5G core greenfield deployment
Description |
Based on a three- to five-year traffic and market projection, a communications service provider (CSP) believes that a new deployment is warranted. The CSP wants an initial small deployment and the ability to dynamically increase the number of cloud-native network functions (CNFs) to accommodate increased traffic demand. The CSP also wants to optimize the long-term operating expenses for a deployment and pay less in initial deployment costs. |
Delivery |
Dell Professional Services works with CSPs to analyze the deployment model, velocity, number of sites, type of CNFs, and select the Network Equipment Providers (NEPs). Dell Professional Services uses interviews and workshops to provide the National Data Center (NDC) and Regional Data Center (RDC) dimensioning, gather the Customer Information Questionnaire (CIQ) data for each site, schedule the initial deployment, and plan future expansion. Telecom Infrastructure Blocks for Red Hat provides an initial optimal footprint that addresses most of the 5G core deployment scenarios for the CSP. Using Telecom Infrastructure Blocks for Red Hat workflows, CSPs can automatically deploy the infrastructure cloud and management cloud. After the management cloud is deployed, the compute clouds are deployed based on the initial sizing and the Container as a Service (CaaS) default configuration. |
5G core network expansion
Description |
A CSP wants to extend their initial deployment due to increased network traffic and market velocity. |
Delivery |
Dell Professional Services works with a CSP to analyze the new market deployment and determine how best to extend current CNFs or deploy new CNFs. Dell Professional Services uses interviews and workshops to provide the NDC and RDC dimensioning for the extension, gather the CIQ data for each site, and schedule the deployment extension. Using Telecom Infrastructure Blocks for Red Hat workflows for scaling, CSPs can automatically deploy new workload clouds in their existing NDC and RDC sites. If an existing CNF needs additional hardware resources, CSPs can use Telecom Infrastructure Blocks for Red Hat workflows to automate scaling out an existing workload cloud. |
Cloud platform upgrade
Description |
If Red Hat releases new cloud software, a CSP might want to upgrade their cloud platform to take advantage of new features and enhance their CNFs. An upgrade can potentially require new hardware, new BIOS firmware, or a new network interface controller (NIC). Also, a CSP might have to upgrade their current Red Hat cloud platform in each workload cloud without service disruption. |
Delivery |
Dell Professional Services works with CSPs to develop the upgrade strategy. CIQ files may require updating. CSPs are provided with options for connected and disconnected upgrades. Dell Professional Services works with Red Hat to understand the new features, and whether hardware upgrades or firmware updates are required. |
Dell Technologies hardware upgrade
Description |
A CSP wants to upgrade its servers or server hardware by installing new servers, installing new NICs, or updating firmware. |
Delivery |
Dell Professional Services works with CSPs to develop a hardware upgrade strategy, including updating CIQ data. Using Telecom Infrastructure Blocks for Red Hat, new hardware can be commissioned and deployed in the field and the cloud platform can be automatically updated for the new hardware. |
5G core deployment monitoring
Description |
A CSP wants to monitor their cloud platform and CNF health, and wants all events and alarms forwarded to their NDC. |
Delivery |
Dell Professional Services works with CSPs to understand the assurance strategy, observability framework, their platform, and tools such as Apache Kafka or a data lake and the points where they intersect with Telecom Infrastructure Blocks for Red Hat. Dell Professional Services provides the mediation between the CSP assurance platform endpoints and Telecom Infrastructure Blocks for Red Hat. Telecom Infrastructure Blocks for Red Hat uses Telecom Infrastructure Automation Suite and Red Hat observability and analytics to monitor its own hardware resources and cloud platform and send events and alarms to the CSP endpoints. Telecom Infrastructure Blocks for Red Hat uses the Red Hat Advanced Cluster Management for Kubernetes user interface as a monitoring dashboard. |
Proof of concept certification with a customer CNF
Description |
NEPs want to deploy their CNFs on Telecom Infrastructure Blocks for Red Hat and use Telecom Infrastructure Blocks for Red Hat's automation capabilities for deployment, validation, and configuration for the hardware and the CaaS layer. For CSPs, bundling Telecom Infrastructure Blocks for Red Hat with CNFs increases deployment velocity while reducing operating expenses and capital expenditures. Telecom Infrastructure Blocks for Red Hat enables NEPs to enhance Telecom Infrastructure Blocks for Red Hat workflows with pre- and post-deployment configurations that tune the CaaS layer for the NEP requirements. |
Delivery |
The Telecom Infrastructure Blocks for Red Hat Topology and Orchestration Specification for Cloud Applications (TOSCA) orchestrator can extend its own workflows with new operational states that are based on the CIQ information of the NEP, such as container network interface configuration. |
CSP proof of concept and field trial
Description |
A CSP wants a method and a platform to quickly validate a 5G core deployment and validate the compliance of a NEP with 3GPP and CaaS. Also, the platform must smoothly transition from proof of concept to field trial or production, and the platform must satisfy CSP requirements and deployment strategies for the next three to five years. |
Delivery |
Telecom Infrastructure Blocks for Red Hat provides an excellent platform and operations model for quick deployment at the customer premises or using Dell Technologies Open Telecom Ecosystem Lab (OTEL) capabilities. It also provides automation capabilities for testing and performance validation. By working directly with CSP-selected NEPs, Telecom Infrastructure Blocks for Red Hat can create an environment for CNF onboarding, validation, and operation. NEPs can use the blueprint design that was created during the proof of concept to smoothly redeploy the proof of concept infrastructure at the customer premises. |