Digital transformation is the cornerstone of economic growth and innovation across the Middle East. However, as digital transformation advances, enterprise services will pose new requirements on data communication networks.
First, massive numbers of IoT connections demand ultra-broadband and ubiquitous connectivity. Second, enterprise branch services are gradually moving to the cloud, requiring networks to provide flexible deployment and fast cloudification capabilities. Third, new services need to be rolled out on a large scale and services need frequent adjustments, requiring networks to be agile, secure, and efficient. Finally, video conferencing is becoming commonplace, meaning that networks have to provide deterministic experience assurance.
According to the global ICT leader, Huawei, as digital transformation continues to spread across industries, Wide Area Networks (WANs) have to change, to embrace enterprise cloudification and transform Internet Protocol (IP)-based production networks.
According to Gartner, more than half of enterprise IT spending, equivalent to almost $1.8 trillion, in key market segments will shift to the cloud by 2025. These key categories include application software, infrastructure software, business process services and system infrastructure markets.
Furthermore, given the maturity of IP technologies — such as Service Routing over IPv6 (SRv6) and Flexible Ethernet (FlexE) — allied to the flexible deployment and converged transport advantages of IP networks, services that used to be carried by multiple Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) production networks can now be carried over a single IP network, slashing Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for enterprises.
To address these challenges, Huawei launched its cutting-edge CloudWAN solution. This solution is a next-generation agile, intelligent, and secure WAN solution based on IPv6 Enhanced — a digital infrastructure intelligent foundation. The CloudWAN solution uses key technologies such as SRv6, network slicing, intelligent cloud-map algorithm, and In-situ Flow Information Telemetry (IFIT).
During the Huawei Network Summit held during the Middle East & Central Asia Tech Carnival in Almaty, Kazakhstan, experts from Huawei Enterprise Router Domain and the IETF Internet Architecture Board (IAB), along with representatives from governments, power industries, and oil and gas industries in the Middle East & Central Asia region, gathered at the CloudWAN Workshop to discuss network standards innovation and industry digital transformation.
Wu Lianhe, President of Huawei Enterprise Router Domain, told attendees that as the global economy gradually recovers, he believes that a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation will gain momentum and that digital technologies will develop rapidly. Intelligent cloud networks have been facilitating the transformation and upgrade of numerous industries, and digitalization has become the driving force for enterprise growth. Looking ahead, Huawei will continue to pursue technological innovation and excellence.
Huawei Data Communication Research & Standards
During the event, Zhang Liang, Head of Huawei Data Communication Research, highlighted Huawei’s breakthroughs with fundamental technologies in fields such as software, hardware, traffic forwarding, AI, and algorithms. These key capabilities deployed on resource highlands help address challenges through continuous innovation.
In terms of Huawei’s contributions to standards and IPv6 Enhanced innovation logic and development, Mr. Zhu Keyi, Head of Huawei Data Communication Standards, highlighted Huawei’s continuous investment in data communication solution R&D and its contributions to industry development through standards work. The innovative IPv6 Enhanced solution lays a solid foundation for IP networks, provides better connectivity, and enables the on-demand addition of network functions, delivering the ultimate network-service collaboration experience.
IETF IAB member Wu Qin also introduced Huawei’s autonomous driving network. He shed light on Network Digital Map, which serves as an intelligent cockpit to provide closed-loop management covering network planning, construction, maintenance, optimization, and operations through network perception, analysis, decision-making, and topology collection.
Industry Digital Transformation Innovations and Applications
Bao Lei, Chief Architect of Enterprise Router Solutions, Huawei shared innovative applications in the government and power sectors at the event. He explained that IPv6 Enhanced is an IP network innovation system oriented to the 5G and cloud era. It includes protocol innovations such as network slicing, in-band flow measurement, and service-driven network, as well as technology innovations represented by network intelligence, such as network analysis, self-healing, and automated optimization.
This innovation system comprehensively improves IPv6 capabilities in six dimensions: ubiquitous connectivity, ultra-high bandwidth, automation, deterministic quality, low latency, and security. IPv6 Enhanced-based innovations well meet industry network requirements, making it possible to build experience-centric full-service networks. During the workshop, experts from various parties engaged in a lively discussion regarding the development of IFIT in-band flow measurement and how to guarantee the latency of slices in production network scenarios. Additionally, they delved into the future direction of network development and industry prospects.
