Nokia brings Natural Language Processing to Network Management

Nokia Bell Labs is bringing natural language processing and AI/ML models, enabling network operators to use simple text or speech requests to manage network resources.

Natural-Language Networking is a component of UNEXT, a Nokia Bell Labs research initiative that will redefine network software and systems. UNEXT, which is named after UNIX, the legendary operating system (OS) invented by Bell Labs, aims to redefine network software and systems the same way UNIX reshaped computing.

Nokia showcased a proof-of-concept for the first time at this week’s Brooklyn 6G Summit in New York.

Csaba Vulkan, Network Systems Automation research leader, Nokia Bell Labs, said: “Operators won’t need to explore technical catalogues or complex API descriptions when they configure networks. Instead, a simple statement like ‘Optimize the network at X location for Y service’ will work. Those requests could be used to configure a wireless network in a factory for robot automation or optimize networks at a concert for a barrage of social media uploads.”

https://www.bell-labs.com/research-innovation/projects-and-initiatives/unext/

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Power Efficiency of Next Gen CPO Data Center Switches

Wondering how AI and ML are revolutionizing network architectures and what role co-packed optics (CPO) could play in lowering power consumption of data center switches? 

Max Simmons, Chief Marketing Officer from Micas Networks, and Andy Chen, Application Engineer at Broadcom, show off the new platform based on Broadcom's “Bailly” 51.2 Tbps CPO Switch:

- Max discusses the increasing need for bandwidth and networking due to the rise of AI and ML technologies.

- Max introduces Micas Networks' CPO-based switch which boasts significant power savings, developed in collaboration with Broadcom.

- Andy highlights the benefits of co-packaged optics used in the Bailly chip, demonstrating high-speed traffic traversing the switch.

https://youtu.be/E4gE8XEoGrQ

Filmed at OCP Summit 2023 (#OCPSummit23) in San Jose.

Check out OCP Summit 2023 videos here: https://ngi.fyi/ocpsummit23yt

Want to be involved our video series? Contact info@nextgeninfra.io
https://ngi.fyi/ocp23-micas-Max

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CXL Memory Expansions Will Transform Data Centers

The emerging CXL standard could be the key to scaling AI platforms and cloud infrastructure effectively. Thad Omura, SVP, Business and Corporate Development from Astera Labs, provides a tour of Astera Labs' booth at #OCPSummit23:

• - Discover how Astera Labs is accelerating and enabling PCI Express infrastructure to scale, especially as the number of GPUs and AI accelerators increase. With their industry-standard retimer technologies, you can extend the scale of AI cabling solutions by 3x, connecting more GPUs at a wider distance and at a much easier pace.
• - Learn about the interest in Astera Labs' CXL memory expanders and controllers. In partnership with Lenovo and AMD, they have achieved unprecedented memory capacity in a dual processor system, offering 133% more capacity of DRAM loaded into a volume dual socket server.
• - Explore Astera Labs' Ethernet retimer used for active electrical cases. These retimers allow 200, 400, and 800 Gbps connectivity in the rack and from switch to switch, enabling a variety of cabling solutions for customers and providing them with the most innovative test platform for volume production.

https://youtu.be/95C68NUqcH8

Filmed at OCP Summit 2023 (#OCPSummit23) in San Jose. Want to be involved our video series? Contact info@nextgeninfra.io

Check out OCP Summit 2023 videos here: https://ngi.fyi/ocpsummit23yt

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Texas Instruments breaks ground on 2nd 300-mm wafer fab in Utah

Texas Instruments commenced construction on its second 300-mm wafer fab in Lehi, Utah.

LFAB2 will complement TI’s existing 300-mm wafer fabs, which include LFAB1 (Lehi, Utah), DMOS6 (Dallas), and RFAB1 and RFAB2 (both in Richardson, Texas). TI is also building four new 300-mm wafer fabs in Sherman, Texas (SM1, SM2, SM3 and SM4), with production from the first fab as early as 2025.

TI’s manufacturing expansions, with anticipated support from the CHIPS and Science Act, will provide reliable supply of analog and embedded processing products. 

In February, TI announced its $11 billion investment in Utah, marking the largest economic investment in state history. LFAB2 will create approximately 800 additional TI jobs as well as thousands of indirect jobs, with first production available as early as 2026.

https://news.ti.com/

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Momentum deploys Ciena’s 400ZR for Azure ExpressRoute interconnect

Momentum, a managed cloud services provider based in Atlanta, is utilizing Ciena's (Waveserver 5 compact interconnect platform, for connectivity to cloud computing platforms, such as Microsoft’s Azure.

The Ciena platform is powered by WaveLogic 5 Nano (WL5n) 400ZR coherent pluggable transceivers, .

Momentum is moving to 400G technology to address strong growth in the metro and increased opportunities stemming from its work as a Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute partner. 

“Our enterprise customers have to move very large data sets and files to the cloud for analysis and manipulation in real time. With Ciena’s innovative coherent pluggable technology, we can satisfy their rigorous bandwidth needs—and do so both efficiently and sustainably,” said Ande Hornig, Executive Vice President, Network Services, at Momentum.

Momentum is also using Ciena’s edge-optimized, compact Coherent ELS open line system to achieve lower latency and operational simplicity while delivering higher-quality experiences to its customers. End-to-end network visibility and assurance is provided by Ciena’s Manage, Control and Plan (MCP) domain controller.

“As cloud connectivity demands continue to grow, Ciena’s WL5n 400ZR and Coherent ELS allow Momentum to rapidly add capacity and turn up new circuits and services without costly truck rolls or major infrastructure upgrades. This is central to nimbly meeting the rigorous needs of cloud customers while keeping capex and opex in check,” said Kevin Sheehan, CTO of the Americas, at Ciena.

https://www.ciena.com

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Portugal’s LigaT deploys 400GE-capable backbone based on Nokia 7750

LigaT will deploy  a 400GE-capable network across Portugal using Nokia’s 7750 Service Router (SR) and 7250 Interconnect Router (IXR) systems.

The new infrastructure allows LigaT, a regional ISP offering multi-play media services to consumers throughout Portugal, to connect its sites from different cities for the delivery of its internet services.

Pau Nadeu Rabat, founder and CTO at Network Hero, said: “It is a pleasure to work with innovative companies like LigaT who push the envelope of innovation and demand to deploy networking solutions that are built from cutting-edge routing technology.”

https://www.nokia.com/about-us/news/releases/2023/11/02/nokia-selected-by-ligat-to-power-its-national-ip-core-and-transport-network/

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Windstream Enterprise offers SASE and SSE with Cato Networks

Windstream Enterprise (WE) has launched Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) and Security Service Edge (SSE) solutions  powered by Cato Networks for U.S.-based companies that operate internationally. Through these solutions, customers with a worldwide footprint gain access to a single, integrated network security infrastructure to protect their data, resources and employees domestically and overseas. This gives customers the assurance that all of their locations are secure in whichever country they operate.

Windstream Enterprise’s cloud-native and fully managed SASE and SSE services, powered by Cato SASE Cloud, leverage Cato Networks’ dedicated, private backbone with more than 80 points of presence (PoPs) worldwide to provide users everywhere with optimized secure access to corporate resources and websites. Security has become more effective and easier to maintain because SASE from Windstream Enterprise unifies security policies governing users in and out of the office, regardless of device or location—domestically and internationally. 

Windstream Enterprise is the first North American-based managed service provider to offer this international solution.

As part of the global SASE and SSE offerings, organizations also gain access to Windstream Enterprise's WE Connect customer portal for monitoring, configuring, analyzing and automating every element of their network and its security framework, including:

• Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN)
• Firewall as a Service (FwaaS)
• Secure Web Gateway (SWG)
• Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)
• Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB)
• Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
• Next-Gen Anti-Malware (NGAM)
• Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)
• Managed Detection & Response (MDR)
• Remote Browser Interface (RBI) 

“Many companies based in the U.S. that operate internationally are relying on multiple security solutions, which creates vulnerabilities in their networks and increases management headaches,” said Art Nichols, chief technology officer, Windstream Enterprise. “By unifying network and security components across borders with Cato, these enterprises get a more reliable, secure network with the added benefit of reduced management needs.”

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Cloudflare’s Q3 revenue rises 32% yoy to $336 million

Cloudflare reported Q3 revenue of $335.6 million, representing an increase of 32% year-over-year. Non-GAAP net income was $55.3 million, compared to $19.1 million in the third quarter of 2022. Non-GAAP net income per diluted share was $0.16, compared to $0.06 in the third quarter of 2022.

“We delivered another strong quarter, growing revenue by 32% year-over-year to $335.6 million and delivering our fifth consecutive quarter of record operating profitability,” said Matthew Prince, co-founder & CEO of Cloudflare. “In our third quarter, we relentlessly innovated and accelerated our efforts in AI, announcing the most complete platform to deploy fast, secure, compliant AI inference at scale with Workers AI—along with several partnerships and collaborations with the who’s who of AI. We believe inference is the biggest opportunity in AI, and inference tasks will largely be run on end devices and on connectivity clouds like Cloudflare. By the end of 2024, we expect to have inference-optimized GPUs running in nearly every location where Cloudflare operates worldwide—within milliseconds of every Internet user.”

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Viavi sales dropped 20% yoy in latest quarter

Viavi posted net revenue of $247.9 million for its first fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2023, down $62.3 million or 20.1% year-over-year.

Non-GAAP operating margin was 12.4%, down 930 bps year-over-year, slightly below the low-end of the company’s guidance range.

Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $0.09, down $0.14 or 60.9% year-over-year.

"VIAVI end markets spend environment continued to be challenging during the September quarter, particularly with the service providers in North America.  In view of these continued headwinds, our revenue came in slightly below the mid-point of our guidance with stronger OSP demand helping to offset weaker telecom revenues. Our EPS came in at the low end of our guidance range, driven by lower volume and higher taxes due to less favorable geographic revenue mix," said Oleg Khaykin, VIAVI's President and Chief Executive Officer.

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