Dell hopes to take operators to the edge

The firm has gathered an ecosystem to work with operators going cloud native.


Dell Technologies says it is “anchoring an open, cloud-native telecom ecosystem – with infrastructure and solutions, industry partners and a new innovation lab – to put [operators] on the fast track for innovation and revenue growth”. 

IDC projects the number of new operational processes deployed on edge infrastructure will grow from less than 20% today to over 90% in 2024.

Well placed

Dell Technologies claims it is well placed to partner operators because of its IT infrastructure; secure, global supply chain; and IT services staffed by more than 60,000 professionals and partners in more than 170 countries.

Daryl Schoolar, Practice Lead at Omdia, said, “As communication networks disaggregate, an open ecosystem of hardware and software vendors is forming to support this transformation.

“[Operators] need strategic partners to help organize the ecosystem, provide validated solutions and take responsibility for deployment and operating outcomes”.

He added, “We are seeing Dell make significant investments in being this missing link supporting CSPs as they build modern mobile communications networks.”

Cloud-native network

Dell is launching a cloud-native network infrastructure with a full stack of open, scalable carrier-grade server and software solutions to simplify and accelerate operators’ transformations.

CSPs can already use Dell Technologies’ validated reference architectures to deploy full-stack telecommunications solutions from partners, including VMware and Red Hat, with optimal Dell hardware, software and services.

Now Project Metalweaver is taking this farther with a software solution designed to allow operators to select, autonomously deploy and manage thousands of multi-vendor compute, network and storage devices across multiple locations.

On-demand resources can be scaled to multiple premises, backed by Dell Technologies’ global support and services.

Reference architectures

Dell is also introducing new reference architectures to span telecoms edge, core and Open RAN environments, and includes full stack guidance, deployment options and operational recommendations for specific use cases.

CSPs initially will be able to deploy:

•    Core software solutions from Affirmed Networks.

•    Private network solutions from CommScope RUCKUS.

•    Multi-access edge computing (MEC) solutions with Intel Smart Edge.

•    Dell Technologies is collaborating with Mavenir to develop 5G Open RAN software with Dell EMC PowerEdge XR11 ruggedised servers.

•    Core software solutions from Nokia.

New telecom lab for 5G

Dell Technologies is introducing its Open Telecom Ecosystem Lab to create a place where it can work with its partners and customers to explore and collaborate on future telecom technologies and applications in Round Rock, Texas.

There’s more information here.