VE RTI C A L SO LUTI O N OVE RVI E W

Modernize Your Network With

VMware Telco Cloud Platform
Deliver a Cloud-First Network on Consistent
Infrastructure with Multi-Layer Automation
AT A GLANCE Introduction
Powered by field-proven infrastructure Amid a backdrop of fierce competition and digital transformation, communications
and cloud-first automation, VMware service providers seek to develop new business models, simplify operations, and
Telco Cloud Platform™ is a cloud- launch new services, all in a quest to increase revenue and expand profit margins.
native platform that empowers
communications service providers Although 5G opens up new business opportunities, the complex, siloed architecture
(CSPs) to manage virtual and cloud of CSPs’ existing networks stands in the way of rapid innovation and operational
native network functions across agility, hampering the digital transformation of CSPs. These existing networks, which
distributed 5G networks with efficiency, tend to be founded on vertically integrated monolithic stacks designed to run vendor-
scalability, and agility. specific virtual network functions (VNFs), make automating deployment and
management difficult.

When CSPs turn to cloud-native technology to run network functions in containers

alongside VNFs in their existing network, the complexity can spiral out of control, and
the entire network becomes more difficult to operate. Traditional orchestration tools
lack telco-centric features to automate multi-tenant, distributed cloud-native network
functions (CNFs) and to deliver the resiliency and reliability that’s required in a highly
regulated industry with strict service-level agreements and demanding consumers.

To achieve web-scale speed and agility while maintaining carrier-grade performance,

reliability, and quality, CSPs need a platform that combines telco-specific cloud-native
solutions and cloud-first automation with consistent infrastructure.

Cloud-Native Technology and Cloud-First Automation

Capitalizing on the opportunities of 5G in a multi-cloud world hinges on two keys
ingredients: cloud-native technology and cloud-first automation.

Cloud-native technology decouples containerized functions from the infrastructure so

they can be deployed quickly, shared among services, updated easily, and managed
independently. Orchestration and automation dynamically scale network functions to
meet changes in demand. By implementing containers as a service (CaaS), CSPs can
use the same technology to meet different requirements across their 5G networks,
from the core to the edge. As a result, CSPs can design more efficient 5G networks.

Cloud-first automation unites multi-cloud resources in a centralized orchestration

system and then uses intent-based placement for optimization. With cloud-first
automation, which continuously synchronizes with registered clouds, CSPs obtain
context-aware information about their diverse set of sites, the state of these sites, the
applications running there, the embedded technologies available to foster service
delivery, and the cloud resources available for allocation. When the orchestrator can
access this information, it can automatically place network services and functions in a
way that aligns requirements with available cloud resources and capabilities. In this
way, cloud-first automation further simplifies the deployment and management of
network functions.

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Modernize Your Network with VMware Telco Cloud Platform

KEY BENEFITS OF
VMWARE TELCO CLOUD PLATFORM
• Innovate faster by modernizing your
telco cloud with web-scale speed and
agility while maintaining carrier-grade
performance, resiliency, and quality
• Rapidly deploy network functions and
services throughout 5G networks, from
the core to edge sites
• Run CNFs and VNFs side by side with
consistent horizontal infrastructure
• Accelerate the time it takes to deploy
functions and services through
automated provisioning and the
VMware Ready for Telco Cloud
program
FIGURE 1: VMware Telco Cloud Platform combines VMware Telco Cloud Infrastructure and
VMware Telco Cloud Automation in a cloud-native platform that runs CNFs and VNFs on any
cloud with visibility, orchestration, and operational consistency.

VMware Telco Cloud Platform

Powered by field-proven telco infrastructure and cloud-first automation, VMware
Telco Cloud Platform is a cloud-native platform that enables CSPs to rapidly deploy
and efficiently operate multi-vendor CNFs and VNFs with agility and scalability across
5G networks that span from the core and the edge to the radio access network (RAN).

By solving the problems that undermine the architecture of existing

telecommunications networks—monolithic stacks marred by complexity, silos, and
vendor lock-in—VMware Telco Cloud Platform empowers CSPs to launch innovative
services on consistent infrastructure that reduces operational complexity and radically
improves agility. The two fundamental elements of this architecture are VMware Telco
Cloud Infrastructure™ and VMware Telco Cloud Automation™.

The Fast Path to Cloud-Native Networks

VMware Telco Cloud Platform establishes an open, disaggregated, and vendor-
agnostic ecosystem for CSPs to streamline 5G service delivery from design to lifecycle
management automation while creating a unified, developer-friendly architecture with
key capabilities for resource optimization, operational consistency, multi-cloud
mobility, and multi-layer automation. Amid the monumental shift that is taking place
with 5G rollouts, these following capabilities empower CSPs to modernize their
network architectures, transform their businesses, and accelerate the delivery of
disruptive services.
• Cloud-native architecture: CSPs can deploy, orchestrate, and optimize cloud
resources and processes with intent-based placement. The platform’s architecture
includes not only compute, storage, and networking but also CaaS and automation.
This cloud-native architecture establishes network resiliency, seamless cross-cloud
application continuity, and complete multi-tenant service isolation to address
business requirements and compliance regulations, such as high availability and
service-level agreements.
• Unified and consistent platform: The platform’s hybrid IaaS and CaaS modernizes
existing clouds so they can run both VNFs and CNFs across consistent horizontal
infrastructure. This architecture fosters low-latency performance in the data plane
and improves scalability through virtualized networking with VMware NSX®.

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Modernize Your Network with VMware Telco Cloud Platform

FIGURE 2: The functional architecture of VMware Telco Cloud Platform.

• Carrier-grade Kubernetes: The platform lets CSPs capitalize on the advantages of a

microservices architecture. CSPs can use microservices with a resource-optimized
Kubernetes runtime for device attachment, NUMA alignment, resource reservation,
and placement. This cloud-native architecture delivers the capability to roll out 5G
networks with Multus, DPDK modules, an SR-IOV plugin, CPU/Topology Manager,
and Kubernetes cluster automation tailored for telco use cases.
• Zero-touch provisioning: The platform enables CSPs to automate the onboarding
and upgrading of network functions and infrastructure components with zero-touch
provisioning. Full lifecycle management can define and apply policies using a
decisioning engine to automate deployments, operations, and maintenance.

Accessing an Ecosystem of Multi-Vendor Network Functions

CSPs require well-established and trusted solutions with an ecosystem of network
functions. CSPs can accelerate the deployment of 5G services by removing integration
challenges between the platform and the network functions through the VMware
Ready for Telco Cloud program, which tests whether network functions from various
vendors interoperate with VMware Telco Cloud Platform.

The program helps prepare workloads for rapid deployment with VMware Telco Cloud
Platform by ensuring gVNFM interoperability and the creation of standard-based
onboarding artifacts. The descriptor, workflow, and resource and commissioning
artifacts help automate deployment and lifecycle management.

Addressing 5G Use Cases with Key Capabilities

Part of the power of VMware Telco Cloud Platform is that it provides capabilities to
streamline operations and lifecycle management while using its telco-grade
Kubernetes implementation to pursue 5G use cases and new business opportunities
with speed and agility. These capabilities come together to establish an extensible set
of building blocks for developing, deploying, and optimizing new functions and
services, easing the way for business organizations to execute on 5G use cases.

On-demand network capacity: Zero-touch provisioning simplifies operations by

automatically provisioning new sites, services, and functions.

Service-aware infrastructure: This capability optimizes resource utilization and

increases agility through analyzing infrastructure usage and service requirements. This
intelligence empowers CSPs to architect their 5G systems for optimal application
response, scale, and service availability.

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Modernize Your Network with VMware Telco Cloud Platform

THE VMWARE TELCO CLOUD

AT A GLANCE
We help communications service
providers build, run, manage, and
protect their telco cloud to transform
their networks, accelerate the delivery
of modern services, and thrive in a
multi-cloud world.
The VMware telco cloud puts in place
consistent infrastructure for operating
all generations of cellular and fixed-
line technology while leading the
way to 5G adoption with solutions
for orchestration, automation,
optimization, and intrinsic security.
FIGURE 3: The key capabilities of VMware Telco Cloud Platform—including cloud-native
At the dawn of 5G, the VMware technologies and automation—power flexible solutions for 5G use cases. Access to an
telco cloud combines consistent automated CI/CD pipeline as well as CNFs and VNFs from multiple vendors provide extensible
infrastructure and operations with building blocks to deploy new services and explore emerging use cases.
intrinsic security and cloud native
technology to give CSPs a strong
Comprehensive fault and performance data: This collection framework gathers data
foundation for digital transformation
from all the layers of the MANO architecture, including VIMs, clusters, VNFs, and
and rapid innovation.
CNFs. The platform supports multiple automated operational models, triggering
actions from operations or an element management system (EMS). The result
enhances service quality and operational efficiency. These capabilities help CSPs link
their existing business operations with the platform and reduce silos between teams.

Multi-layer lifecycle management: The platform improves operational efficiency by

automating the provisioning and management of all the layers of the telco cloud, from
network services to infrastructure, reducing provisioning and maintenance costs.

Kubernetes cluster management: The platform deploys and operates new

Kubernetes versions and worker nodes, and it validates on-boarded network
functions on the updated version of Kubernetes. Cluster management eases the shift
to Kubernetes so the business can focus on deploying new services.

CI/CD pipeline integration: The platform makes possible lean and agile DevOps
practices across operational functions with integration of a CI/CD pipeline to deploy,
redeploy, and upgrade network functions quickly and reliably, which helps achieve
telco-grade resiliency and always-on service availability.
These capabilities empower CSPs to connect their business objectives and
organizational structures with technical solutions that address 5G use cases.

Conclusion
To capitalize on the opportunities of 5G and to improve their competitive position,
LEARN MORE CSPs are seeking to overcome the limitations of their existing network architectures
For more information about VMware and transform their businesses into an agile force with streamlined operations.
Telco Cloud Platform, call 1-877- VMware Telco Cloud Platform combines telco-specific cloud-native solutions and
VMWARE (outside North America, dial cloud-first automation with consistent infrastructure to propel CSPs into the future
+1-650-427-5000) or visit https://telco. with agility and efficiency while maintaining carrier-grade performance, reliability, and
vmware.com/ quality.

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