Cloudization, Make Network More Intelligent and Efficient


Background and Requirement

Cloudization is the top hot topic in the industry in recent years, and it is also the key technology of the integration of CT and IT to be concerned by the telecom operators. Network cloudization is also a key part of ZTE Pre5G solution, network structure facing the cloudization can bring the operator an open, flexible, high-efficiency and service-oriented low-cost cloud network.

The following are the 3 stages for cloudization:

1. IaaS (Infrastructure as a service): Infrastructure cloudization, based on NFV to realize resource pooling which means the resource distribution and release according the requirement of service

2. PaaS (Platform as a service): Open programming network, providing unified platform and open interface, the third-party can develop the applications based on the interface to realize the flexible combination of service logic

3. XaaS (X as a service): Full-open network, supporting the end to end network slicing based on 5G to realize the end to end resource distribution according to different services and accelerate the start and release of service.

Key Technology

In the early stage of telecom network structure, the cloudization focuses on core network, while the current stage, the cloudization has expanded to wireless network. As the main telecom provider, ZTE is in the leading position in both aspects of wireless and core.

1. Cloud Works
Cloud Works is the technology application of ZTE PaaS, which constructs the telecom-level popular innovation platform for the operators, builds an open eco-system to attract a large number of developers to realize low-cost and individual service innovation.

2. Cloud RAN
Cloud RAN is a ZTE cloudization technology applied in the radio side, wireless network based on cloudization introduced IT technology to the radio architecture, realized the low-cost general hardware platform, virtual network function, telecom-level stability and flexible service provision.

Commercial Progress

As the leading provider in the cloudization domain, ZTE released the vCN based on IaaS in the early stage, including vIMS, vEPC and vSDM. ZTE vCN solution is applied in 100+ commercial/trial networks.

For the Cloud Works of CN, it was introduced into ZTE Pre5G, and currently it is on the stage of trial and will be commercialized in 2017.

For the Cloud RAN, it was also introduced into ZTE Pre5G, and currently it is on the stage of field test and will be commercialized in Q2, 2017.