Dell Technologies, Microsoft and Vodafone Business are combining private 5G and hybrid cloud at the on-premise edge in managed service offering
The needs of modern enterprises are becoming increasingly complex, increasingly quickly. The digital transformation imperative clearly involves leveraging hybrid cloud architectures extended all the way to the shop floor–the far edge–, deploying pervasive connectivity, and securely managing real-time data flows. When it all comes together, businesses become smarter, more efficient and more effective. To enable this global opportunity, Dell Technologies, Microsoft and Vodafone Business have come together with an end-to-end managed service that makes the underlying technology easy, so the enterprise’s focus stays on business outcomes.
During Mobile World Congress, RCR Wireless News discussed the partnership and what it can mean in terms of catalyzing Industry 4.0 initiatives. Jenn Didoni, head of cloud, edge and MPN for Vodafone Business explained it this way: “We like to talk about the cloud-to-edge continuum, and thinking about making sure that no matter what the use case for our customers, we have the right cloud and network configuration to keep their data where it needs to be and to secure the end-to-end [solution] and make sure that it’s performing where it needs to be.”
She referenced high-value, latency-sensitive use cases enabled by a dedicated edge solution that combines on-premises commuting with private cellular connectivity like autonomous guided vehicles and mixed reality user interfaces. “Really the things that are going to transform the industrial customers’ businesses.”
And these types of use cases, according to Dell’s Hyon Dijksterhuis, director of the telco line of business in EMEA, are “the use cases that our customers are looking for and are needing…It requires secure connectivity, reliable connectivity, and that’s how all of these customers are really needing both edge and private mobility to be addressed.”
Bringing the OT environment into the IT environment
A common theme in Industry 4.0 thinking is around the disconnect between IT systems and operational technology that is used at the edge, in the factory. Didoni framed this in two ways. First, neither Wi-Fi or Ethernet can holistically support mobility, which is necessary; meaning private 5G needs to be built into the larger IT estate. “Private 5G becomes a really door-opening, enabling technology for them,” she said. “But along with that comes the need to keep the data on-premise to have really low latency and very powerful data processing.”
Second, the OT side will sometimes design a solution for a specific operational environment, and IT will push back because now there’s “this island of connectivity and data” they can’t see or control. Back to the idea of a cloud-to-edge continuum, “That’s where you need this hybrid, connected cloud where you bring the OT environment into the IT environment and secure it all end-to-end.”
“And that’s exactly what we’re trying to do with Vodafone,” Dijksterhuis added. Customers “really are looking for one provider that addresses the whole end-to-end solution…They’re no longer interested in just the underlying technology. They’re really looking for business outcomes.”
For more information read, “Bringing sustainability and security to the edge.”
