Telco Cloud operations lean on both virtual machines and cloud native operations to replace physical network hardware
In telco cloud operations, both Virtual Network Functions (VNFs) and Cloud Native Functions (CNFs) replace dedicated, physical devices. As operators transition to cloud-native 5G core network, they must adopt strategies for deploying both to manage and scale operations.
VNFs and CNFs are part of a Software Defined Network (SDN). An SDN enables operators to control network functions as software applications communicating via common Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).
VNFs and CNFs in the 5G Core
VNFs are part of a Network Functions Virtualization Infrastructure (NFVI) — software running on data center hardware which manages and orchestrates virtualized functions across the network. VNFs operate as Virtual Machines (VMs) within that framework — software which replicates the operation of a physical device.
As operators disaggregate both network functions and Radio Access Network (RAN) functions into software, an NFVI gives operators the framework to transition from their existing Enhanced Packet Core networks to 5G Core and Standalone 5G (SA).
CNFs operate natively in the 5G cloud
CNFs, which operate as microservices in a telco cloud architecture. As with VMs, CNFs are software applications. But CNFs are managed and scaled using a software container orchestration systems like Kubernetes and OpenShift. Containerization packages all the components a software app needs to run, just as virtualization does. But containerization abstracts the software’s operation from the host operating system and other server resources.
This enables telco cloud software to scale up and down faster, more efficiently, and with less resource overhead than VMs. Because CNFs are software code, they are updated continuously, part of the DevOps process of constant integration and deployment. Operators can continuously optimize and refactor CNFs for performance enhancements, adding new services and functionality as needs change.
Samsung is using Red Hat’s hybrid cloud portfolio, including OpenStack, for example, as it verifies VNFs and CNFs for full core network digitization. Telefonica is using IBM for its 5G core network build. UNICA Next will use IBM Cloud Pak for network automation and Red Hat’s OpenShift software for container orchestration. Oracle is working with Telefonica to digitize some of its operations as it transitions to 5G.
CNFs and VNFs: digitizing telco cloud functions
Standardizing on a common platform for network virtualization and containerization enables operators to pivot to faster, more responsive service. In fact, this technique has already been used by telcos deploying 5G SA networks like Vodafone, which standardized on VMware Telco Cloud Platform to virtualize and containerize its network functions across its European operations.
But VNFs and VMs, and the attendant processing requirements on host hardware, can have limited scalability and impose steep resource requirements. VMs are more resource-intensive than CNFs and can limit operators’ agility, scalability and cost of operations.
The vast majority of 5G network telco cloud conversion activity happening globally involves the transition of existing network resources to 5G. Standalone 5G networks have largely been trials with limited capacity or in very select geographical areas. Greenfield approaches like Singapore’s Singtel, T-Mobile US and Dish’s forthcoming 5G SA network all offer different approaches to network function orchestration throughout the 5G core.
Singtel launched a 5G SA network in late December, using Ericsson’s 5G Core Network to handle orchestration. The companies are collaborating along with others to sell vertical 5G solutions to Singaporean enterprise. The effort’s global partners include ABB, Axis Communications, Bosch, Bosch Rexroth, DHL Supply Chain, Hexagon, PTC and Rohde & Schwarz and Cradlepoint.
T-Mobile is operating a nationwide 5G SA network in the United States using Cisco’s Container Platform, server and switching hardware.
Dish’s greenfield 5G SA network uses VMware’s Telco Cloud Platform. VMware currently has 5G network deals with AT&T, Deutsche Telekom, NTT DoCoMo and Vodafone. Dish plans to expose advanced 5G core network capabilities like network slicing, distributed cloud and edge computing functions after the service goes online in 2022.
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