Nokia has announced the launch of FP5, its fifth generation of high-performance IP routing silicon. As the new backbone of Nokia's IP service routing platforms, FP5 will enable service providers to meet the ever-increasing demands for scaling network capacity, deliver new, higher-speed IP services, and provide unparalleled protection against the growing threat to network security. At a time when cloud architectures, 5G, and Industry 4.0 continue to drive network transformation, service providers need mission-critical IP networks to be increasingly secure, agile, and sustainable. IP networks must guarantee high performance and integrity to address the growing threat from network-level attacks and security breaches. They must also be able to adapt to unforeseen changes and support evolving services throughout the network's lifecycle. Furthermore, IP network equipment must become increasingly energy-efficient to minimize its environmental impact.
With the introduction of the FP5 fifth-generation network processing silicon, Nokia delivers a new range of IP routing solutions that help service providers meet these new and changing requirements by transforming IP networks for mission-critical tasks.
Nokia has long been at the forefront as a provider of integrated security for IP networks. With FP4, the company transformed volumetric DDoS defense with router-based detection and mitigation. FP5 provides an additional layer of network protection with the introduction of ANYsec, a new flow-based, line-rate encryption capability integrated directly into the chipset. ANYsec supports the delivery of secure IP services, including MPLS and segment routing, on demand and at scale, without impacting performance or power efficiency. Service providers can ensure the integrity and confidentiality of all data flowing through their networks.
With FP5, Nokia is bringing a generational leap in router networking capabilities to market. Nokia's service router platforms are the first to support high-density 800GE and 1.6 Tb/s free-channel routing interfaces for a variety of applications, including mobile transport, IP core, peering, BNG, and provider edge. New FP5-based line cards will support 14.4 Tb/s (19.2 Tb/s with Nokia's intelligent aggregation capabilities). A new series of 7750 Service Router-1 platforms with a fixed form factor allows the benefits of FP5 to reach even small network locations.
Nokia's FP5 network processors reduce power consumption per bit by 75%. Because FP5 offers backward compatibility with FP4 and is fully integrated into the latest versions of Nokia's Service Router Operating System (SR OS), all existing features are supported from day one on the new hardware. Through this aligned hardware and software evolution strategy, Nokia provides its customers with unparalleled and sustainable investment protection.
As a fully programmable network processor, FP5 provides the agility needed to upgrade the network as standards and applications change. Its deterministic performance, combined with comprehensive telemetry insights, ensures that network operators can deliver a serviceable and maintainable IP network now and in the future.
Neil McRae, BT's Chief Architect and Managing Director, said: "BT has a long-standing relationship with Nokia, and we are delighted to see that with FP5, Nokia continues to innovate to ensure IP networks have the scale, flexibility, and features to help us stay ahead of the growing demands of our home, mobile, and enterprise customers. In particular, we are very pleased to see the emphasis on energy optimization as our network grows, with both BT and Nokia committed to significantly reducing our carbon footprint. Over the past 18 months, our lives have been turned upside down and our reliance on networks has increased dramatically, so reliability for customers is of paramount importance. With security becoming increasingly important to our customers, Nokia's approach of incorporating more security features into the platform is fantastic.".
Hiroyuki Oto, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Core Network Development Department at NTT DOCOMO, INC., commented: “Our network needs to continue evolving to meet the demands of our consumers, communities, and businesses. With Nokia’s latest generation of silicon innovations and its careful attention to ensuring investment protection with the flexibility needed to adapt to new requirements, we believe Nokia is providing the right foundation to ensure IP networks can scale and transform efficiently to stay ahead of the ever-changing demands of the market.”
Christian Gacon, Vice President of Broadband Networks at Orange France, stated: “Our relationship with Nokia is long-standing and dates back to the launch of the first silicon processor. Our network continues to evolve to meet our customers’ demands, so innovations like Nokia’s FP5 silicon will allow us to balance capacity, maintainability, and security to deliver the best possible customer experience. Introducing this exciting innovation to existing platforms will enable our networks to evolve seamlessly as we seek ways to sustainably manage both anticipated and unforeseen demand.”
Ray Mota, CEO and principal analyst at ACG Research, said: “Nokia has once again demonstrated its understanding of and commitment to service providers, a key driver of its growth to become the No. 1 in the global $12 billion service provider market. With the introduction of its 5th generation FP5 routing silicon, we believe Nokia is well-positioned to remain the manufacturer of choice for service providers seeking to evolve their IP networks for greater agility, efficiency, and security while protecting their investment.”
Federico Guillén, president of Nokia’s network infrastructure, said: “Of all the amazing things about human beings, perhaps the most amazing is our capacity for surprise. Our customers need their networks to be robust, agile, and adaptable enough to respond to whatever the real world throws at them—from security threats to a global pandemic.” FP5 represents a significant step forward in terms of performance, security, and efficiency and—combined with the excellence of our software and our investment in network automation and tools—opens a new chapter in Nokia's long-standing leadership in IP networking and IP silicon innovation.
Nokia's FP5-based platforms will be available starting in the first half of 2022.
