Page 44 - SAMENA Trends - July-September 2024

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Nokia and stc Group Optimize Network with AI-powered MantaRay Cognitive

SON Solution in Saudi Arabia

Nokia announced that it has successfully transformation and enable sustainable machine learning." Mikko Lavanti, Head
deployed its MantaRay Cognitive SON, growth, including enhancing radio network of MEA at Nokia commented: “Through
the AI-powered self-organizing networks energy efficiency, which resulted in a 13 our collaboration with stc Group, Nokia
solution, in stc Group’s (stc) commercial percent reduction in energy consumption is transforming the optimization of radio
network for the first time. MantaRay SON across stc’s 4G and 5G networks in 2023. networks with the integration of Artificial
is an industry-leading network optimization By 2025, stc’s AI-powered products will Intelligence. Our MantaRay Cognitive SON
and automation platform that uses self- cover over 200 systems, enabling further solution, equipped with sophisticated AI
configuring modules to boost network cost efficiencies. Haithem Al Faraj, Chief algorithms, represents a quantum leap in
performance and efficiency. It can be Technology Officer at stc Group said: autonomous network operations – a global
tailored and deployed to optimize specific “stc and Nokia are pioneering a new era first in its deployment by stc Group. This AI-
software applications and to address where Artificial Intelligence revolutionizes driven innovation has redefined standards
unique operational challenges. Cognitive the telecom industry. This technology for network performance, ensuring robust
SON is an AI-powered software feature of not only minimizes human error and and consistent service for customers even
MantaRay SON that enables autonomous improves quality but also allows networks during peak usage periods. Together with
RAN operations. Nokia created a to operate autonomously and efficiently, stc, we will continue exploring new use
customized solution for stc. Cognitive while humans remain essential in guiding cases for Cognitive SON to achieve further
SON was implemented in a period of high and maximizing the outcomes from efficiency enhancements.”
traffic, during which it processed over
10,000 actions, resulting in an increased
utilization rate of approximately 30 percent
on loaded cells and 10 percent average
improvement on user throughput. Despite
traffic increasing by 40 percent during
this period, stc’s network successfully
maintained consistent connectivity.
Autonomous RAN operations also reduced
manual work and improved network quality.
The development of an AI-powered network
module expands stc’s suite of advanced AI
solutions. It offers a wide range of AI-driven
capabilities that help accelerate digital

Nokia Launches Industry’s Most Modern Data Center Automation Platform
Built for the AI Era

Nokia announced the availability of its enterprises, and service providers to scale automation include a lack of scalable,
AI era, Event-Driven Automation (EDA) and adapt their data center infrastructures open, multi-vendor solutions; legacy
platform. Nokia EDA raises the bar on data to meet exponential demand and evolving systems and complexity requiring skilled
center network operations with a modern workload requirements. As more critical resources; and a lack of trust in fully
approach that builds on Kubernetes workloads move to the cloud, interruptions automated systems delivering the right
to bring highly reliable, simplified, and in cloud services can have significant outcomes. Nokia’s new infrastructure
adaptable lifecycle management to data economic, safety and social implications. automation platform is designed to
center networks. Aimed at driving human Increasing automation in cloud and overcome these barriers while providing a
error in network operations to zero, networking operations is essential to new path to addressing key challenges in
Nokia’s new platform reduces network respond to demand while reducing service today’s data center network environment.
disruptions and application downtime disruptions. Despite the benefits of The risk of human error and associated
while also decreasing operational effort network automation, a study by Enterprise network downtime is mitigated through
up to 40%. Ongoing digital transformation Management Associates shows that EDA’s integrated digital twin, pre- and post-
and the rise of AI applications, coupled most organizations have automated less deployment checkpoints, highly responsive
with data center workforce shortages than half of their data center network multi-dimensional observability, and a
and skills gaps, are driving webscalers, management tasks. Barriers to adopting robust CI/CD methodology with revision

44 JULY-SEPTEMBER 2024