Red Hat and 2nd Generation Intel Xeon Scalable Processors enable 5G and Edge Services

Through the evolution to 5G, telecommunications service providers (SPs) will be continuing the transformation of their core networks and data center assets to cloud-native network function virtualization infrastructure (NFVI) and software-defined networking (SDN) capabilities. The modernization of the core network which already started during the 4G/LTE time frame is extending to include the edge of the network.

We expect to see higher demand on infrastructure to meet the expectations of 5G networks: faster response time and lower data transfer/processing latency, real-time networking features, as well as scaling at the edge of the network in order to meet on-premise data traffic demand.

Red Hat and Intel have worked closely to offer new technologies that adapt to the greater demands on infrastructure for platform reliability in 5G and edge networking. Red Hat and Intel are looking to extend cloud architectures from the core to the edge of networks by building solutions SPs need to progress their network transformation projects. An excellent example is the Intel Select Solution for NFVI Red Hat Configurations we jointly created.

The 2nd Generation Intel® Xeon® Scalable processors align well with the evolution of 5G and edge computing. The launch of 2^nd generation Intel Xeon Scalable processors may enable SPs to seize new cloud and network opportunities and optimize their data center, core, and edge environments to meet growing compute, artificial intelligence and storage demands. Intel’s 2^nd generation processors were designed as a data-centric computing platform, featuring advanced compute cores, storage hierarchy, connectivity, and hardware acceleration, designed to excel in performance and infrastructure efficiency across a wide range of network-intensive workloads.

Virtualized network functions (VNFs) for mobile packet core functions have been implemented and tested on Red Hat’s NFV solution where test results have demonstrated its flexibility and scalability benefits. SPs can deploy supported and certified next-generation networking services and applications using Red Hat’s NFV solution with 2^nd generation Intel Xeon Scalable processors.

This newest generation of Intel Xeon Scalable processor are supported by Red Hat OpenStack Platform for the benefit of customers’ NFVI. In addition, Red Hat OpenStack Platform ecosystem partners can certify their commercially ready VNF workloads on Intel architecture.

While SPs are looking into network edge deployments, especially in the face of demands for modern services expected from 5G networks, central offices (COs) are the local "hubs" of telecommunications networks handling "last-mile" connectivity for customers. COs are becoming the primary locations to deploy edge services and increasingly require virtualized environments and computing power at the network edge, leading to substantial demand for resources, flexibility, and operational simplicity.

Red Hat virtual central office solution provides a blueprint for modernizing telecommunications operations at the network edge via an open, software-defined infrastructure platform. The ability to deliver more virtual machines with Intel Speed Select technology – Base Frequency (ISS-BF), as compared to the previous generation Intel Xeon Scalable processor, makes 2^nd generation Intel Xeon Scalable processors well-suited to handle the tremendous growth in data throughput that 5G networks promise in constrained environments like COs.

2^nd generation Intel Xeon Scalable processors provide additional networking features and capabilities:

• Network workload optimizations using Intel Speed Select Technologies

• Intel Select Solutions optimized configurations based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Red Hat OpenStack Platform across various use cases

• Enhanced data protection, infrastructure authentication, and threat detection through Encryption Acceleration QuickAssist Technology (Intel QAT)

For further details visit our Telecommunications and NFV pages.