The last seven years have resulted in considerable improvement in the OpenStack core, and it has become the de facto platform for virtualizing communication service provider (CSP) networks. But when CSPs try to use a “vanilla” version of OpenStack to support Network Functions Virtualization (NFV), they learn the hard way that OpenStack is more complicated when it comes to meeting the rigorous demands of a telecommunications network; most CSPs get past the install (day 0) but fall flat once they try to actually operate OpenStack (day2). This paper describes IDX’s experiences throughout the delivery lifecycle of OpenStack.

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• Key measures that affect the cost of implementing and managing an OpenStack solution
• What you can expect from a standard vanilla OpenStack distribution typically offered by enterprise software vendors
• How Wind River^®Titanium Cloud^™, based on OpenStack StarlingX, drastically reduces the cost of installing and maintaining a virtualized infrastructure

Cloud-based networking practices of the world’s leading web-scale companies can help communications service providers (CSPs) become more efficient and deliver compelling end-user services as we move into the era of 5G. Although containers will play a key role, some CSPs have already rolled out virtual machine (VM)–based solutions, so deploying a container-based strategy needs to be done thoughtfully, particularly at the network edge.

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• What cloud native means to telecommunications
• Why cloud native is necessary for edge cloud deployments
• Solutions for implementing a cloud native strategy, wherever CSPs are in their network transformation

Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) is the telco's version of IT virtualization, achieved by augmenting the latter with the carrier grade capabilities required for high availability, security, and performance, as well as for more efficient network management. But while it's important for services to be reliable in the IT world, the stakes are higher in telecommunications companies, so an NFV solution must also be able to achieve a very high level of reliability. Wind River® Titanium Cloud guarantees 99.9999% (six nines) reliability, and this white paper explains how.

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• Master the challenges and seize the opportunities in this new era
• Adopt a more holistic design approach to meet the intrinsic demands of IoT
• Incorporate the lessons learned across the IoT landscape in your new product designs

Many of the components of Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) have come from community-led developments that were initiated primarily for enterprise implementations. Seeing the benefits of network virtualization achieved by the enterprise, the telecom industry is keen to jump on the bandwagon. But telecom networks have significantly more stringent requirements to meet performance and uptime service level agreements. This paper by Heavy Reading discusses how HP and Wind River have innovated on top of open source efforts to address the performance, scalability, resiliency, reliability, security, and manageability requirements for telecom.

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• Open source components of NFV platforms, such as Linux, OpenStack, and Apache
• Efforts to address the carrier grade requirements of the telecom network
• A commercially available, integrated NFV platform to help service providers transform their networks

The StarlingX open source project was created to address the need for an open source software platform that enables telco-grade applications and services to be deployed at the network edge. This white paper describes the business drivers leading to the creation of this open source project and discusses why Wind River^® continues its leadership in the project.

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• New business opportunities and challenges for edge services
• How the Wind River platform enables edge applications
• How Wind River works with OpenStack to enable StarlingX

According to a recent security report, 71% of Windows-based medical devices will end up unsupported due to outdated Windows versions. While medical device OEMs are scrambling to get in front of this issue, there are no easy paths forward, and the reality is that many medical device OEMs will be forced into a full device-upgrade cycle that affects the motherboard, processor, operating system, the medical application, and associated libraries. This white paper provides an overview of the Windows upgrade and migration situation and presents alternative options.

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• The background of of the Windows upgrade issue for medical devices
• Virtualization technology options for upgrading to Windows 10 while still maintaining the devices' hardware and legacy applications
• Alternative Linux OS options that allow medical device OEMS to move away from the Microsoft Windows upgrade cycle

As open source software rapidly becomes a mainstay in the development of applications and devices, companies need to be more aware of adherence to licensing compliance and export disclosure requirements to avoid the risks of fees and fines, business disruption, and lawsuits. This paper sets forth several important practices for meeting legal requirements that can also help control costs and reduce risks.

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• Effective license compliance processes and Open Chain Specifications
• Common license compliance mistakes and how to avoid them
• Best practices to identify encryption in software
• How to develop and maintain an export management and compliance program

As more and more Internet of Things (IoT) services are being pushed to the edge of the network or onto smaller devices, the need for flexible, connected platforms is on the rise. Exciting open source technologies are filling the gap between embedded and enterprise platforms to service IoT needs, and containerization is an up-and-coming area of innovation for all manufacturers and service providers.

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• How to scale system functionality, both upward and downward, before and after development
• How to ensure interoperability of application containers among multiple hardware platforms
• How containers can help achieve platform requirements such as separation and isolation, security, updates, and monitoring

The popularity and use of open source operating systems has grown in recent years for a variety of market segments and usages. One reason has been the initial low cost of development; another has been the expanding number of use cases. Linux is one of the most popular open source operating systems, but there are a broad number of different Linux offerings to choose from. It can be a challenge to select the right version for a desired use case. This paper provides an introduction to Linux for the enterprise and Linux for embedded products.

• Understand the two device target segments of the Linux landscape: enterprise and embedded.
• Explore the differences between enterprise and embedded Linux.
• Learn which type of Linux services best serves your needs.

Initial devices for the Internet of Things (IoT) were manufactured with a built-in business logic. Intended to perform one fixed function, they were deployed for specific tasks, such as controlling industrial equipment, electricity generation, power plants, or trains. Today, however, devices are shipped comparatively bare, and their functionality is then provisioned through the cloud. Embedded virtualization provides valuable flexibility for IoT, the benefits of consolidation, and security from the ground up.

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• Tips for consolidation in industrial control systems today
• How to enable device flexibility and security with embedded virtualization
• Ways to leverage the opportunities created by IoT