Rapid.Space Creates SimpleRAN 100 MHz Tri-Sector 5G vRAN Running on MITAC’s Open Compute Aowanda Server

Rapid.Space, the Fully Open 5G-converged cloud provider, has created a tri-sector 4G/5G base station (BBU or DU/CU) based on Open Compute Project’s Aowanda server—manufactured by MITAC.

Each Aowanda sled runs a Xeon Gold 5320T CPU and Amarisoft stack, as well as open-source components such as SlapOS OSS/BSS, babel latency optimised router, and scikit-learn AI engine. Each sled can drive three 5G NR sectors of 100 MHz in DL MIMO 4×4 – UL SISO. Only 55% of the total CPU power was used with 0.66 ms remaining budget. In a separate test, one sled could drive a single sector of 100 MHz in DL MIMO 4×4 – UL MIMO 4×4 with less than 25% of the total CPU power and 0.66 ms remaining budget. This leaves many resources for carrier aggregation or edge computing applications. It also allows deployment of remote units up to 66km away from the Aowanda server for optimised operation cost.

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MITAC Aowanda edge server is one of the most promising servers from the Open Compute Project portfolio for vRAN applications based on 3rd-Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors. Its compact form factor and power efficiency design are ideal for telecom operators deploying vRAN based on SimpleRAN.

“SimpleRAN open-source OSS/BSS supports mass operation of Aowanda fleets which are typical of converged 5G edge clouds such as Rapid.Space. In partnership with Amarisoft stack’s 5G software and Rapid.Space’s integration, it offers an alternative 5G open-source solution for telecom operators,” said Danny Hsu, Vice President of Server Infrastructure Business Unit of MiTAC Computing Technology Corporation.

Jean-Paul Smets, CEO of Rapid.Space, adds, “Current results based on a simulated radio unit (RU) driver are very promising. We hope to confirm them by March 2022 by connecting Aowanda server to a fronthaul switch over eCPRI.”

“Amarisoft pure software stack means that, with SimpleRAN, there is no need for FPGAs or proprietary hardware accelerator to deliver the best of 5G vRAN. As a consequence, hardware can be simpler, more compact and consume less power, just like MITAC’s Aowanda server,” said Franck Spinelli, CEO of Amarisoft.

Rapid.Space will be present at Mobile World Congress 2022: Hall 5 Stand 5H68 

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