfect time to delve into the exciting collaboration between Dell and Ericsson. Announced on May 23, 2024, this strategic partnership aims to develop plans for tailored network cloud infrastructure and advising communications service providers (CSPs) on their cloud transformation journeys.

Ericsson and Dell are also collaborating to explore how comprehensive service orchestration and assurance of Enterprise Edge and differentiated connectivity services can reduce implementation and operational, cost and risk for CSP’s through certified interoperability between Ericsson Service Orchestration and Assurance and Dell Telecom Infrastructure Automation Suite.

According to a recent study sponsored by Dell Technologies, a majority of CSPs recognize the critical importance of network transformation for their survival. However, 96% of them report lagging efforts due to budget constraints, time limitations and concerns about reliability and security. The partnership between Dell and Ericsson aims to address these challenges by developing and implementing Open RAN-based network cloud transformation strategies that are simple, reliable and cost-effective.  The integration of Ericsson Service Orchestration Assurance with Dell Telecom Infrastructure Automation Suite is being explored to deliver a comprehensive solution for CSPs.

Addressing CSPs’ Needs for Automation at the Edge

The solutions being developed aim to enable service provider choice and flexibility in architecting their multicloud service platforms and enabling them to:

• Orchestrate and assure distributed cloud Infrastructure for any type of service workload.
• Provide on-demand automation and orchestration of network slicing based on service characteristics.
• Expose service and network capabilities that enable new business models.
• Optimize CapEx and OpEx cost in the operationalization of edge services.

Consider a retail business aiming to improve in-store management using video cameras with image processing and video analytics. The goal is to profile the customer journey through the store to enhance the store’s layout. However, IT infrastructure for in-store processing is expensive and requires expertise at store sites.

For security reasons, video must remain local and cannot be sent to a central public cloud. In some cases, response time is crucial, necessitating traffic processing close to the store. Here, the CSP would offer a 5G service with a private network slice to the retailer, connecting their cameras directly to the CSP’s edge cloud where all video processing and analytics would take place.

Ericsson and Dell aim to provide CSPs with an end-to-end automation platform to deliver this service. The platform would:

• Automate the discovery. New or existing compute and storage resources capable of meeting the application requirements at the required location would be discovered and allocated to the appropriate resource pools.
• Make infrastructure updates. This includes firmware upgrades, changes to RAID configurations, updates to the operating system and software, etc.
• Automate the deployment. The enterprise application deployment would be automated.
• Set Up a secure, private 5G network slice. A secure, private 5G network slice would be established.
• Ensure continuous monitoring and service assurance. The network slice would be continuously monitored and managed to meet SLAs.

Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting partnership and the innovative solutions it promises to bring to the telecom network cloud transformation landscape.

Source: dell.com

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What’s on Tap for 5G at Dell?

If you’re wondering how 5G will impact the businesses of tomorrow, consider Exhibit ‘A.’ The Boston area-based brewing company is quickly building up a loyal (and thirsty) following with craftily named beers like Hair Raiser and The Cat’s Meow. As any brewer knows, creating a great beer is a process. More than just choosing the right hops or creating a clever marketing strategy, brewers need a repeatable, measurable process from fermentation through production. It’s a hands-on business that requires diligence because trouble in the production process is always brewing around the corner.

It was exactly this sort of trouble that led Exhibit ‘A’ Brewing Company to connect with Dell Technologies for a wireless solution. Specifically, Exhibit ‘A’ was having trouble with temperature control in several of its brewing vats. If you’re unfamiliar with beer brewing, it suffices to say that temperature and pressure control are critical to the fermentation process. A few degrees or PSI too high or too low can change a beer’s taste. This change of taste is not typically good, resulting in a lost batch of beer and, thus, thousands of dollars.

Crying Over Spilled Beer

To monitor beer production, Exhibit ‘A’ uses temperature and pressure sensors throughout its production floor. These sensors help the company control and maintain its entire production process, from fermentation to final canning/bottling. However, these physical sensors require a human to read them, which is problematic unless you plan to spend 24 hours on the brewing floor. Exhibit ‘A’ needed a way to “read” all these sensors and send out alerts when a temperature or pressure reading changed. And that’s where Dell Technologies enters the story.

The 5G Open Innovation Lab and Dell are dedicated to helping companies like Exhibit ‘A’ use technology to find innovative solutions to business problems. Also, there may have been the promise of free beer. Just kidding! We worked with Exhibit ‘A’ to build and implement a solution that could use 5G technology to collect readings from all the sensors securely and send alerts to the smartphone of Exhibit ‘A’ co-founder Matthew Steinberg when temperature and pressure readings went above or below the acceptable range. Now, Exhibit ‘A’ has the information they need, in real-time, to quickly address and correct problems on the production floor to minimize waste and save up to 3% of operating costs. The best part is that any manufacturer can do the same with our starter kit, which is a plug-and-play solution to monitor liquid temperature and pressure over 5G.

After implementing the fermentation tank edge and 5G solution, work was started to bring computer vision and AI to the canning line. Operating the canning line reliably has been an uphill task, and there has been a lot of beer loss. The canning line processes 72 cans per minute, and if just one goes down, the operator must halt production, work backwards, locate, identify and fix the problem. Halting production involves not just losing momentum but often means the loss of dozens to hundreds of cans and the cleanup of a significant mess.

By working with the canning line operators, Dell identified four locations in the line that needed camera or sensor monitoring to detect a can issue (dented, label misalignment, fallen, etc.).

Dell utilized AI and computer vision to identify and remedy the problem proactively. We have created a solution that monitors the canning line via sensors and cameras using Dell’s PowerEdge XR4000 paired with an NVIDIA L4 GPU and computer vision software from Telit Cinterion. The AI on their canning line saves 25% of labor costs during a manufacturing run and frees up their staff to brew more beer.

Private 5G Was Made for Manufacturing

Edge solutions like Dell has done at Exhibit ‘A’ depend on reliable connectivity. If the edge devices, such as cameras or temperature gauges, lose connectivity, the solution will quickly not work properly. Like many manufacturing environments, breweries feature a lot of metal, thick walls and plenty of moving parts. In these conditions, private 5G is typically a better wireless choice than Wi-Fi because it delivers seamless connectivity through solid objects. Private 5G is also more scalable and can easily cover large areas while eliminating connectivity dead zones.

Dell can now bring private 5G connectivity to edge solutions like Exhibit ‘A’ through its recently announced strategic partnership with Nokia. Dell and Nokia have built a demo integrating the Nokia Digital Automation Cloud (NDAC) private 5G solution with the canning line solution built for Exhibit ‘A.’ The Nokia private 5G solution provides the connectivity for the cameras that feed the computer vision capabilities. Dell and Nokia are also working together to integrate Nokia’s NDAC solution with Dell NativeEdge, the edge operations software platform that will provide a comprehensive, scalable solution for enterprises.

If you have a business problem that you think 5G can solve, reach out. If you’re in the Boston area, don’t forget to visit the Exhibit ‘A’ taproom in Framingham, Massachusetts, and check out the Dell solution in action. Tell them Dell sent you.

Source: dell.com

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View Your Future Telco Cloud at Red Hat Summit

Denver is the setting for this year’s Red Hat Summit, and where better than the Mile High City to get a closer look at the telco cloud of tomorrow? At this year’s summit, Dell Technologies will be showcasing its Telecom Infrastructure Blocks for Red Hat, a fully validated and integrated telco cloud solution for communications service providers (CSPs), developed in partnership with Red Hat. Infrastructure Blocks are the simplest, fastest and safest way for CSPs to accelerate their digital transformation and embrace the efficiency and innovation of containers, Kubernetes and cloud technologies for 5G services.

The biggest question for CSPs these days isn’t “Should we move to the cloud?” but “How do we get there?” Telecom Infrastructure Blocks answer that question by delivering a pre-integrated, pre-validated, cloud solution featuring telecom optimized hardware, the world’s leading cloud platform software, all backed by single-call, carrier grade support. Combining Red Hat’s industry-leading container software platform with Dell’s telco-grade servers enables CSPs to get the building blocks they need to create a scalable, secure cloud environment.

Meet Tomorrow’s Cloud Platform, Today

At Dell, we believe that open, scalable cloud solutions are the future of telecommunications. Earlier this year, attendees at Mobile World Congress had the opportunity to catch a glimpse of that future at Dell’s booth. If you missed us in Barcelona, our Infrastructure Blocks are back on display at this year’s Red Hat Summit. Featuring our latest 16G servers with 4th generation Intel Xeon processors, these are powerful building blocks you need to see for yourself.

At MWC, Dell also unveiled a suite of infrastructure automation tools that enables CSPs to easily provision, deploy, and manage their network infrastructure. The Dell Telecom Infrastructure Automation Suite supports the deployment and lifecycle management of servers from Dell and other manufacturers used in a telco cloud to make building, scaling and updating your cloud simple—or at least a lot simpler than it was before. Dell has integrated this Infrastructure Automation Suite into its Infrastructure Blocks to deliver out-of-the-box infrastructure configurations with built-in management that simplifies the design, deployment and lifecycle management of your cloud.

Building a Better Future Together

One of the key challenges that telecom operators face in deploying 5G workloads is ensuring they run smoothly and reliably on their cloud infrastructure. For 25 years, Dell and Red Hat have partnered to bring best-of-breed solutions to our customers. We also invite telecommunications ISVs and partners to test, validate and certify their software on Dell Infrastructure Blocks for Red Hat in our Open Telecommunications Ecosystem Lab (OTEL), a state-of-the-art testing facility with full on-site and remote testing capabilities for 5G networks. At MWC, we announced our Certification on Dell Telecom Infrastructure Blocks program. This program enables telecom software vendors to test and certify their 5G Core, OSS, BSS, vRAN and Open RAN software on Telecom Infrastructure Blocks to simplify system integration for CSPs.

The next few years will be critical for CSPs as they look to adapt their networks to transformative technologies such as containers, Kubernetes, automation and AI. The scope of that transformation can feel overwhelming, especially as telecommunications providers look to navigate in a world where traditional revenue sources are shrinking, and the shadows of disruption lurk in every corner. Moving to the cloud-native network is critical for CSPs to maintain agility and embrace new opportunities quickly—but it can also be costly because of the time, effort and risk associated with integrating, validating and deploying cloud technologies in a production network.

Dell is working together with partners like Red Hat to take the risk and complexity out of digital transformation. If you’re making the trek to Red Hat Summit this year, stop at Dell’s booth and spend some time in the cloud with us—you’ll agree the view is impressive.

Source: dell.com

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Connected PCs: Expanding Dell’s Relationship with AT&T

In a world increasingly reliant on seamless connectivity, the need for reliable and secure network access has never been greater. Recognizing this, Dell is teaming up with AT&T to introduce a new promotion aimed at meeting the evolving needs of modern businesses.

Addressing Modern Connectivity Demands

As technology continues to advance, cellular connectivity has become indispensable, particularly in supporting the demands of GenAI use cases and the needs of remote and hybrid workers. According to research conducted by Dell on the GLG platform, there’s a growing expectation that cellular connectivity, especially with the promise of 5G, will play a more significant role in the future. If you require integrating data from distant locations, satellite and cellular connections might be the sole viable choices.

Moreover, connectivity isn’t just essential for individual users; it’s integral to the modern PC experience across various industries. From real estate to construction and professional services, connected PCs are seen as essential tools, enabling seamless communication and collaboration.

However, poor connectivity remains a significant frustration for many employees, ranking among the top three technology challenges in the workplace. With hybrid work becoming the new norm, the demand for reliable connectivity has only intensified. A significant number of companies have embraced a hybrid work model, with most employees favoring a blend of office and remote work arrangements.

Security Concerns in the Age of Hybrid Work

Despite the benefits of connectivity, security concerns loom large, especially in a hybrid work environment. Security breaches and cybercrimes pose significant threats, exacerbated by the increasing reliance on public Wi-Fi networks. Security professionals consistently overlook the fact that their own employees, contractors, and other internal users unknowingly facilitate (though not always intentionally perpetrate) numerous successful network breaches.

The integration of AI further heightens security risks, particularly with sensitive data and cloud-based applications. As AI applications become more pervasive across industries like healthcare, customer service and autonomous vehicles, ensuring data security becomes paramount.

Enhanced Security with Connected PCs

To address these challenges, Dell and AT&T are introducing a carrier promotion that not only enhances connectivity but also prioritizes security. By leveraging encrypted and secure cellular networks, connected PCs offer protection against unauthorized access and cyberattacks. Additionally, these PCs comply with the latest security standards and certifications, providing end-to-end security through Dell’s suite of security solutions.

Seamless Integration and Enhanced Performance

Connected PCs powered by AT&T’s network offer more than just security; they also deliver enhanced performance and a seamless user experience. With high-speed 4G and 5G networks, users can expect low-latency data transmission, supporting the data and computing demands of AI applications. This translates to better support for mobile and hybrid workers, enabling flexible work schedules and instant connectivity without the hassle of tethering or relying on public Wi-Fi networks. Giving priority to 5G as the main connection option in places where wireline alternatives are insufficient or unavailable should be of paramount importance.

The Carrier Referral Program: Simplifying Connectivity

Central to this promotion is the Carrier Referral Program, designed to accelerate the adoption of Connected PCs by simplifying the process of selecting, purchasing and activating carrier data plans. Targeting any commercial customer in the U.S. with a need for remote PC connectivity, the program offers up to a $100 bill credit and discounted monthly rates from AT&T for customers who activate service on eligible plans. Additionally, customers receive concierge support from AT&T to help select the right data plan and facilitate service activation at their convenience. Margaret Rooney-McMillen, AT&T Head of Strategic Partner Sales and Business Solutions VPGM, said, “AT&T is excited about this opportunity with Dell. Secure connectivity is critical to business workers, who are the heart and soul of AT&T business. The concierge service we’ve built to support Dell’s Carrier Referral Program is purpose driven, showcasing customer experience as our highest priority. We’re looking forward to seeing the success of this collaboration.”

Empowering Connectivity for the Future

Dell’s carrier promotion with AT&T represents a significant step forward in empowering connectivity for the future. By addressing the dual needs of reliable network access and robust security, this collaboration promises to redefine the way consumers and businesses experience connectivity. With seamless integration, enhanced performance and dedicated support, Dell and AT&T are committed to making connectivity simpler, safer and more accessible for all.

Source: dell.com

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The Telecom Testing Dilemma: Dine Out or Take Home?

It’s no secret among communications service providers (CSPs) that building an open 5G network can be complicated, particularly when you consider the mix of cloud, radio access network (open, virtualized and traditional), hardware and software vendors in the mix today. One of the great developments in the industry is that Dell Technologies provides a world-class testing, integration and validation facility—dubbed the Open Telecommunications Ecosystem Lab (OTEL)—where you can test and validate best-of-breed 5G solutions in an advanced and secure setting with Dell’s expert telecom engineers on hand.

But now, visiting OTEL is no longer the only option to take advantage of Dell’s testing and validation expertise. With the recent expansion of Dell Open Telecom Ecosystem Lab Validation Services, that expertise can be delivered straight to your door for a secure, on-site experience. It’s Alexander Graham Bell meets Taco Bell: telecom expertise with take-home convenience, but without the messy fingers afterward.

We’re Your Resident Experts

Since we opened OTEL in 2021, many CSPs and network equipment providers (NEPs) have come through its doors for testing and validation services. They come to us because integrating open-source components from multiple vendors to build a production-ready 5G solution is hard work. They come to us because finding people who know how to integrate and validate those systems is not easy. They come to us because secure, state-of-the-art testing facilities that you can trust are hard to find.

With Lab Validation Services, all of that can now also come to you. We bring the people, the processes, the tools and the proven methodologies to help you create, integrate and validate 5G solutions right in your secure environment. Lab Validation Services deliver the benefits of Dell’s expertise right to your door: a resident lab engineer with unparalleled knowledge in telecommunications, cloud and virtualization, proven methods based on real-world successes, access to cutting-edge technology from the world’s leading network equipment vendors, comprehensive reports and recommended configurations and a dedicated program manager to make sure it all runs smoothly.

End-to-end Services . . . and Much More

At Dell, we believe an open ecosystem built around best-of-breed solutions is what’s best for CSPs in the future. If you want scalable, sustainable hardware, advanced automation tools and deep experience in wrangling different partners together to support integrated solutions, we’ve got it. But we’ve also got great relationships with other industry leading 5G solution providers. It’s our ability to work well with others that makes us the right partner to work with when you’re ready to integrate and validate your own best-of-breed 5G solutions.

Nowhere is the power of that partnership more evident than in our Dell Telecom Infrastructure Blocks. These engineered solutions are designed by Dell Technologies to reduce the cost of complexity of deploying a telco cloud infrastructure by providing pre-integrated, pre-validated Dell hardware with software from our telco cloud partners, Red Hat and Wind River. Infrastructure Blocks deliver the right (and right-sized) infrastructure for your cloud transformation and can now be tested and validated through Dell’s Lab Validation Services using your own testing tools and network equipment in a pre-production environment on-prem.

Beyond Infrastructure Blocks, Dell’s Lab Validation Services can help CSPs modernize their networks in a number of ways. We can help you design and test Open RAN or virtualized RAN solutions featuring software from your workload vendor of choice. We can help you build a 5G standalone or non-standalone core network with your choice of NEPs. And we can do all those things while helping you optimize your network capacity, improve performance and ensure compliance.

We’ll Even Take the Next Steps

Whether you choose off-site testing and validation services at our secure OTEL facility, on-site testing and validation in your own labs with a resident lab engineer or a combination of two, Dell Technologies is there for you to help you embrace 5G and next-generation technologies on your terms. Customers who engage with Dell’s telecom service professionals have experienced a host of benefits, including faster time to value for new services. IDC also reinforces the value of a resident engineer, with these experts driving measurable outcomes, including 25% technology performance improvements, 31% more efficiency in staffing and 18 fewer incidents per month on average.

Building, testing and deploying 5G network services has never been so convenient. So, if you’re ready to take the next step in your network modernization journey, talk to Dell Technologies. We’ll take the next steps from there…all the way to your front door.

Source: dell.com

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What Do Automation and Martial Arts Have in Common?

As a child growing up in New York, I was not the biggest or most athletic kid on the block and as was typical at that time, it led to all kinds of “interesting” interactions with various other people. As a result, my father enrolled me in my first set of Karate classes to help me learn some self-defense and to toughen me up mentally and physically. Over the years, I’ve had the great opportunity to practice Karate, Kung Fu, Krav Maga and several other martial art disciplines. One thing that struck me recently was the similarity between martial arts practice and what we need to do as we modernize the telecom network and its operations.

In martial arts, you’re constantly assessing information from your surrounding environment (as well as yourself), analyzing that information to find common patterns, and then formulating an appropriate response to prevent something bad from happening—sometimes proactively. In essence, you have your own closed-loop automation system you are continuously improving based on intelligence, training and experience.

We’re increasingly asked by our telecom customers how to cloudify the telecom network and reap the economic and agility benefits of such a transformation. And we realized we needed to invest in a set of software tools at the infrastructure layer to make the benefits seen in various verticals true in the telecom environment. While there are all levels of expertise in building telecom cloud networks, we see many communications service providers (CSPs) who are closer to a Karate white belt, as opposed to a black belt, in their ability to operate these modernized networks in an efficient and effective manner.

In telecom networks, automation has long played an essential role. But as infrastructure transforms from tightly integrated vertical stacks to open, horizontal layers, the number of moving parts that must work together goes way up. What was once a mostly single-vendor environment is made up of technologies from multiple vendors throughout the stack. The only way to overcome this complexity and reap the benefits of a modern telco cloud—flexibility, agility, efficiency—is to deploy vendor-agnostic, comprehensive automation that integrates into your operating environment.

At Dell, we’re committed to helping communications service providers do exactly that. Designed from the ground up to support open, cloud-native networks, the new Dell Telecom Infrastructure Automation Suite simplifies and accelerates your cloud transformation by automating the management and orchestration of the network infrastructure. The suite unifies management and orchestration in a single plane and is easily extensible to any infrastructure controller up to, but not including, the CaaS layer. With the suite, you can enable your teams to meet your unique business requirements, as you automate and standardize operations for flexibility and agility, as well as lay the groundwork for AIOps improvements in the future.

A Closer Look at the Dell Telecom Infrastructure Automation Suite

Dell Telecom Infrastructure Automation Suite

At the highest level, the suite is a vendor-agnostic software solution that automates the management and orchestration of open network infrastructure. The platform provides a management and orchestration plane for cloud infrastructure and features an open architecture for easy extensibility. Having the capability to deploy servers to CaaS and to automate infrastructure lifecycle operations, it is the central automation controller for multicloud environments, extending from hyperscalers to the core cloud, enterprise cloud, edge and RAN. It seamlessly orchestrates domain-specific infrastructure controllers, promoting cross-domain automation and bridging the vertical silos that once existed in telecom environments. This integration capability allows for seamless operation with existing OSS/BSS systems, preventing the creation of new automation islands. In addition, the suite includes a controller for automating the deployment and lifecycle management of bare metal servers, consolidates inventory and aggregates infrastructure telemetry, laying the groundwork for AIOps.

APIs enable easy integration of the Suite with higher-level network orchestrators, such as a domain orchestrator in the Core or an SMO in the RAN.

Plug-ins connect to resource controllers for servers, CaaS, storage and network equipment to the platform. You can choose either off-the-shelf plug-ins or work with Dell or a systems integrator to build custom plug-ins. At launch, we’re offering an off-the-shelf plug-in for Red Hat.

TOSCA-based blueprints bring it all together to enable CSPs to implement their workflow and intent as declarative blueprints and automate execution consistently without manual errors and delays. Dell will offer basic blueprints with an SDK, but you can create your own blueprints or work together with Dell Services or a systems integrator. The use of TOSCA-based templates ensures blueprints are portable and fit well into a GitOps operating model, allowing CSPs to adopt modern cloud operating models and extend Infrastructure-as-Code to the infrastructure layer.

To support the suite, the Dell Services team is ready to assist you from day 0 tasks to day 2. For day 0 discovery and design requirements, Dell Services offers business outcome workshops, tailored design and blueprint development, configuration of your cloud platform stack and design fine-tuning. As you deploy and integrate on day 1, we can simplify deployment with remote implementation and drive specific outcomes with custom integration, including integration of your DevOps tools (Git, ArgoCD, Kafka, etc.). We can also help with day 2 management and support activities by simplifying upgrades, updates, rollbacks and expansions, providing comprehensive 24x7x365 assistance with proactive predictive failure detection, accelerating issue resolution with restoration SLAs and enabling you to leverage a dedicated telecom-trained account team.

Core Capabilities of Dell Telecom Infrastructure Automation Suite

The suite offers a list of capabilities and benefits that is too long to fit into one blog post, but here are the highlights: 

• Lifecycle management and fault remediation enable operators to consume infrastructure through a CI/CD workflow as they move to cloud operating models, especially around day 2 operational issues.
• Customizable blueprints and plug-ins enable CSPs to implement their workflow and intent as declarative blueprints, automate the execution consistently without manual errors and delays.
• Golden configuration and drift detection enable the detection of configuration drift and facilitate replacement and rebuild of servers (integrating storage with CaaS is on the roadmap).
• Aggregation and exporting of telemetry enable CSPs to implement service assurance, predictive analytics and closed-loop automation with AI Ops.

The move to a modern cloud-native network is gaining momentum across CSP networks. Many are finding it is critical and essential to remaining competitive in today’s markets as they consider their future as a Digital Service Provider and want to move at the “speed of software” in rolling out new services. In the ever-faster-evolving telecom market, an automated cloud operating model is the best way to achieve the flexibility, agility and efficiency at scale that CSPs require to innovate and compete, while controlling costs.

Source: dell.com

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Demystifying Common Myths About Private Wireless Networks

Enterprises are beginning to grasp the importance of private wireless networks (PWN) as they explore use cases key to their business transformation. However, many misconceptions and myths associated with the functionality and applicability of private wireless networks continue to distract. This blog post demystifies six common myths to help enterprises understand the true state of the technology and guide them to take the right approach amid all the hype and excitement around private wireless networks.

Myth #1: Private Wireless Networks Need all Advanced 3GPP Features

Enterprises may not need advanced 3GPP features to the same extent as commercial public networks. Organizations can achieve equivalent performance—as enabled by advanced 3GPP features—in private networks through custom system design and configuration. For instance, most of the performance benefits of ultra reliable low latency communications (URLLC) are realizable by bringing user-plane function closer to the user-device. Similarly, network slicing is less necessary since private network resources and components are dedicated to an enterprise, and the performance characteristics for a specific workload are managed without the complication and overhead of network slicing.

Myth #2: Private Wireless Networks Will Replace Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is a well-entrenched IT networking technology with significant advantages of cost and a known operational model. However, enterprises are discovering that Wi-Fi is not well-suited to address the needs of deployments requiring wide-area coverage with emobility or operational technology (OT) with stringent SLAs or under high system load. These happen to be precisely the areas where private wireless systems shine. As such, we see Wi-Fi will continue to serve in its traditional role and the WLAN, while private wireless networks will provide reliable service to enable operational outcomes that Wi-Fi cannot.

Myth #3: Business Outcomes Are Realized Only by Standalone, On-prem Private Wireless Networks

The connectivity solution needed to deliver business outcomes primarily depends on enterprise requirements, network topology of public MNO and location of private application. If the enterprise outcomes require localized connectivity with stringent performance requirements and maximum control to manage Quality of Service (QoS), a self-contained, isolated private wireless network in a box makes the most sense. On the other hand, if connectivity requirements are a bit relaxed and data sovereignty is the primary driver, organizations can implement a user-traffic offload via a user plane function (UPF) on the premises. If the use case is basic connectivity with a “look-and-feel” of a private network, it could simply leverage MNO network resources to route enterprise traffic to private wireless applications. If the enterprise requires roaming, wide-area coverage, fallback or redundant coverage, it could interconnect its private network with public MNO network in hybrid configuration.

Myth #4: Private Wireless Networks Must be Based on 5G

Private wireless networks can be based on 5G, as well as on 4G. In fact, most of the private wireless networks built to date are based on 4G due to the age of technology and proliferation of 4G commercial and IoT devices. However, with the growth in 5G-based chipsets, devices and the 5G ecosystem, more private wireless networks will be deployed using 5G. The choice of 5G or 4G depends primarily on the performance requirements and user device compatibility. While it is true 5G can offer higher speeds and better reliability and latency than 4G, if 4G can meet the business outcome, investing in 5G may not offer the best bang for the buck.

Myth #5: CBRS General Authorized Access (GAA) Spectrum is Not Good Enough

Enterprises can potentially use the entire CBRS GAA spectrum of 150 MHz, as long as it does not interfere with other CBRS users in the vicinity. This holds true in deployments that are indoors or even outdoors in isolated facilities. In a rare event, if interference is detected in higher tier users, SAS (Spectrum Access System) addresses that through interference mitigation techniques, such as transmit power reduction or coverage redesign. Moreover, plans are afoot to move Tier-1 users, including the Department of Defense, the U.S. Navy and the Fixed Satellite Services (FSS), to alternative spectrum bands which will further improve availability of CBRS GAA spectrum. Consequently, the option of building private networks with CBRS GAA spectrum cannot be disregarded for PWN.

Myth #6: Private Wireless Networks Require Edge Computing and Must Replace Public Cloud

On-prem edge and public clouds work in tandem with different applications and workloads running in different locations. On-prem edge computing with a tightly integrated private wireless network enable  sensitive use-cases requiring sub milliseconds of round-trip delay. Data is processed locally on-prem and actions are taken immediately by deploying application workloads on-prem on an edge compute infrastructure. On the other side of the architecture continuum, public cloud can offload edge location by hosting application workloads not requiring on-prem processing. These could be data storage, audit, analytics and AI/ML model training from data collected from edge devices.

In a nutshell, the goal of private wireless networks should be to address enterprise needs. Dell Technologies is well-positioned to help enterprises uncover misconceptions about private networks. We can combine product, service and partner capabilities into compelling solution offerings to meet enterprise business outcomes in their journey towards digital transformation.

Source: dell.com

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A Guide to Mobile Broadband and PC Connectivity Options

In the dynamic landscape of mobile connectivity, choosing the right broadband option for your PC is critical to ensure a seamless and productive digital experience. In this guide, we’ll explore and compare the strengths and limitations of different mobile broadband options, including 4G LTE, 5G and traditional Wi-Fi, empowering informed decision making when choosing Dell Connected PCs, based on their unique needs.

4G LTE: Riding the Fourth Generation Wave

Introduced to the market as the fourth-generation wireless technology, 4G revolutionized mobile communication by delivering faster internet speeds and improved data transfer rates for mobile devices. Its launch marked a significant advancement over 3G, providing seamless multimedia streaming, quicker downloads and enhanced mobile communication experiences. Today, it continues to be widely used and popular globally for mobile communication.

Strengths:

• Proven reliability. 4G LTE has been a stalwart in the mobile connectivity arena, offering reliable and consistent internet speeds.
• Widespread coverage. 4G networks are well-established globally, providing broad coverage in urban and suburban areas.
• Mature technology. With years of refinement, 4G LTE is a mature technology that balances speed and efficiency.

Limitations:

• Speed variability. While generally fast, actual 4G speeds can vary based on network congestion and geographical location.
• Upgradability. As newer technologies like 5G emerge, 4G LTE may eventually face limitations in meeting the growing demand for higher speeds and lower latency.

5G: Surfing the Fifth Generation Wave

5G, the fifth-generation wireless technology, represents the latest evolution in mobile communications standards, offering even faster internet speeds and significantly improved data transfer capabilities for mobile devices. Introduced to the market as a successor to 4G, 5G brings unprecedented advancements, enabling ultra-fast downloads and low-latency communication, and supporting the widespread connectivity of emerging technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT).

Strengths:

• Blazing speeds. 5G promises significantly faster speeds, enabling high-bandwidth applications like augmented reality and 4K video streaming.
• Low latency. With reduced latency, 5G enhances real-time communication, making it ideal for online gaming and video conferencing.
• Capacity for many devices. 5G networks are designed to accommodate a vast number of connected devices simultaneously.

Limitations:

• Limited coverage. While expanding rapidly, 5G coverage may be limited in certain regions, especially rural areas.
• Device compatibility. Not all PCs are equipped with 5G modems, so users should ensure device compatibility before opting for this technology.

Wi-Fi: The Time-Tested Connection

Wi-Fi, short for Wireless Fidelity, is a technology that enables wireless networking by allowing devices to connect to the internet and communicate with each other using radio waves. Widely adopted for its convenience, Wi-Fi provides users with the flexibility to access high-speed internet wirelessly, fostering seamless connectivity for various devices, and is traditionally the way most PCs access the internet.

Strengths:

• Ubiquity. Wi-Fi is widely available, with most urban areas, offices and homes providing access.
• Cost effectiveness. Many locations offer free or affordable Wi-Fi access, reducing reliance on cellular data plans.
• Ease of use. Connecting to Wi-Fi is straightforward and requires minimal setup.

Limitations:

• Dependency on infrastructure. Wi-Fi availability is contingent on the presence of routers and access points.
• Password requirement. Requirement to get a password to access the network which might include fees and/or registration.
• Variable network speed and range. Network speed and range depends on version of Wi-Fi available and number of concurrent connected users.
• Security concerns. Public Wi-Fi networks can pose security risks, requiring users to exercise caution when accessing sensitive information.

Making an Informed Decision

Choosing the right mobile broadband option for your PC involves considering your usage patterns, location and the level of performance required. Whether you opt for the reliability of 4G LTE, the cutting-edge capabilities of 5G or the convenience of Wi-Fi, understanding the strengths and limitations of each technology will guide you toward a more informed decision. As we ride the waves of connectivity, the key is to find the right option that aligns with your specific needs and propels your digital experience to new heights.

Source: dell.com

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Navigating the Next Sustainable Frontier

In our previous blog, we focused on where the sustainability puck is, our overall research and where we are going in helping our telecom and enterprise customers reach their sustainability goals. Where does the puck go next? Out to the edge! What is interesting about the edge is that, as we make an impact in edge sustainability, I see the ROI for both communications service providers (CSPs) and the enterprise, making implementing these solutions even more compelling.

5G has been called “the Enterprise G” because CSPs have the potential to monetize their network investments as they work to solve enterprise challenges, leveraging their highly distributed network to process data where it is generated—at the edge and at customer sites. And if CSPs can build edge solutions with sustainability in mind, their ROI will be potentially better due to reductions in energy consumption. In our research with GSMA Intelligence, we found that by retaining 20% of traffic at the edge (instead of sending it to the cloud), there is a potential overall reduction in energy use of 15%. Similarly, at a higher scale, if 40% of edge data were retained, this would translate into an energy savings of just over 30% (see Figure 8 below). There are, of course, variations on this, but the edge can be more efficient if CSPs make better use of it in building enterprise solutions.

Sustainability at the Edge

When we think about moving workloads to the edge, we also need to consider the environmental requirements the hardware solutions will need to support. Edge environments require compute solutions that are ruggedized to handle harsh environments such as extreme heat and cold, high humidity, etc. For example, think about a CSP deployment of a private wireless solution in a manufacturing facility. The CSP would bring the hardware directly to the manufacturing customer and deploy it on-site, needing to ensure it can handle environmental conditions not typical of a traditional data center without the need for constant monitoring or replacement.

Flexible and independent sled configurations for servers are key to allow for deploying virtually any workload to the edge. Ensuring your hardware has ease of upgrading makes it possible to ride the wave of new technology, improving performance and lowering TCO.

In addition to being edge-ready and flexible, this equipment also needs to be efficient. Enterprise customers are deploying edge solutions to save themselves time and money. By not using a lot of power (people or energy) to maintain their equipment, the ROI is even greater—making the sales more compelling for CSPs.

AI, Management and Edge Compute

AI inferencing is increasingly being done at the edge, hence the term “EdgeAI.” This has opened up new opportunities for edge use cases that were previously unimaginable, building solutions like self-driving cars and video surveillance. As we capture more and more data at the source (the edge), it is important that CSPs have an energy-efficient approach as they deploy AI-enabled edge infrastructure. This will help minimize latency and enable real-time decision-making, which is crucial for many applications.

In addition to bringing AI to the edge, CSPs must be able to deploy and manage their (now) distributed hardware wherever it is outside of a data center. Dell NativeEdge helps enterprises securely scale their edge operations using automation, open design, Zero Trust security principles and multicloud connectivity. This means edge use cases across various industries can now securely power any workload, anywhere, to achieve desired business outcomes.

Today, more sustainable edge hardware like the PowerEdge XR8000 is a must, and the research with the GSMAi underscores the significance of an energy “dividend” by leveraging efficient processing at the edge. As industries across the board increasingly adopt edge computing, they not only enhance their operational efficiency but also contribute to sustainability efforts. The potential energy savings are not just theoretical; they translate into real-world impact, reducing the carbon footprint of digital operations in key industries.

As we look to the future, embracing edge computing in tandem with responsible practices and innovations is not just a choice, it’s an imperative. At Dell Technologies, we are excited about the future of sustainability at the edge and are well-positioned to drive these changes, paving the way for a more sustainable and efficient digital landscape. Learn more on how to push the edge to net zero.

Source: dell.com

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Become the Enabler of Next Generation Data Monetization

Digital transformation has made the monetization of data grow substantially—and it’s not expected to stop soon. The game changer is that now, artificial intelligence (AI) becomes easily accessible to the enterprises and enables users to extract value from any data type. AI is the most powerful and important technological advancement of our generation. However, AI can expose organizations to new security risks and compliance issues that can be challenging to navigate. To overcome these challenges, Dell Technologies has partnered with Versa Networks to help service providers offer an efficient operational solution.

Data as an Economic Asset

We’ve all heard data is the new oil. The value of data is undisputable, and this is an intriguing concept because it’s a monumental shift of focus away from the technology toward the promise of impactful outcomes for business. Enterprises across industries are looking to data to help with increased profits, reduced risk, greater efficiency, higher customer and employee satisfaction and improved sustainability.

The ability to extract value from large sets of data can mean the difference between success or failure. Creating competitive advantages can come down to the speed and accuracy with which users can analyze data and react accordingly. The challenge is that securely and reliably transferring massive volumes of data can be expensive in terms of bandwidth, compute and security.

For example, data coming from Internet of Things (IoT) may be highly valuable when aggregated, but in its raw form generates massive volumes of data with relatively low information content. It may be beneficial from an analytics perspective to limit traffic by filtering only critical data. In terms of moving the data, WAN bandwidth can be limited by throughput or cost. Transmitting anything other than alerts can add traffic volume and contribute to increased latency on an already overloaded network.

These challenges result in the need to implement a system allowing for secure connectivity to transport the data from multiple sources located anywhere, while controlling the cost of the data transmission. To keep operations simple and support the massive growth of connection points, the network must be automated and self-configurable.

Why SD-WAN SASE?

Secure access service edge (SASE) is the modern network, converging security and networking into a single unified platform that delivers superior protection and performance compared to “bolted together” solutions. SASE enables organizations to securely connect branch offices, users, applications, devices and IoT systems regardless of their location. In addition to providing secure access, SASE enables fast, seamless and consistent application performance, via the cloud, on-premises or a combination of both, ensuring a positive user experience.

SASE includes many networking and network security services, but at the core requires Software Defined Wide Area Networking (SD-WAN), Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), Secure Web Gateways (SWG), Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB), Firewall as a Service (FWaaS) and Data Loss Prevention (DLP). SASE services are tightly integrated within a single software stack without the requirement to connect multiple disparate functions, delivering the visibility and control needed to simplify how you connect to and protect your network. 

Simplify the Edge with the Power of Three

Dell Technologies has partnered with Versa Networks to deliver a flexible SD-WAN and SASE solution that allows service providers to monetize advanced data networking for their enterprise customers. With Dell and Versa, telecommunications service providers (TSP) and regional service providers can now propose solutions with a large scope of possible implementations to service businesses of all sizes no matter their requirements. The joint Dell and Versa architecture provides a highly flexible set of capabilities, ranging from the creation of a dedicated tenant utilizing cloud hosted shared components, to the ability to deploy dedicated resources on both service provider networks and the enterprise premises.

If the usage of public cloud is prohibited due to local regulations or enterprise security policies, service providers now have the possibility to deliver sovereign trusted SASE services with control on data path and data storage.

Broad device support is another strong value proposition. Nowadays, enterprise devices are not limited to worker laptops and include smartphones, tablets and IoT devices. Through integration with the mobile network and use of mobile SIM IDs, we enable the service provider to include all the mobile devices within an ecosystem as a part of the enterprise’s consolidated security and connectivity plan.

With Versa Networks, Dell Technologies has launched the Edge Network Security, SD-WAN SASE solution that allows service providers to deliver on next-generation data monetization and network services. For more information, please reach out to the Dell Solution Co-creation team.

Source: dell.com

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