Azure Operator Nexus is now usually out there
Earlier this 12 months at MWC Barcelona, Microsoft introduced the general public preview of Azure Operator Nexus, a carrier-grade and hybrid platform, constructed to empower telecom operators to modernize and rework their networks. Operator Nexus permits operators to make use of cloud know-how to modernize and monetize their community investments—reducing complete price of possession (TCO), driving operational effectivity and resiliency with superior AI and automation, and bettering the safety of extremely distributed, software-based networks. Today, we announce that Operator Nexus is now usually out there (GA).
Since MWC, we’ve integrated extra options based mostly on insightful suggestions from clients. With the newest launch of Operator Nexus, a number of the new options embody:
- Network Fabric Automation—permits operators to construct, function, and handle carrier-grade community cloth from Azure. It performs a number of features like bootstrapping and configuration, utility of community insurance policies, lifecycle administration, creation of tenant workload community, and offering observability of the community units. Network Fabric Automation supplies a single level of management and visibility throughout your complete community cloth for the Operator Nexus platform and host tenant workloads.
- Network Packet Broker—permits operators to effectively seize, mixture, filter, and monitor visitors. It permits operators to observe giant advanced networks and supply network-level visibility to assist with service planning and troubleshooting of service issues. It additionally performs an important function in enhancing troubleshooting capabilities, assembly regulatory necessities, and enabling organizations to keep up the optimum efficiency and safety of their networks.
- Enhanced Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)—for on-premises use. Operator Nexus accommodates particular extensions to optimize the automated creation of containers to host tenant community operate workloads. This new extension improves resilience and the provision of the cluster; it additionally permits operators to isolate and handle the efficiency of particular workloads.
- Azure Lockbox—supplies operators with a further layer of operational management over entry to their knowledge saved within the Azure cloud platform. This characteristic permits operators to approve or deny entry to their knowledge by Microsoft assist engineers who could require entry for troubleshooting or upkeep functions. In these uncommon circumstances the place such entry is required, Azure Lockbox supplies an interface for purchasers to evaluation and approve or reject buyer knowledge entry requests.
- Placement management of community features—this characteristic provides extra management to the operators on workloads deployment placement inside a cluster. The operators can use this characteristic for improved efficiency, effectivity, and resiliency of the workloads.
- For observability, Operator Nexus has native integration with Azure Monitor—operators can ship knowledge to both Azure Operator Insights, Log Analytics Workspace (LAW), or Azure Data Explorer (ADX) cluster. Log Analytics Workspace gives a variety of built-in capabilities, together with log analytics, visualization, alerting, and extra. Alternatively, operators can view the logging knowledge utilizing ADX cluster, which supplies a low-cost different to LAW. If the primary goal is to retain the observability knowledge for Retention and Information Management (RIM) compliance, operators can select to ship the information to a storage account.
- As a part of the Azure AIOPs gives, Azure Operator Service Manager (AOSM)—transforms the operator service administration expertise into a contemporary cloud service. It simplifies the administration of advanced, multi-part, multi-vendor service deployments throughout 1000’s of hybrid cloud websites, together with Azure areas, edge platforms, and Azure Arc-connected infrastructure. AOSM gives advantages like a single administration expertise for Microsoft and third-party community features, automation enriched with Azure’s industry-leading cognitive companies, and strict software program distribution safety enforcement, making certain that what’s printed is what will get deployed.
AT&T deployment efficiently reaches new milestone
AT&T continues to work carefully with Microsoft on Operator Nexus from early entry and into GA. AT&T has begun deploying Network Function workloads in its labs, with the intent to deploy them into manufacturing environments.
“Operator Nexus GA is an important milestone in our journey with Microsoft and ecosystem collaborators on Telco Grade cloud for Mobility 5G Core. We are excited to see our vision of Telco grade cloud powered by Microsoft Azure and AI technologies deployed in AT&T data centers and operated by AT&T. This will help deliver simplified operations, lower total cost of ownership, and improved time to market so we can continue to forge ahead with building the world’s best 5G service.”
—Igal Elbaz, Senior Vice President, Network CTO, AT&T
The increasing Operator Nexus ecosystem
Network operate distributors have had the chance to expertise early entry to Operator Nexus via the Ready program, which certifies that the ecosystem of cloud-native community features (CNFs), digital community features (VNFs), and different software program interoperate with Operator Nexus. The shut collaboration between Microsoft and its many software program distributors has enabled every accomplice to make use of real-world workloads to prioritize and construct on platform options.
For instance, Nokia efficiently executed an end-to-end 5G Standalone (SA) name, utilizing its 5G core CNFs working on Operator Nexus. The firm additionally established a reference design information for its 5G core on Nexus. In one other instance, Ericsson, constructing on the success of working with AT&T, is now prepared to start trialing its cloud-native 5G Core with operators on Operator Nexus.
This early, optimistic suggestions helps to make sure the success of our lighthouse buyer, AT&T. Of equal significance, companions at the moment are aware of the method of what it entails to carry up to date or extra community features to this platform sooner or later. Continued relationships with companions via this system will enable for a sturdy, trusted assortment of community features which might be deployment-ready for Operator Nexus.
“We are pleased to expand our strategic collaboration with Microsoft, focusing on cloud-based network solutions within their Operator Nexus architecture. This alliance includes various capabilities, from PCC (policy, charging, and control) to end-to-end service orchestration, driving network automation for agility and enhanced monetization. By integrating Amdocs’ network functions into the Operator Nexus framework, we accelerate operators’ network transformations, reaffirming our commitment to technological innovation on the cloud.”
—Anthony Goonetilleke, Group President of Technology and Head of Strategy, Amdocs
“Our validation efforts with Microsoft have reached a watershed moment where operators are now able to test our 5G Core applications and orchestration suite on Operator Nexus and address their design goals for efficiency, security, and reliability.”
—Monica Zethzon, Vice President and Head of Solution Area Core Networks, Ericsson
“We look forward to building on our support of Operator Nexus with the onboarding of HPE’s network functions in order to give operators the opportunity to drive their next generation of core networks.”
—David Stark, VP Product & Portfolio Management, Hewlett Packard Enterprise
“Together with Microsoft, we established and achieved key milestones that give operators confidence to run our cloud-native 5G Core on Operator Nexus, enabling our clients to pursue important community modernization targets and thrilling monetization alternatives.“
—Fran Heeran, SVP, Core Networks, Nokia Cloud and Network Services, Nokia
What’s subsequent: Preview for future releases
Building on the expertise that comes from working Operator Nexus for a totally deployed, tier 1 operator community, sooner or later, we’re wanting ahead to:
- Continuing to develop the Operator Nexus Ready ecosystem to incorporate extra community operate suppliers and new containerized and virtualized community features, supporting RAN, Packet Core, Transport, and Enterprise companies.
- Releasing a smaller kind issue deployment of Operator Nexus, optimized at each the {hardware} and software program layers, to assist the distinctive wants of the RAN for options reminiscent of in-line and look-aside community acceleration.
- Expanding AIOps performance, integrating the ability of Generative AI to enhance how networks are designed, deployed, and operated.
Learn extra about Azure Operator Nexus
- For telecom operators to modernize and monetize their community investments, signup right here.