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Dell and Google have both detailed new offerings for mobile operators looking to roll out new 5G services, in further evidence of the growing convergence between the technology and telecoms sectors.

Google has taken the wraps off Google Distributed Cloud, a portfolio of hardware and software services that bring Googles infrastructure to the network edge or local data centre.

The most revolutionary of 5G applications such as Industry 4.0, virtual reality and some AI workloads that rely on real time data - will require ultra-low latency that is simply impossible to achieve using a traditional cloud structure and a centralised data centre.

Edge computing allows data to be processed as close as possible to the point of collection and operators are rearchitecting their networks away from a centralized core layer accordingly. Many providers now have multiple data centers distributed across their footprint while even base stations can be used as edge sites.

Google Distributed Cloud allows operators to run core 5G and RAN functions at their edge sites, alongside enterprise applications and Google services, to support latency-sensitive applications that open new revenue streams and maximize investments in 5G infrastructure.

Its also possible to run Google Distributed Cloud at one of Googles own edge locations around the world, at a customer edge site, or in a customer data centre.

Dell Technologies is also taking a keen interest in the telco sector and has unveiled a range of services that automate the deployment and management of cloud-native infrastructure essential for maximizing 5G opportunities.

Specifically, it says the shift to the edge is one of the reasons operators are adopting OpenRAN a vendor-neutral approach to radio technology that allows operators to mix and match products. However, it believes the task of managing such a complex environment comprising multiple sites, vendors and geographies is a huge challenge.

Dells new Bare Metal Orchestrator makes it possible to manage hundreds of thousands of servers across the globe and saves days and weeks of configuration and provisioning. For a carrier looking to bring a new service to market as quickly as possible and react to changing market trends, thats a lot of time being served.

Meanwhile, the company is also expanding its partner ecosystem with new services and reference architectures with Mavenir and Wind River the latest to jump on board.

As server technology proliferates through increasingly open telecom networks, the industry sees an immediate and growing need for remote lifecycle management of a highly distributed compute fabric, said Dennis Hoffman, GM, Dell Technologies Telecom Systems Business.

Bare Metal Orchestrator gives communication services providers an easier way to deploy and manage open network infrastructure while saving costs and time, allowing them to focus on delivering new and differentiated services to their customers.

Original post:
Google and Dell offer new tools to help operators manage 5G and the edge - TechRadar