SK Telecom researchers are inspecting a bare-metal based cloud-native core network at the SK Dunsan Building in Daejeon.
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-seon] SK Telecom announced on the 21st that it has commercialized a core network incorporating the latest technologies such as packet acceleration processing, path optimization, and multi-flow control for ultra-fast and large-capacity 5G services in collaboration with Ericsson.
SKT has become the first in the world to commercialize a new core network using a ‘bare-metal based cloud-native’ approach, improving traffic processing efficiency by up to 50% compared to the existing physical-based core.
The ‘bare-metal based cloud-native’ technology is an advanced system compared to traditional virtualization-based systems, which streamlines the system by preventing redundant installation of operating systems between hardware resources and virtual resources in the cloud. This advanced core network can quickly respond to rapid traffic increases such as communication equipment expansion in industrial sites or tourist spots and concert venues during holidays, reducing engineers’ working hours and enabling efficient handling.
World’s First Commercial Network Application of Advanced Cloud Technology
The ‘bare-metal based cloud-native’ method, commercialized first in the world by SKT and Ericsson, significantly increases the speed of applying new applications to the communication network and service stability compared to engineers managing equipment physically. It allows flexible network management and real-time recovery functions, enabling rapid response to network overloads or failures.
The core network using the ‘bare-metal based cloud-native’ method is expected to be suitable for various on-demand services required by personalized services or enterprises and institutions. It is anticipated to be widely used in building B2B solutions led by smart factories and various media services including the metaverse.
Leading the Evolution to 6G Infrastructure
In industrial sites, as advanced ICT services based on 5G, Internet of Things (IoT), and Artificial Intelligence (AI) increase, application development and modification for network advancement are frequently carried out. Telecom companies are making efforts to efficiently manage and automate the application integration and deployment process to properly accommodate these tasks.
Since 2019, SKT and Ericsson have been progressively developing and verifying the cloud-native based core network, and since November last year, they have been conducting tests for commercial service through full-scale equipment deployment.
SKT views the cloud-native based technology, a cutting-edge virtualization technology that will be used as the basic structure of the 6G core network, as a stepping stone leading from the advancement of 5G to the evolution of 6G. Through proactive adoption, SKT plans to lead the evolution of future communication infrastructure. To this end, it will continue to strengthen technological capabilities and research and development to complete infrastructure incorporating 6G mobile communication, ultra-precise network technology, and artificial intelligence technology by 2025.
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