Simplifying and Accelerating Open RAN
- October 23, 2021
This blog is co-authored by Charlie Martin, Senior Consultant, Open RAN Product Management and Saad Sheikh, Principal Architect, Telecom Strategy, Architect and Design.
Dell Technologies recently announced it is delivering a fully validated solution for Mavenir Open vRAN and VMware Telco Cloud Platform to accelerate the deployment of new open radio access network (RAN) architectures and usher in a new era of 5G growth.
To accommodate the enormous amount of data, and support promising new 5G services, the RAN is undergoing a massive transformation from today’s proprietary, closed RAN systems to an open, standards-based architecture. While the transformation can take different forms, the two common steps in the transformation include:
Virtualizing the RAN architecture allows the decoupling of hardware from software, giving CSPs the flexibility to build RANs using various deployment models based on the performance and total cost of ownership (TCO). This flexibility allows the placement of DU and CU computing resources wherever needed to meet the service requirements of CSP customers. Some potential scenarios include:
Potential deployment scenarios
Open RAN unleashes the power of innovation, flexibility, efficiency and service differentiation while giving CSPs complete control of their RAN by eliminating vendor lock-in. The Open RAN architecture, and Dell Technologies validated solution, allows CSPs to transform their current network to an open, standards-based architecture. In addition, Open RAN and the improved radio spectrum efficiency enables CSPs to introduce new use cases and capabilities that are difficult to realize today based on current RAN architectures, including:
However, introducing Open RAN raises many challenges, including integrating multivendor solutions and efficiently managing RAN infrastructure across geographically dispersed locations. New capabilities, such as the Dell Technologies Bare Metal Orchestrator, help automate RAN compute resources’ discovery, deployment and management across locations. To alleviate the multivendor integration challenge, Dell Technologies is building an ecosystem of Open RAN partners to create and validate solutions to streamline and simplify the upfront requirements for CSPs deploying Open RAN.
The Dell Technologies validated solution for Mavenir open vRAN and VMware Telco Cloud Platform is an end-to-end Open RAN solution bundled with systems integration and services capability. The solution simplifies and accelerates the transformation to Open RAN with a thoroughly Dell-tested solution. It includes a reference architecture and technical content that CSPs can leverage to jump start their transition to Open RAN. It provides a foundation to CSPs for introducing Open RAN and offers many benefits when building a new set of next generation services required for 5G networks monetization, including:
The solution fully complies with industry standards and includes these solution components:
Dell Technologies offers open solutions that accelerate the CSP transformations of tomorrow. With our commitment to Open RAN, Dell is leading a cross-industry initiative to bring technology together from the world’s leading Open RAN vendors and help solve the most critical challenges CSPs face today. Our deep and long-standing relationships with Mavenir and VMware allow us to develop, test and validate solutions that embrace open standards, multivendor ecosystems and the latest market innovations.