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pww.comIntel Corporation Presents at New Street-BCG 2020 Conference: 5G. Infrastructure. Applications. Innovation. Disruption, Nov-17-2020 09:10 AM - NasdaqGS:INTC

NasdaqGS:INTC

Daniel Rodriguez [Corporate VP & GM of Network Platforms Group] 💬

Daniel Rodriguez, Corporate Vice President and General Manager of the Network Platforms Group at Intel Corporation, presented Intel’s role in the networking space and the rise of 5G during the New Street_BCG 2020 Conference. Below is a detailed summary of his remarks:

Key Technology Inflection Points

  • 5G Network Transformation: Convergence of compute and communication technologies.
  • AI and Intelligent Edge: Pervasive use of AI and analytics from the cloud to the edge.

5G Significance

  • Enables rich experiences for consumers and businesses.
  • Facilitates the use of AI and analytics at the edge.

Strategy Overview

  1. Enabling Customers:

    • Converge network workloads onto general-purpose servers.
    • Innovate with enhanced CPUs and network accelerators.
    • Offer a range of products from Atom-class processors to Xeon scalable processors.

  2. Software Development:

    • Develop software development kits (SDKs) to optimize silicon performance.
    • Reduce customer R&D and accelerate time-to-market.
    • Invest in open-source projects like DPDK, FlexRAN, OpenNESS, and Open Visual Cloud.

  3. Building an Unmatched Ecosystem:

    • Strong partnerships with communication, cloud service providers, enterprises, and the entire value chain.

Future Growth Areas

  • Wireless Core Network:
    • Virtualization growth from 40% in 2019 to 50% in 2020 and expected to exceed 80% by 2024.
  • Radio Access Network (RAN):
    • Transformation to utilize standard-based platforms.
    • Traction with virtual RAN and open RAN solutions.
    • Announcements from Verizon, Rakuten, and DISH.
  • Edge Computing:
    • Emergence of additional compute at the edge, driven by AI proliferation.

Edge Computing Details

  • Data Generation:
    • Humans and machines will create 10x more data in 5 years.
    • 75% of data created outside of data centers, requiring processing closer to the user.
  • Network Edge Locations:
    • Next-generation Central Office (CO) as a mini-data center.
    • Radio Access Network with increasing demands from 5G.
    • Customer premises like retail stores, factories, and smart cities.

Business Opportunity

  • 5G Transformation:
    • Support consumer services and improve business outcomes across industries.
    • Built on network transformation and software-defined, agile, and scalable networks.
  • AI, IoT, and Edge Computing:
    • Scale alongside AI and IoT to support a variety of services.
  • Open Ecosystem:
    • Commitment to supporting an open and robust ecosystem.

Portfolio Strategy

  • CPU-Centric Approach:
    • Intel’s CPUs are the core of its telecom role, providing flexibility and performance.
    • Xeon processors for core networks and RAN deployments.
  • Broad Product Portfolio:
    • Xeon D for power-reduced versions.
    • Atom-class products for diverse requirements.
    • FPGAs for unique algorithms.
    • Custom ASICs for specific use cases.

Core Network Evolution

  • Virtualization Progress:
    • From initial talks and trials to significant deployments in 2015.
    • Expected to reach over 80% virtualization by 2024.
  • Flexibility and Service Orientation:
    • Core network needs to be cloud-native and scalable.
    • Example of pulling packet functions closer to the user.

Radio Access Network (RAN)

  • Transformation to Standard-Based Platforms:
    • Traditional RAN and virtualized RAN coexisting.
    • Traction with Intel Xeon processors, Xeon D, FPGAs, and Ethernet.
    • Purpose-built ACC100 accelerator for forward error correction.

Virtualization Definition

  • General-Purpose Infrastructure:
    • Use of virtual machines or containers.
    • Easily spin up or down workloads.
  • Accelerator Integration:
    • Simple APIs to call accelerators.
    • Example of DPDK supporting accelerators with API calls.

Real-World Examples

  • Verizon:
    • Completed first fully virtualized end-to-end 5G data session.
    • Faster response to latency and computing needs.
  • DISH:
    • Building a greenfield network that is fully virtualized and ORAN compliant.
  • Rakuten:
    • Launched a fully virtualized 5G mobile network.

Edge Computing Differentiation

  • Breadth of CPUs:
    • Range from Atom to Xeon.
  • Purpose-Built Accelerators:
    • Movidius for edge inferencing.
  • Software Support:
    • OpenVINO for edge inferencing.
    • OpenNESS for application onboarding.
    • Open Visual Cloud for media workloads.

Software Value

  • FlexRAN Reference Software:
    • Set of software libraries for efficient baseband function.
    • Over 100 licensees.
    • Enables quick time-to-market for virtualized network functions.

Future Vision

  • Distributed Compute Continuum:

    • Agreement with the vision of a more distributed compute infrastructure.

    • Excitement about participating in this transformation.

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