Nokia Siemens Networks has demonstrated that core virtualization and cloud management are viable technologies for deployment by operators.
The scope of the project included identifying the requirements for cloud computing and virtualizing the mobile core network elements in the cloud. The virtualizations approach is part of the company's Liquid Core architecture.
Core virtualization is deployed in steps starting with hardware consolidation. Nokia Siemens Networks' core network products already run on a common hardware platform, which is commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware based on Advanced Telecommunications Computing Architecture (ATCA).
In the second step, a common virtualization infrastructure enables the core applications to share the resources of the common COTS ATCA hardware pool according to traffic needs.
This proof of concept, which will be further developed commercially, has demonstrated Nokia Siemens Networks' capability to deploy core network element software into a virtualized infrastructure.
Core virtualization helps operators achieve greater hardware efficiency and flexibility by dynamically allocating network resources and processing power to where they are needed.