Ericsson has released a new virtualised infrastructure solution that is aimed at underpinning 5G and Internet of Things networks.
The Network Functions Virtualisation infrastructure (NFVi) consists of the Sweden-based vendor’s datacentre system, blade server platform, cloud execution environment, cloud manager, cloud software defined networking, system integration and support services.
However, the solution is modular in its design, meaning components can be switched in and out. Ericsson said NFVi offers a range of different deployment scenarios, from the full decoupling of NFV components across a range of vendors to a full stack solution.
It added it would support the necessary speed, agility and efficiency required for deploying IoT and 5G networks.
Richard Schenk, Head of Network and Datacenter Development, Swisscom, said: “The advantage our customers will experience with Ericsson cloud and NFVi is that we can introduce new products. We will bring services which we do not know today, as in the IoT environment. We will also be able to configure services with network slices so that they fit exactly to the product that we have at this moment.”
Delegates at October’s SDN World Congress in Amsterdam were told it was critical to move slowly, embrace the change virtualisation technology offers and do not bank on cost savings if they are to realise the promise SDN and NFV offers.