DISH will use IBM’s automation software and services to deploy and manage its 5G network. A newly announced deal will see IBM Global Business Services (GBS) provide IBM Cloud Pak for Network Automation for network orchestration and automation.
DISH said this would accelerate the delivery of new services and network slicing when it turns on its 5G network this year.
DISH said it is using orchestration to give it the ability to convert a business intent into the automated workflow, modelling services and the intent at the design level. It added that automation is the entry point into orchestration. Further, DISH is one operator that remains bullish around the potential for network slicing, and it says that working with IBM to use AI and automation to “simultaneously regulate the lifecycle, optimise the performance and guarantee customer-specific needs of each network slice” will be a key differentiator for it in the enterprise market.
Steve Goetz, vice president and senior partner, IBM Global Business Services, told TMN, “Most of the network and slice management operations will be automated. This includes the creation of the network and the slice, the scaling in/out of the network and slice as well as the healing of the network and slice. AI Intelligence will be used to determine the actions to take (e.g. scaling, healing, re-homing) of the slice that will then be actioned by intent-driven orchestration.”
The scope of the arrangement includes all of the orchestration and slice management functions for all domains of the network.
With DISH deploying network functions as in AWS cloud environments, TMN asked how Cloud Pak Network Automation will interface with those cloud platforms?
Goetz said, “Cloud Pak for Network Automation will run within DISH’s AWS environments. It will orchestrate all of the Network Functions, including those that will run in the AWS environment.”
