In occasione della ARM TechCon 2014, evento dedicato ai prodotti e alle tecnologie basate su ARM, Advanced Micro Devices ha presentato la sua prima soluzione dedicata alla virtualizzazione delle funzioni di rete (Network Function Virtualization, NFV), un tema di notevole valenza strategica nell'ambito delle reti di telecomunicazione dal momento che esso, in virtù della capacità di disaccoppiare i servizi di rete offerti mediante un guscio di natura software dall'hardware sottostante, promette agli operatori del CHT non soltanto il miglioramento delle prestazioni ma anche il contenimento dei costi sia in fase di distribuzione che di gestione.
AMD ha mostrato, più in dettaglio, una piattaforma per NFV basata su un SoC (nome in codice: Hierofalcon) in architettura ARM a 64-bit destinato alla commercializzazione nell'ambito della linea AMD Embedded R-Series. Le possibili
implementazioni del SoC Hierofalcon prevedono l'utilizzo di un numero massimo di core CPU Cortex-A57 pari a 8 e l'integrazione di un memory controller a 64-bit per RAM DDR3 o DDR4, capace di lavorare in dual-channel con supporto ECC. Il SoC Hierofalcon supporta inoltre le connessioni 10Gb KR Ethernet e PCI-Express Gen 3.
In collaborazione con Aricent e Mentor Graphics AMD ha presentato una piattaforma di NFV Linux-based che, utilizzando il SoC Hierofalcon a livello hardware, ha permesso di gestire delle chiamate telefoniche provenienti da un simulatore di terminale di tipo Evolved Node B (eNodeB), coincidente nella pratica con un cellulare o un tablet, fornendo svariati servizi di rete "virtuali", come il Serving Gateway (SGW), il Packet Data Network Gateway (PGW) e la Mobility Management Entity (MME).
La disponibilità sul mercato del SoC Hierofalcon nell'ambito della linea Embedded R-Series di AMD è prevista per la prima metà del 2015, mentre primi sample sono in arrivo presso i centri di sviluppo dei partner di AMD.
Segue il comunicato stampa ufficiale in lingua originale.
ARM TechCon - AMD (NYSE: AMD) today demonstrated the first network function virtualization (NFV) solution on AMD's 64-bit ARM-based SoC and announced that it is now sampling to AMD's embedded customers. The NFV demonstration is powered
by a 64-bit ARM-based AMD Embedded R-Series SoC, codenamed "Hierofalcon," supported with technology from two key ecosystem partners -- Aricent for the networking software stack and Mentor Graphics for embedded Linux and tools. NFV is an
innovative solution that simplifies deployment and management for network and telecommunications service providers with a fully virtualized communications infrastructure that helps maximize performance, while working to reduce costs.
At ARM TechCon, AMD specifically showcased the capabilities of an ARM-based NFV solution, virtualizing the functionality of a packet data network gateway, serving gateway, and a mobility management entity. In addition to virtualizing
hardware components, AMD showcased a live traffic migration between the ARM-based AMD Embedded R-Series SoC and the x86-based second generation AMD R-Series APU. AMD's ARM-based NFV solution will be especially valuable for
telecommunications network infrastructure providers interested in a flexible software-defined networking (SDN) implementation to manage networking services with configurable hardware to help reduce complexity and cost. NFV is the
abstraction of numerous network devices such as routers and gateways, to enable relocation of network functions from dedicated hardware appliances to generic servers. With NFV, much of the intelligence currently built into proprietary,
specialized hardware is accomplished with software running on general purpose hardware. The resulting solution is a fully virtualized communications infrastructure -- including virtual servers, storage and networks -- that simplifies
deployment and management for network and telecommunications service providers. AMD is paving the way for both new and established service providers to design and deploy either x86 or ARM-based NFV infrastructure which meets their
performance, cost and complexity requirements.
"NFV and SDN will revolutionize the next generation of networks. Together, they add flexibility, scalability, intelligence and reuse to almost every aspect of the network," said Adrian Neal, Technology Leader, Vodafone Group Services
Ltd. "By leveraging ARM and x86 architectures and NFV, AMD is moving beyond just enabling enterprise and data center solutions, to the communications backbone where service providers need cost reduction and increased bandwidth."
"From the networks to the data center, the telecommunications landscape is rapidly changing as an explosion of devices and new methods of communication spanning videos, images and data drive the need for more efficient networking
infrastructure," said Scott Aylor, corporate vice president and general manager, AMD Embedded Solutions. "Demonstrated by our first NFV demo on a 64-bit ARM-based SoC, AMD is moving forward with new ARM and x86 solutions that offer OEMS
and telecommunications providers with innovative ways to more cost-effectively design, deploy and manage networking services."
"In collaboration with AMD and Aricent, we are enabling a flexible, efficient, open approach to addressing the needs of telecommunications subscribers and meeting performance requirements for rapidly-evolving infrastructure for
deployment by telecommunications operators," said Charlene Marini, vice president of marketing, embedded segment, ARM. "The NFV solution on AMD's 64-bit ARM-based 'Hierofalcon' SoC delivers efficient platforms to accommodate the growing
demands of subscribers and operators alike."
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