- Key step toward realizing highly-available and flexible mobile networks -
DOCOMO and NEC also successfully onboarded NEC's 5G User Plane Function*1 software dedicated to edge computing (Edge UPF) on the AWS Graviton3*2 processor. The verification is expected to support the faster construction and reduced energy consumption of 5GCs and Edge UPFs for IoT use cases.
According to
"Traditional network architectures require mobile network operators to build capacity to support peak traffic, a level that might only be reached a couple times a year, or design costly back-up networks for redundancy in the event of a natural disaster," said
A demonstration environment based on the design will be showcased at the AWS exhibition booth, AWS Next Level, Upper Walkway, South Entrance,
1. User Plane Function is the part of the network that connects data from wireless networks to the Internet.
2. The AWS Graviton is a processor developed by AWS for its cloud computing service. Graviton3 is the third-generation processor and Graviton2 is the second-generation processor.
https://aws.amazon.com/ec2/graviton/
Appendix Abstract
DOCOMO and NEC launched their proof-of-concept test of a 5GC hybrid cloud environment leveraging AWS in March 2022*1. Last September, they confirmed a 5GC deployed on the predecessor Graviton2 processor succeeded in reducing 5GC power consumption by an average of 72% as well as they completed in deploying a 5GC hybrid-cloud environment leveraging AWS and DOCOMO's on-premises infrastructure.*2
DOCOMO's commercial network is designed to switch to a backup network equipment in the case of system failure to ensure the provision of uninterrupted network service. DOCOMO and NEC have been working on a design that enables switching to a backup 5GC in a hybrid cloud leveraging DOCOMO's on-premises and AWS. The companies completed the basic design after solving various connection matters involving DOCOMO's on-premises infrastructure and switching method to enable the incorporation of AWS functions.
In order to onboard an Edge UPF on the new Graviton3 processor, various issues needed to be resolved due to the UPF's method of processing user communications and its use of various technologies including acceleration, which made it difficult to port the device to different CPU architectures. Performance test of the Edge UPF deployed on the Graviton3 confirmed that throughput per CPU improved by 20% compared to a UPF running on conventional architecture.*3 Verification Test of edge UPF on Graviton3
Throughput performance was quantified by running NEC's UPF software on an AWS Graviton3 processor to simulate commercial operation. The experimental UPF was implemented on two Amazon Elastic Compute Clouds (Amazon EC2s), one using the AWS Graviton3 and the other a sixth-generation x86 processor. Throughput was measured by gradually transmitting more user packets of typical commercial size to the UPF in each 5GC.
This press release is based on results obtained from "
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