IBM unites with Juniper Networks, Nokia, Spirent to power, automate next-gen networks
IBM is collaborating with partners like Nokia, Juniper Networks and Spirent to shape the networks of tomorrow.
IBM and Juniper Networks have announced their intention to expand their collaboration by integrating IBM’s network automation capabilities with Juniper’s RAN and Open RAN (O-RAN) technology. This will allow them to explore possibilities of delivering a unified RAN management platform.
The companies say that by leveraging IBM Cloud Pak for Network Automation, Juniper Networks and IBM have committed to helping organizations monetize, optimize and scale their investments in next-generation networks. This collaboration will enable CSPs to develop disaggregated, multi-vendor and economically viable radio networks.
Nokia and IBM
IBM and Nokia have a long-standing partnership in providing enterprise solutions. This year, they intend to create a managed service that offers private 5G solutions via IBM Cloud Satellite.
“As clients innovate at the edge, IBM Cloud Satellite helps provide enhanced resiliency, performance, security and compliance capabilities,” says Andrew Coward, the GM of software defined networking at IBM in a company blog.
Specifically, IBM and Nokia are exploring ways to enable CSPs (Communication Service Providers) to design, build, connect, operate and monitor private 5G environments with a unified management stack. This includes integrating IBM’s Cloud Pak for Network Automation solution into the joint offering and potentially allowing CSPs to provide enterprise connectivity services at scale.
Enterprises could benefit from customized connectivity services enabled by a highly available 5G Cloud network. Meanwhile, CSPs could run applications flexibly across multiple private 5G environments regardless of location.
“Nokia is a well-known leader in 5G networks and private wireless,” states Coward.”IBM brings use case driven cross-industry knowledge and experience across automation, AI, and hybrid cloud. It’s a natural next step for collaboration as enterprises drive their digital transformation forward and continue to place considerable emphasis on their network’s connectivity.”
IBM and Spirent
Moreover, to further expand their collaboration, IBM and Spirent intend to integrate both the Cloud Pak for Network Automation from IBM and the test and active assurance solution by Spirent into their current joint offering.
Their goal is to simplify the 5G cloud-native deployment process for customers using multiple vendors for their networking solutions. The companies say this feature will help clients reduce time to market for new service offerings and keep a service provider’s network running.
“Through this collaboration, we intend to help Vodafone automate their continuous testing, integration, and deployment of their network’s functionality and cloud software updates,” adds Coward. “For Vodafone, the proposed solution contemplated by IBM and Spirent may offer a way forward to fully realizing the customer benefits of 5G.”
EdgeIR recently spoke with Andrew Coward in a fireside chat regarding how the networking industry is undergoing a vast transformation. In the talk, Coward noted that IBM has the potential to create a framework that enables businesses to manage their networks across multiple cloud platforms.
The interview is available on the EdgeIR YouTube channel here and the Vimeo channel here.
Article Topics
5G | automation | IBM | Juniper Networks | networks | Nokia | O-RAN | Open RAN | QoS | SDN | Spirent | testing
Comments