Simplify Edge Computing with "Edge in a Box"

Introducing Edge in a Box

WWT's blueprint for Edge in a Box, a portable version of WWT's Converged Edge Platform solution, is a simple OEM-specific package that makes it easy for our clients to purchase and integrate the solution into their facilities. The portable blueprint for Edge in a Box is designed to operate on a single server, but it can scale to two or more edge servers to meet the growing demand of private LTE/5G services and hosted applications.

Edge in a Box premiered at the World Wide Technology Raceway in a scenario designed to demonstrate Athonet's Private LTE Evolved Packet Core (EPC) mobile core network solution, which provides private wireless network connectivity to end devices while hosting forwARdgame's RaceAR augmented reality experience. Learn more about that AR-based gaming use case here.

In addition to Edge in a Box's current availability for conferences and events, clients can now can access Edge in a Box for proofs of concept (POCs) in our Advanced Technology Center (ATC).

Solution snapshot: Converged Edge Platform & Edge in a Box

Our Converged Edge Platform, one of several solutions in our Edge Cloud Portfolio, was created through a strategic partnership with VMware to build a turn-key edge solution capable of handling demanding application workloads and network services.

The VMware Telco Cloud Platform product line provides the virtualization components for running virtual machine and container-based workloads on selected hardware. Containers built with Docker, Kubernetes and VMware Tanzu are all supported. The MEC orchestration tool provides operators and developers with a single unified console to monetize edge infrastructure with the ability to centrally create, monitor and scale out workloads to globally distributed edge sites.

A broad list of independent software vendors (ISVs) are accessible through the WWT Innovation Studio onboarding process, which helps clients consume applications and network functions at the edge faster by using our ATC's lab and engineering resources.

Our OEM-specific blueprints make it easy for consumers to purchase and integrate each validated architecture solution into their facilities. Each designed blueprint begins by building out the edge solution in our ATC lab environment. We then create an automated process so our Integration Centers around the world can quickly assemble and deliver edge computing infrastructure wherever it's needed. This is all combined with Tier 1 support provided by the WWT Command Center.

Sizing your Edge in a Box solution

Right-sizing your edge site deployment doesn't have to be complicated. However, there are many considerations when it comes to choosing the appropriate size for your organization. 

Here are some questions that must be answered before you can settle on a final design:

1. Will the edge site be a standalone location (meaning no centralized MEC orchestrator at a regional location, cloud or primary datacenter)?

If so, the MEC orchestration tools will need to be deployed locally to the host. For NearbyOne from Nearby Computing, that's a three virtual machine install with eight CPUs, 32GB RAM and 500GB storage for each.

2. Will there be a private wireless network (PWN) or private mobile network (PMN) deployed with it?

Contact the vendor that will be supplying the services to determine the load requirements based on the number of users. Below are some samples of Citizen Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) specifications from Athonet to help.
 

3. Is multi-tenancy a requirement for the site?

MEC orchestrators and the underlying virtualization layer easily support multi-tenancy, but depending on the security requirements for isolation, the edge location might require double the hardware specifications, or even separate MEC controllers.

4. How many IoT devices and users will need access to the services running on the edge node?

5. How many MEC applications need to run at the site, and what are the specifications for each?

6. Does your company require that PMN and MEC applications need to be separated on different hosts?

7. Do any of the services or applications require specialized hardware such as GPU, DPU or SmartNIC?

8. Are there space restrictions at the site that limit the size of the networking/computer equipment being deployed?

Our strategic OEM partners carry edge-based hardware to meet requirements for SD-WAN, xNF hosting and virtualization, along with scalable rackmount servers to meet the demands of high-performing MEC applications.

What's next?

Think you're ready for an Edge in the Box production deployment? We've got you covered — whether it's 10 edge sites or 10,000. And if you need more than one server at a location, our Converged Edge Platform solution already has you covered, as it conveniently allows you to tap into VMware's Edge Compute Stack offering for enterprises or VMware's Telco Cloud Infrastructure offering.