Mobile WiMAX deployment and migration/upgrade strategies

This week, I had the pleasure of attending a Maravedis seminar on Mobile WiMAX Deployment and Migration/Upgrade Strategies, sponsored by Aviat Networks. Thanks a lot to Maravedis for providing me this opportunity.

Adlane Fellah of Maravedis provided a general overview of the mobile WiMax scenario, while Robert Syputa of Maravedis touched upon the evolving technology and market landscape. Later, Jonathan Jaeger, WiMAX Solutions Marketing, at Aviat Networks discussed the mobile WiMAX deployment and migration/upgrade strategies.

Giving a general overview, Adlane Fellah said that the global WiMAX industry in 2009 was as follows: the total WiMAX market size $1.36 billion. About 5 million WiMAX chipsets were shipped — +332 percent growth Y-o-Y. Also, 3.5 million new WiMAX CPEs were deployed. The WiMAX base station sectors –10.9 percent. However, the end-users want broadband wireless now, while the operators are confused by future evolution.

Key trends in LTE and WiMAX

Looking at the LTE and WiMAX key trends from 4Ggear report, specifically, for WiMAX chipsets, vendors have been offering differentiated chipsets to address the emerged markets. Also, there has been aggressive chipset pricing: higher volume and optimized platforms.

As for LTE chipsets, the leading chipset vendors include Qualcomm, ST-Ericsson and Nokia. The early solutions support LTE only. However, it is believed that the early suppliers may not be the long term winners.

Coming to WiMAX devices, we have seen diversified deployments of low cost CPEs, dual-mode USB dongles, and smartphones, etc. As for LTE devices, demonstrators = single-mode followed by dual-mode USB dongles. With regard to 4G equipment, WiMAX has clearly established a beachhead for technological progress, and LTE will surely benefit from it.

How Intel manages IT through downturn — Server and data center optimization!

Ever wondered how Intel is managing IT through the downturn — Server and data center optimization? According to Kenny Sng, data center engineering manager, Intel Technology Asia Pte Ltd, there are three key things that Intel IT does. These are:

• Internal efficiencies are critical in freeing up resources and reducing operational costs.

• Server refresh is a key strategy to ensure IT runs efficiently.

• Intel continues to look at innovation in DC operations for reducing running costs

Server and data center optimization? Intel's Kenny Sng, data center engineering manager, making a point!

How can IT make a difference?

* Drive employee productivity — by way of mobile client refresh

* Drive business productivity

* Continue IT efficiencies — by way of data center and server refresh

Intel data center profile

Intel has four major groups currently driving individual data center requirements (DOME).

Design:

Support the chip design community

Design Computing: Has most of the servers in Intel

Office:

Supporting typical IT and customer services

General Purpose

Manufacturing:

Manufacturing computing supporting fabrication and assembly

FAB/ATM

Enterprise:

Enterprise applications supporting eBiz and ERP

About 80 percent of servers in Intel are in D. And, 20 percent of servers in Intel are in O, M and E, categories.

Intel IT’s approach to data center optimization

Intel’s approach is very simple — standardize, improve and optimize.

Standardize

* Supply and demand forecasting

* Processes and design specs

* Overall data center structure

All of this  enables IT and consolidations, prevents unnecessary spending and ensures consistency in the overall data center structure.

Improve

* Batch processing pools via grid computing (DCV) – (D)

* Virtualization (DCU) – (O) & (E)

* Replace single core with quad-core servers

* Information Lifecycle Management

* Intel “Green” data center initiatives

* Containerized Data Centers

These go on to reduce server spending and storage/hardware expenses, Contain costs (network, power, space), simplify the environment and well, improve energy efficiency by at least 6x.

Optimize

* Close inefficient and unnecessary data centers

* Assure batch and virtualized servers are in optimal data center locations

What do these do? One, maximize data center utilization in all locations, and two, maximize server asset utilization across the world.