Improving Network Operations and Observability for Cloud-Native Networks
Tue, 24 Oct 2023 14:35:04 -0000
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Communication service providers (CSPs) are rapidly modernizing their networks towards cloud-native and open architectures. However, as the scale of these deployments increases, so does the ever-growing concern about operational management and complexity.
According to the latest report by TM Forum on Autonomous Networks, most CSPs still manage and operate their networks at level-2 automation. This level is where most tasks are completed using statically configured rules, limiting a CSPs ability to monetize Network transformation benefits. As a result, major customers are investing in automizing their operations in order to move to level-3 automation at scale (from 13 percent today to 36 percent by 2026) to achieve zero touch closed-loop operations through dynamic and programmable policies. Level-3 automation will also enable pathways that accelerate adoption towards level-4 automation (from 4 percent today to 23 percent by 2026), which is ML and AI-centric.
Intelligent operations offer several business benefits, including improving return through better TCO, or enhancing Time to Value (TTV) for offerings and further improving resource efficiency. However, there is no cookie-cutter approach to improving network operations. The primary challenge CSPs face is that a significant lot operates a brownfield network and manages a fleet of networks and resources. As a result, building a reference architecture that aligns with their existing operations—and simultaneously accelerates the adoption of the next era of operations—is a complex challenge.
Simplifying Network Operations and Observability
Today, many CSPs are working to address the right solution and platform to optimize operational models. However, these efforts usually result in be-spoke solutions that are hard to manage and scale. CSPs also invest heavily in both time and cost to perform Life Cycle Management (LCM) of these solutions. These challenges create barriers to reaping Cloud and Network transformation benefits.
Dell Technologies has worked closely with leading cloud partners, including Wind River and Red Hat, to offer an operationally ready Telco Cloud platform as part of the Dell Telecom Multi-Cloud Foundation offer. This solution includes co-engineered building blocks referred to as Telecom Infrastructure Blocks, which support zero-touch operations and closed-loop automation. By automating the deployment and life-cycle management of the cloud platforms used in a telecom network, Dell’s Telco Cloud reduces operational costs while consistently meeting telco-grade SLAs.
Additionally, customers can optimize their infrastructures with a cloud platform of choice that is aligned end-to-end to workload vendor specifications and use cases, effectively transforming their operational models and processes. This solution not only streamlines telecom cloud design, deployment, and management with integrated hardware, software, and support, but also fully aligns with a telco-centric operational model.
Telecom Infrastructure Blocks releases will be agile delivered with multiple yearly releases to simplify life cycle management. By the end of 2023, Dell Telecom Infrastructure Blocks will support workloads for Radio Access Network and Core Network functions with:
- Dell Telecom Infrastructure Blocks for Wind River, which will support vRAN and Open RAN workloads.
- Dell Telecom Infrastructure Blocks for Red Hat that initially target Core Network workloads.
To support CSPs’ operational transformation that addresses optimal cost structure, telecom SLAs, and their ability to automate and orchestrate at scale, Dell Telecom Infrastructure Blocks provide the following key capabilities:
- Interoperability – Operating all telco cloud platforms as one abstracts all the complexities from multiple technologies and multiple components from different vendors. This allows CSPs to run and manage the entire platform together.
- Lifecycle management – Typically, a telco network requires long life-cycle time commitments and the ability to coordinate multiple systems with different versions. Dell Telecom Infrastructure Blocks address these issues by providing configuration changes and version alignment for firmware, BIOS, CaaS software and more.
- Closed-loop operations – Operational transformation is evolving towards zero-touch. This requires a new strategic platform that can de-couple infrastructure from application and enable smooth integration with application orchestration and assurance systems following a telco future mode of operations (FMO).
Transforming Operations Using Telecom Infrastructure Blocks
Dell Telecom Multi-Cloud Foundation provides CSPs a platform-centric solution that promises full support and alignment toward CSP level-4 automation. CSPs can flexibly transform their operations to programmable infrastructure using a consistent tooling and capabilities approach.
Through multiple versions and offers with various partners, CSPs can operate all such foundational infrastructure blocks as one through the following key capabilities:
- Remote upgrades – This solution follows a consistent tooling and operational model, which allows operational teams to operate full telecom cloud platforms at scale and enables seamless use from central orchestration tools.
- Operational automation – The Day2 and NOC (Network Operations Center) Telco cloud platform operations can be performed at scale in an automated manner. For CSPs, this means that whole platform can be operated as one following a true IaC (Infrastructure as code) and Programmable infrastructure principle using declarative blueprints. Similarly, patching and LCM options are possible using Dell and CaaS partner-offered tools. Use cases of automatic upgrades and CI/CD of day-n patches and upgrades are also supported as per the road map.
- Single pane of glass – Customers are known to deploy different cloud stacks to optimally support different use cases (possibly runnin g workloads from various partners), which has led to an increasing requirement to operate all cloud stacks as one using a single pane of glass. This provides the operation team a single management and observation platform, which this solution not only supports along the road map, but also creates a unified layer for NOC teams to monitor and manage.
- Green network operations – As CSPs find ways to reduce carbon emissions, there is an increased interest in full observability and monitoring, along with actionable insights to optimize and tune cloud platforms. These areas are on the road map and will also be part of Dell Telecom Multi-Cloud Foundation solution.
- Data-driven architecture – For data to be tapped from core to edge to Radio Access Networks (RAN) the automation architecture used in this solution is data-driven and distributed, enabling real-time use cases and data-driven operations.
- Automated fault management – This solution is fully aligned with the future mode of operations, which follows zero-touch and intent-driven networks. This vision enables all cloud platforms to use declarative workflows and Northbound integration towards Service Management and Orchestration (SMO) and assurance systems.
- Brownfield operations – This solution aligns with CSPs brownfield requirements, which unlocks a range of benefits. These include the ability to integrate existing clusters, integrate existing CI/CD pipelines, and align with existing NOC tools and processes, enabling customers to operate and manage distributed and open infrastructure.
Dell Technologies developed Telecom Multi-Cloud Foundation and Telecom Infrastructure Blocks to accelerate 5G cloud infrastructure transformation. Telecom Infrastructure Blocks for Wind River and Red Hat delivers an engineered, validated, and factory-integrated Telco Cloud platform that is performance-optimized for RAN and Core use cases. It is also fully aligned for CSPs looking to accelerate Intelligent operations and evolution towards level-4 autonomous networks.
To learn more about this solution, visit the Dell Telecom Multi-Cloud Foundation solutions site.
This blog is co-authored with Abdullah Abuzaid, Technical Product Manager, and Anjali Bhatia, Technical Marketing Engineer at Dell Technologies.