Spanish infrastructure operator Cellnex Telecom has teamed up with Lenovo and Nearby Computing to launch edge computing solutions based on Intel technology to enable smart network edge management as a service for telecommunications operators, large corporations or public entities. The aim is to help MNOs improve performance, make significant savings in their networks and enable new revenue streams by driving substantial parts of existing and future data traffic to the network edge. Existing networks will also be able to reduce the expected traffic load and optimise backhauling costs, said Cellnex.
The partners worked closely with Intel to design the converged edge platform, using Intel Distribution of OpenVINO Toolkit for AI inferencing, with plans to incorporate OpenNESS for networking workloads in the future. Cellnex said this modular approach allows users to customise the platform for location-specific demands across the edge, and for deployment over wide or smaller areas via targeted use cases.
The joint platform is based on the Lenovo ThinkSystem family of offerings, including the SE350, described as the first in a range of servers specifically tailored to the edge environment. Some of the edge cloud computing systems have already been implemented in Barcelona to develop different use cases such as Enterprise Edge, focused on enterprise customers or music and sports events, or Green Edge, which enables solutions for Smart Cities or future mobility services while improving network performance in rural areas.
