Hello and welcome to the Intel Telco Cloud Academy. This course is about the 5G Wireless Core and the various industry-leading platforms Intel is developing to promote the transition to a Cloud Native 5G standalone core. This introductory course will show the key benefits and operational efficiencies that Intel supports across the wireless core network through the use of the latest hardware and software technologies. First, we will cover a short introduction to the 5G Wireless Core, including transitions over the last decade and major trends. Then we will look at Intel's industry-leading platforms for the 5G Wireless Core. By the end of this course, you should be able to describe the evolution of the 5G Wireless Core network and the major trends in transitioning to it. You should also be able to describe Intel's industry-leading platforms for the 5G Wireless Core. Finally, you will have the knowledge to explain how Intel is addressing communication service provider pain points like power, optimization, and security and understand Intel's role in enabling the adoption of Cloud Native architecture. Let's start by introducing the Wireless Core and the transitions and trends currently at play in the transformation to a Cloud Native 5G standalone core. This diagram shows the different deployment zones for 5G Wireless Core and provides a graphical model of wireless core architecture. As you can see, you have your core network hosting the user plane function or UPF, your central office using a distributed UPF, and the radio access network connecting to the 5G core technology. By centralizing the control plane, data can be secured right across the different deployment zones. The core and network edge share the same control plane, meaning that you can protect your data at rest, in motion, and in use while providing the same functionality despite different infrastructure constraints. The wireless core has historically meant the central backbone of the public network, massive data centers aggregating huge amounts of traffic. This remains the case and is still the bread and butter of the business. However, it is growing. The UPF and in some cases the entire core are being pushed out to the edge and becoming more distributed particularly when you look at private wireless and enterprise deployments. You often have a UPF sitting closer to the access and services side, often on the same server, talking to the control plane in the core network. The core network has traditionally been dominated by major TEMs delivering full-stack solutions to the worldwide coSP. This remains true, however, with the explosion of private wireless and Edge Solutions, a mix of new ISVs, smaller ISVs, and ISVs focused on very specific network functions are coming hard onto the scene. Although the specifications have always called for multi-vendor, it hasn't always been realized. In 3G and 4G, we typically had a complete solution delivered from a TEM. In 5G, we now have a service-based architecture on the control plane. So choosing best-in-class ISVs for each network function is becoming more common. A carrier may choose one TEM for the same SMF or AMF and may choose a different team for charging a difference ISV for something else and they all interoperate on the same network together. The same is also happening for UPF. It's not necessarily being bundled with the control plane anymore. CoSPs may choose to go for cost savings and look at a smaller ISV for UPF to pair with a larger TEM control plane for one example. We've seen separate but parallel wireless core transitions over the last decade. The transition from LTE to 5G non-standalone to 5G standalone, and the evolution of virtualization from fixed function to network functions virtualization to Cloud Native. Intel has been foundational to these transitions, defining and driving standards, building a robust global ecosystem, and delivering silicon and Intel technology-based solutions at scale. As a result, most core network and a few deployments use Intel CPUs. Intel has experience and knowledge from thousands of deployments. Thanks to Intel's efforts, NFV is maturing with an estimated 80 percent adoption rate by 2024. Now, Intel is focused on applying those same leadership strategies to advancing the Cloud Native 5G standalone core. Using Cloud Native architecture that can deliver the full promise of 5G, network slicing, and other innovative services to consumer and enterprise customers. Third-party data shows standalone 5G mobile core will overtake non-standalone this year as the prevalent architecture for net new deployments. Intel is leading ecosystem preparation to support the multiyear transition from containers to microservices with Cloud Native solutions. Let's look at some major trends that are arising in the transition to 5G Core. Cloud Native promises greater flexibility, efficiency, and control. Through our collaboration with the industry, we identified four categories of challenges created by the shift to Cloud Native architectures in the 5G core network, including a 3-4 times increase in latency and control plane, when a service mesh is used to manage the microservices. Distributed multi-vendor Cloud Native 5G networks have larger attack surfaces and potential vulnerabilities in distributed user and control planes. Capacity growth is challenged by central office and data center power limitations, increased sensitivity to sustainability, carbon footprint, and the TCO impact of power costs. Virtualization and Cloud Native environments make it more challenging to identify and resolve root causes. Meeting SLAs is critical to monetize new 5G use cases and improve customer retention rates. Intel is working to transform these challenges into opportunities, reduce complexity, and accelerate time-to-market. Just as NFV and SDN started in the coordinate work before gaining momentum in the rest of the network, we believe our solutions to these challenges may follow a similar path. Thankfully, as we will see in the next section, Intel is dedicated to addressing these concerns and more in the push to develop and promote a Cloud Native 5G SA core. Intel enabled the transformation of communication networks from fixed-function devices to virtualized and Cloud Native networks. To find and drove standards, built a robust global ecosystem, and delivered silicon and solutions at scale. This is especially true in the wireless core network, where Intel CPUs provide the foundation for most NFV deployments by continued leadership in virtualization and the transition to Cloud Native and continued investment in standards-based collaboration with the ecosystem and open source communities. Watch the next video to learn about Intel's industry-leading platforms for the 5G Wireless Core.
