Announcing the new platform on Wednesday, VMware said the updated platform also allows the CSPs to use existing workflows to achieve “secure, self-serve access to conformant Kubernetes clusters while utilising the Telco Cloud Platform, and to extend consistent Kubernetes runtime across their 5G networks from core to edge”.

“VMware’s innovative multi-cloud platform simplifies and accelerates the rollout of 5G networks, transforms operational models through multi-layer automation while seamlessly integrating with today’s networks. By embracing cloud native principles with VMware’s Telco Cloud Platform, CSPs will be enabled to deploy innovative applications and services to market faster in the highly competitive 5G communications landscape,” VMware said.

“The VMware Telco Cloud Platform provides a cloud-first network architecture to accelerate 5G and edge innovation while delivering service agility, operational consistency and integrated lifecycle management automation from infrastructure up to network services.

“The VMware Telco Cloud Platform combines VMware Telco Cloud Infrastructure – an evolution of the vCloud NFV solution – and VMware Telco Cloud Automation – the recently launched multi-domain orchestration and automation capability.

“The 5G ready Telco Cloud Platform is tailored for CSPs to easily embrace cloud native technology and deliver applications and services across multi-cloud infrastructure.”

Shekar Ayyar, executive vice president and general manager, Telco and Edge Cloud Business Unit, VMware said, “VMware continues to accelerate the delivery of a comprehensive telco and edge cloud portfolio that addresses our customers’ challenges of today and enables them to harness the opportunities of tomorrow.

“With support for cloud native technologies in the Telco Cloud Platform, CSPs can now boost their innovation speed to deliver new applications and services, reduce operational complexities, and realise substantial total cost of ownership savings, further accelerating the rollout of their 5G networks,” Ayyar added.

“5G is providing a catalyst for CSPs to transform their business. The need for CSPs to increase service agility and transform OpEx economics will require them to make network automation a key part of their digital transformation strategy,” said Anil Rao, principal analyst, Analysys Mason.

“CSPs will require a true agile network infrastructure and operations enabling them to achieve zero-touch provisioning, automate expansion of network services and ongoing lifecycle operations of the network and services to deliver significant opex savings and enable greater innovation.”

VMware also announced Telco Cloud Operations, a real-time automated assurance solution designed to bridge the gap between virtual and physical networks.

VMware says the solution provides holistic monitoring and performance management across multiple layers of the network, including SD-WAN, for rapid insights, lower costs and improved customer experience - and integrates machine-learning based performance analytics and vivid reporting dashboards for proactive assurance.  

“Complemented by the Uhana solution from VMware that provides intelligent automation for Radio Access Networks (RANs), CSPs can have comprehensive operations visibility across their entire network,” VMware notes

“In a 5G world, complexity from dynamic network functions and configurable services requires automated collection, analysis, and control of operations data to establish customer insight and service management boundaries,” said Karl Whitelock, VP Communications Service Provider Operations and Monetisation, at IDC Research.

“Advanced assurance solutions such as VMware Telco Cloud Operations are essential for providing automated analysis of network and performance data that can simplify operations, provide end-to-end visibility and improve the customer experience.”