Cloud infrastructure
Cloud infrastructure, driven by rapid advancements in 5G, edge computing and cloud-native technologies, presents significant opportunities for communication service providers (CSPs) to enhance efficiency, support innovative services and unlock new business potential. Discover how to best leverage, build and transform cloud infrastructure to meet the demands of next-generation networks and services, supported by proven, telecom-grade solutions.
Cloud infrastructure explained
Cloud infrastructure is the combination of hardware, software, networking, storage and virtualization technologies that form the backbone of modern telecom networks. It provides the essential resources required to build and manage flexible cloud environments, enabling CSPs to deliver services more efficiently and at scale.
Cloud infrastructure architecture allows these resources to be dynamically allocated and shared across applications. This is critical for managing network functions, operations support systems (OSS), business support systems (BSS) and other IT services. The flexibility of cloud infrastructure enables CSPs to reduce operational costs and improve performance, particularly as they prepare for 5G rollouts.
Cloud infrastructure is typically delivered through “as a service” models such as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS). This offers CSPs the flexibility to adopt tailored solutions based on their specific needs.
How does cloud infrastructure work?
Traditionally, CSPs relied on dedicated, on-premises infrastructure for each application, using physical network functions and monolithic architectures with tightly coupled components. This approach resulted in complex, manual operations and limited scalability, making it challenging to adapt to changing market demands.
As the industry required greater agility and cost efficiency, the introduction of network virtualization enabled CSPs to transition towards more dynamic and scalable infrastructure. By decoupling hardware – such as compute, network and storage resources – from the applications that use them, virtualization allowed CSPs to create a shared pool of resources that could be allocated as needed, leading to more efficient infrastructure use.
The journey of cloud infrastructure now continues with the adoption of cloud native technologies, representing the next evolution in architecture. Allowing CSPs to deploy applications using containers and microservices directly on bare metal infrastructure, cloud native technologies further enhance agility, making it faster and more efficient to deploy new services. It also drives innovation, enabling CSPs to respond quickly to market changes and scale as needed , especially as they prepare for 5G rollouts and beyond.
Key benefits of telco cloud infrastructure
Cloud infrastructure enables resource sharing and offers a unified structure that simplifies service management and reduces costs. As a result, CSPs can dynamically allocate resources, scale efficiently and streamline operations – essential capabilities to remain competitive in the rapidly evolving telecom landscape.
Decrease costs
Share resources across applications for optimized workloads and reduced infrastructure costs by minimizing dependence on dedicated hardware.
Streamlined operations
Manage a unified infrastructure through centralized tools and automate workflows to simplify operations, accelerate deployments and reduce complexity.
Faster time to market
Deploy applications with pre-configured cloud environments and automated workflows.
Accelerated innovation
Leverage cloud infrastructure and APIs to enable developers to rapidly build, test and deploy new applications for next-generation services.
Scale dynamically
Scale resources and services up or down, ensuring flexibility to manage fluctuating demand and support 5G rollouts or other high-demand services.
Increase flexibility
Leverage cloud-native technologies to adapt quickly to changing requirements, enabling dynamic service deployment.
How to navigate the evolving landscape: key considerations
Are you ready to take the next step in transforming your infrastructure to meet the demands of next-generation networks and services? Before embarking on this journey, there are several critical areas CSPs should consider for a successful transformation.
- Use cases and business strategy for growth
- Application characteristics
- Capacity to handle end-to-end lifecycle management (LCM) and support
- In-house competence and operation model
- Flexibility versus minimizing complexity
- Multi-cloud strategy and openness
- Country-specific telco-regulations and data sovereignty
As cloud infrastructure continues to progress, CSPs must also align their cloud strategies with the technological shifts that are driving the industry. The evolution from virtualized environments to cloud native architectures is unlocking new levels of efficiency and agility, enabling innovative use cases that were previously out of reach.
At the same time, the choice of deployment models is evolving. CSPs can now adopt models ranging from private to Hyperscale Cloud Provider (HCP) public and hybrid cloud approaches, providing greater flexibility, scalability and operational benefits. These models allow infrastructure to be tailored according to operational goals and strategic needs.
Let’s explore how these advancements are shaping cloud infrastructure choices, and how CSPs can leverage them to stay ahead in this dynamic landscape.
Deployment options: choose between a private, HCP public or hybrid cloud
The evolution of cloud deployment models has been shaped by the need for greater flexibility, performance and efficiency in managing infrastructure. CSPs select these models based on their strategic goals and operational model requirements, ensuring alignment with their overall business objectives. In the telecom industry, these requirements are even more critical where low latency, high security and data resiliency are essential for maintaining telecom-grade operations.
For many CSPs, the private cloud remains the predominant choice for achieving this, offering the needed control, security and customization . Multi-cloud strategies, where multiple private clouds are optimized for different workloads, are also increasingly common. At the same time, CSPs are adopting hybrid cloud strategies that integrate private with HCP public cloud use for non-critical workloads, offering additional flexibility and scalability where needed.
Leveraging cloud native technologies for flexible, future-ready infrastructure
Cloud native infrastructure provides the flexibility to support both cloud-native functions (CNFs) and virtual network functions (VNFs), particularly on bare metal deployments as CSPs modernize their networks. With VNFs expected to remain a part of network ecosystems for some time, having the capability to co-exist with CNFs on a unified platform enables CSPs to seamlessly bridge legacy and next-generation functions. This approach allows for a gradual, low-risk transition to cloud native technologies, adapting to evolving network demands while maintaining operational stability.
Deploying both CNFs and VNFs directly on bare metal infrastructure eliminates the need for additional virtualization layers, which can optimize hardware usage and significantly reduce TCO. By streamlining architecture and minimizing excess layers, CSPs can achieve meaningful cost savings and improved performance across their network infrastructure.
This efficiency sets the stage for effective management through container orchestration. Platforms like Kubernetes play a crucial role by managing containerized functions across central, edge and private cloud deployments. Kubernetes automates scaling, resource management and failover, ensuring high availability and optimal performance, particularly in 5G and edge computing environments.
As the adoption of a distributed cloud model grows, the role of container orchestration becomes even more critical. Achieving operational efficiency and the right level of functionality in this complex environment requires a centralized and unified automation system. Such a system is essential for CSPs to effectively operate their networks, allowing them to manage resources across multiple cloud locations. This ensures consistent performance, compliance and security while simplifying operational complexities.
Overcoming key challenges
As CSPs continue to navigate the complexities of adopting 5G core and cloud native technologies, they face several key challenges. Overcoming these hurdles can be difficult without the right guidance and support.
Ensuring clear accountability during operations for LCM and support
Simplifying integration of fragmented components
Optimizing the utilization of resources
Key considerations for CSPs
Strategic insights for your journey
Our system verification methodology
To address the complex challenges CSPs face when deploying cloud infrastructure, Ericsson follows a system verification methodology. This approach ensures all solutions are thoroughly tested, verified and optimized for telecom-grade performance.
Through rigorous verification, we not only ensure seamless compatibility and consistent upgrades but also deliver robust, high-performance solutions across diverse components, empowering CSPs to meet demanding operational requirements with confidence.
The key stages of our system verification methodology include:
- Reference architecture and configurations
- Solution verification
- End-to-end system optimization
- End-to-end release management and support
- Industrialized service assets
- Applications verification
Explore the key stages of our system verification methodology
Why choose Ericsson cloud infrastructure
As the telecom industry shifts toward 5G and cloud native technologies, CSPs need more than just technology: they need a trusted partner who delivers proven results. Ericsson stands out with its global leadership, proven expertise and ability to handle the most complex telecom environments.
Ericsson’s cloud infrastructure solutions – trusted by industry leaders like Swisscom, Telefónica, Wind Tre, Telstra, SKT and DOCOMO – offer the agility and performance needed to power next-generation networks while simplifying operations and reducing costs.
System-verified full stack solution: telecom-grade confidence
Ericsson offers a system-verified and pre-integrated solution specifically designed for telecom workloads. Every component has been tested for seamless operation, providing telecom-grade reliability and confidence that your network will run smoothly, no matter the demands or scale of your deployment.
Cloud native and open architecture: interoperability
Built on open-source technologies, Ericsson’s infrastructure supports multi-vendor hardware and open APIs, ensuring true interoperability and future-proof scalability.
Single point of accountability: one hand to shake
As the prime integrator, Ericsson provides a single point of accountability for LCM and support, simplifying operations and minimizing risks. You only deal with one trusted partner for seamless end-to-end management, lower TCO and efficient operations.
Bare metal leadership with global expertise
Ericsson has the largest number of live bare metal deployments across the globe. This unmatched experience and proven expertise in managing large-scale, telecom-grade infrastructures allow us to deliver optimized performance, reliability and cost savings.
