Find out what it takes to transition telecom networks to cloud-native architectures at the Big Communications Event in Austin in May!

Roz Roseboro, Consulting Analyst, Light Reading

April 24, 2018

2 Min Read
Telco Journey to Cloud-Native: We Want What They've Got

There's little argument that the ultimate architecture for telecom operators to deliver virtual network functions (VNFs) will be the cloud. But the road to Valhalla is littered with monolithic software, manual processes and purpose-built hardware.

The cloud titans have shown the way, with containerized, open source software stacks that are dynamically orchestrated using automation that allows them to run their vast, white box-based, disaggregated hardware estates with a fraction of the staff the telecom operators use. There's nothing that precludes telecom operators from doing the same, and yet "cloud native" remains a hazy vision on the horizon. Why is that?

I'm glad you asked.

During Light Reading's Big Communications Event in Austin next month, I’ll be leading a panel discussion called "Going Cloud Native." Here, we'll talk about what cloud native means -- and trust me, it does mean different things to different people.

More importantly, we'll talk about what the industry still needs to work on in order to realize the benefits of going cloud native.

Certainly the vendors who own the VNFs play a role, as they're the ones responsible for ensuring their software can be distributed onto standard servers and automatically orchestrated to deliver services.

The open source and standards communities are also important in developing the software, including important interfaces, that are needed to make everything work together harmoniously, while maintaining flexibility and choice.

And then there are the telecom operators. We'll hear about their successes and challenges, their concerns and aspirations.

The goal is to honestly and rationally assess where we are today, and what needs to be done to get us to the magical nirvana that going cloud-native promises.

To find out more, join us in Austin May 14-16 to boost your knowledge about cloud-native software and innovation driving data center transformation, for the fifth-annual Big Communications Event May 14-16. The event is free for communications service providers -- secure your seat today!

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— Roz Roseboro, Senior Analyst, Heavy Reading

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About the Author(s)

Roz Roseboro

Consulting Analyst, Light Reading

Roz Roseboro has more than 20 years' experience in market research, marketing and product management. Her research focuses on how innovation and change are impacting the compute, network and storage infrastructure domains within the data centers of telecom operators. She monitors trends such as how open source is impacting the development process for telecom, and how telco data centers are transforming to support SDN, NFV and cloud. Roz joined Heavy Reading following eight years at OSS Observer and Analysys Mason, where she most recently managed its Middle East and Africa regional program, and prior to that, its Infrastructure Solutions and Communications Service Provider programs. She spent five years at RHK, where she ran the Switching and Routing and Business Communication Services programs. Prior to becoming an analyst, she worked at Motorola on IT product development and radio and mobile phone product management.

Roz holds a BA in English from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and an MBA in marketing, management, and international business from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University. She is based in Chicago. 

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