How Intel is Driving Network Transformation to Unlock the Full Potential of 5G - Futurum Tech Podcast - Interview Series

On this special episode of the Futurum Tech Podcast - Interview Series, host Daniel Newman welcomes Dan Rodriguez, Vice President Network Platforms Group and GM Communication Infrastructure Division at Intel to discuss the proliferation of 5G, network platforms, and the impact COVID-19 is having on technology.

Intel’s Response to COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has made it clear that technology is an essential part of our lives and how we conduct business. Intel has pledged an additional $50 billion to help support the use of technology for patient care, online education, and scientists who are searching for a cure. Intel employees are essential workers who are keeping the networks and technology up and running so we can continue to function on a personal level, business level and global level. 

COVID-19’s Impact on 5G Networks

Prior to the pandemic, the big topic in networking for 2020 was 5G. Despite the current macroeconomic uncertainty, Dan shared that most of Intel’s customers and partners are continuing with their planned pace of 5G deployment. Networking and the infrastructure needed to support the advancements of the technology are critical.

We are seeing a lot of governments worldwide recognize the need for this critical infrastructure and many are including the support for infrastructure in stimulus packages.

Our current infrastructure has been essential for how economies are able to sustain during this crisis. The work that intel has done has been paramount to keeping our economy running, business operating, and students learning.

Industry Response to COVID-19

Intel works with a lot of cloud and communication service providers. These customers have made small adjustments in their networks and will likely make more adjustments as demand and traffic on the networks continues to increase.

Besides the immediate changes, many customers are focused on building out infrastructure to support what’s coming in the future. CoSPs are preparing for 5G. Businesses are preparing to utilize the next wave of compute infrastructure — edge technology.

Dan shared that companies are ramping up their investments in 5G and edge computing in a big way — and it shows. 

Intel’s Investments to Unlock the Full Potential of 5G

In February, Intel announced new products and investments that have showcased their broad portfolio from both a silicon and software perspective. Unlocking the full potential of 5G requires network transformation and Intel is ready to drive this forward.

The first announcement was additional investments to the Xeon Scalable platform which is the foundation of many networks worldwide with over 30 million units sold. Dan shared that in addition to enhancing the architecture and CPU, the company has also made adjustments to other platform ingredients that go around it like ethernet controllers.

Intel has also made significant investments in many open source communities like Linux Foundation DPDK and CNCF. These investments and contributions really enable the core networks today, as well as the future.

The company has made continued progress on the journey of network transformation with virtualization. Last year 40 percent of all core network deployments beame virtualized. By 2024, Intel expected that number to be 80 percent which will be fueled by 5G investments.

Intel also announced the Atom P5900 platform, the first SoC built from the ground up to meet the needs of a Radio Access Network including low-latency and high-bandwidth. This platform will deliver what’s required for 5G base stations today and in the future.

The final significant announcement, the Intel Ethernet 700 Series Network Adapter, will give radio access networks the additional functionality needed to handle the latency requirements across 5G network implementations.

Customers need to invest in networks that have the end-to-end architecture that can support the increased demand from 5G and other emerging technologies. With these new announcements, Intel is a leading provider in base stations going forward working with customers to meet the new demands.

If you’d like to learn more about Intel’s announcements, products, investments or their response to COVID-19, visit their website. Be sure to listen to the full episode below and while you’re at it make sure you hit subscribe so you never miss an episode.