Dell Technologies rolled out new telco cloud and multi-access edge compute (MEC) reference architectures based on Red Hat’s OpenShift platform, addressing two key challenges operators face as they transition to cloud-native environments. Red Hat is a subsidiary of IBM.
Dell’s Red Hat OpenShift Reference Architecture for Telecom addresses the components needed to build a cloud-native network extending from the core to the edge. In addition to Red Hat’s platform, it comprises Dell’s edge and core servers, open networking switches and storage.
Kevin Gray, director of solutions marketing for Dell’s Telecom Systems Business, told Fierce the company integrated Ansible modules into its edge servers and storage products, allowing developers using the architecture to adopt an infrastructure-as-code approach.
Dell also unveiled a MEC reference architecture, which marries its servers with Red Hat’s OpenShift container platform and Intel’s smart edge technology.
Gray said the new offerings aim to address two key challenges facing operators by streamlining their path to building cloud-native networks and accelerating the deployment of edge services.
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“If you look at some of the issues operators have, they’re moving to cloud-native architectures and they’re looking to accelerate the process of delivering those,” he said, adding another of their “most significant concerns is just building new revenue streams. And if you look at this Dell platform it’s ideally suited for delivering services either on customer premises or at the telco edge.”
He noted its edge architecture in particular can be paired with 5G or LTE for private network deployments, serving use cases across manufacturing, healthcare and other segments.
Gray added Dell’s decision to use Red Hat OpenShift for its reference design reflects “strong demand for open solutions in the marketplace.”
“The push toward open standards and open networking we see as an inevitable trend, especially in the service provider segment,” he said. “Hands down what we’re hearing from operators is this move to open is believed to give them more choice, improved cost structure based on industry standards, greater agility.”
Dell Technologies is no stranger to involvement in open initiatives, contributing to the Linux Foundation’s OpenSwitch project and recently signing on as a founding member of the Open Grid Alliance.