Nokia offered up its latest answer to increasing network complexity, debuting a new Adaptive Cloud Networking (ACN) solution which is designed to make it easier for operators to automate and manage cloud-native 5G infrastructure from the edge to the data center and everywhere in between.
Pat McCabe, senior manager of IP Networks Portfolio Marketing at Nokia, told Fierce the solution comprises three elements, including a Fabric Services system, Edge Network Controller and Network Services platform for interconnection.
Nokia first launched its Fabric Services platform in mid-2020, but McCabe said it has since undergone a significant makeover. While the original was designed to meet the needs of webscale customers, the revamped version is aimed squarely at CSPs. Among other key changes, McCabe said the platform is newly integrated with “all leading cloud management systems,” including Kubernetes, OpenStack, OpenShift and vSphere.
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“What this allows us to do is bridge the gap between the application world and the networking world,” he explained. “By integrating into these management systems who know exactly what the applications are doing and when they’re doing it, if we receive these updates then we can immediately send a message to the network and say ‘workload 10 has moved here to here’ and then we can set up an EVPN or VXLAN tunnel to support the networking required for that change. So, it’s something unique in the industry.”
Nokia has also upgraded the digital twin capability available via the Fabric Services platform to “de-risk” testing and validation of network changes, McCabe added. As before, the system also includes a suite of tools to enable intent-based automation on the network.
The second element of the ACN solution, Nokia’s Edge Network Controller, is entirely new and built within rather than on top of Kubernetes to enable more effective management and automation. It can be used locally for tens of thousands of edges.
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Kubernetes already offers a suite of capabilities which are commonly used to manage application deployments in the cloud. By building within Kubernetes, McCabe said “it allows us to extend that capability not just for the applications but for the network itself.” And that, in turn, can help simplify deployments of cloud-native edge infrastructure.
The third leg of Nokia’s ACN stool is its Network Services platform, which provides the necessary connectivity to ensure a seamless flow of information between the data center and the edge.
Easy button
Taken together, McCabe said these elements offer operators several “easy buttons” they can press to simplify the implementation of complex automation as they deploy more and more cloud-native infrastructure in their next generation networks. That’s important, he said, because it enables them to leverage the most advanced technology without having to change their culture or hire entirely new teams.
Additionally, he argued automation will help ensure CSPs have a place in the value chain in a 5G world rather than losing revenue to webscale companies which are riding on their infrastructure. “We want to put them in a position where they can have a seat at the table and say ‘Ok, Bethesda Gaming…I can assure that you have these SLAs in place to make their [the customers’] gaming experience what it needs to be, but I need to have a cut of that,’” McCabe concluded.
The Edge Network Controller and seamless interconnect offerings are available immediately. The enhanced Fabric Services system is expected to become available in April.