Huawei has released its 5G-oriented mobile bearer X-Haul solution. This solution has four core values: to provide flexible access capabilities that can match the scenario of any site; to implement agile network operations based on a cloud architecture; to enable new service innovation through end-to-end network slicing; and to support smooth evolution from 4G bearer networks to 5G bearer networks.
3GPP defined three major 5G application scenarios: enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB), massive Machine Type Communication (mMTC), and ultra-Reliable and Low-Latency Communication (uRLLC). These scenarios impose high requirements on bearer network bandwidth, latency, connections, and O&M. Operators are actively promoting service transformation to penetrate emerging service markets such as smart manufacturing and the Internet of Vehicles (IoV).
These services require that 5G bearer networks be capable of supporting rapid service deployment and agile operation. At the same time, with the 3G/4G/5G multi-service bearer and network scale expansion, the planning and design of bearer networks will face great challenges, which require those networks to be constructed as efficiently as possible, reducing the overall TCO.
To comprehensively support operators' 5G service expansion, Huawei has launched the 5G-oriented mobile bearer X-Haul solution to help operators build end-to-end 5G networks.
To support diverse 5G access methods, the Huawei X-Haul provides an overall solution with full fronthaul and backhaul coverage, implementing flexible access in all scenarios. Flexible networking is implemented through the IP, microwave, and OTN access technologies, enabling unified fronthaul and backhaul bearing whether or not optical cables are used.
For backhaul scenarios in areas that have a high population density, Huawei launched the industry's first 50GE/100GE adaptive network slicing router, which provides seamless 100GE compatibility even when providing 50GE base station access. For scenarios where optical cables are not used, the company launched the industry's first 5G-ready microwave solution. Smooth capacity upgrade is supported through the use of a same frequency band or inter-frequency band Carrier Aggregation (CA) technology, which enables any-media 10GE to site. For fronthaul scenarios, Huawei launched the industry's first 100G Full-outdoor WDM device, which is deployed at the same site as the base station to save optical cable resources.
In addition, Huawei X-Haul introduces a cloud-based architecture that enables agile operations on 5G bearer networks. The management and control plane implements centralized orchestration through the Network Cloud Engine for various network media such as IP, optical and microwave. The device plane innovatively introduces Segment Routing, EVPN and OSP-TE protocols, simplifying bearer device control plane protocols and unifying the service model to implement the whole automated management life cycle of the bearer network. This improves the efficiency of network-wide O&M tenfold.
Huawei X-Haul uses Flexible Ethernet (FlexE) technology to implement end-to-end network slicing to help operators accelerate new service innovation. FlexE can divide a single physical Ethernet port into multiple Ethernet flexible hard pipes based on timeslot scheduling, implementing service statistical multiplexing in the same slice without services affecting each other in different slices. Through the Network Cloud Engine, end-to-end coordination between FlexE-based network slices and wireless and core networks is achieved, with support for the flexible slice creation, on-demand bandwidth adjustment, on-demand service-level agreement (SLA) assurance and rapid fault location for each network slice. This enables one network to serve multiple purposes, maximizing backhaul network value.
Finally, Huawei X-Haul supports future-oriented evolution through the flexible expansion and upgrade of existing networks. X-Haul introduces the innovative, highly cost-effective 50GE technology at the access layer, which reduces CAPEX by 30%, while enabling smooth future upgrade to 100GE based on FlexE. At the aggregation and core layers, which use the IP + optical two-layer architecture, the IP layer supports 200GE/400GE interfaces, and the optical layer implements one-hop transmission of wavelengths. Single-wavelength bandwidth can be expanded on demand to 200G/400G. This enables 4G-to-5G bearer network evolution, which will maximize operator investment.
Jeffrey Gao, president of Huawei Router & Carrier Ethernet Product Line, stated: "The 5G era is approaching, and the shape that service modes will take is not yet certain. The Huawei X-Haul solution fully supports 4G/5G bearing, so as to effectively support operators' new service development and expand the business blueprint. In the future, Huawei will continue to promote joint innovation with operators in the 5G field around the world, and join hands with upstream and downstream industry partners to promote the sustainable development of the 5G industry."