Ericsson into the Cloud Tlc201

Title

AWS re:Invent 2023 - Ericsson into the cloud (TLC201)

Summary

  • Ericsson's Cloud Transformation Journey:

    • Ericsson embarked on a significant cloud transformation, focusing on cultural, organizational, and systems architecture changes.
    • The acquisition of Vonage in July 2022 was a strategic move to open up the network to developers through APIs, aiming to make the network a platform for development and monetization by service providers.
  • Ericsson's Cloud Migration Strategy:

    • Ericsson aimed to move 80% of enterprise workloads to the cloud, emphasizing a people-centric transformation.
    • The migration involved setting up a migration factory to handle design, compliance, and security, and establishing KPIs for cost reduction and avoidance.
    • A biweekly "all cloud connect" meeting was established to cut through hierarchies and address issues promptly.
    • The SAP environment migration was a significant achievement, with 300 project members working globally on a precise timetable.
  • Vonage's Role and Growth:

    • Vonage leveraged AWS to build a successful CPaaS (Communications Platform as a Service) and is now scaling up to create a Global Network Platform.
    • Vonage was founded in 2001, has over 120,000 customers, and over 1.4 million developers using its platform.
    • The company's vision is to accelerate the world's ability to connect, focusing on unified communications, contact centers, CPaaS, and 5G APIs.
  • Vonage's AWS Integration:

    • Vonage operates in 15 AWS regions and has consolidated its acquired products onto AWS.
    • The company uses AWS services like Transit Gateway, Control Tower, EKS, and EC2 to ensure global reach, scalability, and compliance.
  • Future of 5G APIs:

    • Vonage is developing 5G APIs to unlock new use cases, such as silent authentication, quality of service, and location tracking.
    • A partnership with Deutsche Telekom has led to the launch of Magenta Business APIs, offering communication and network APIs.

Insights

  • Strategic Acquisitions and Partnerships:

    • Ericsson's acquisition of Vonage and partnership with Deutsche Telekom highlight the importance of strategic acquisitions and partnerships in expanding capabilities and entering new markets.
  • Cloud Migration Challenges:

    • The detailed account of Ericsson's cloud migration underscores the complexity and challenges large enterprises face when moving to the cloud, including cultural shifts, compliance, and operational changes.
  • Developer-Centric Network Services:

    • The focus on providing APIs for developers to access network capabilities suggests a shift towards a more open, developer-centric approach in the telecommunications industry.
  • The Role of AWS in Scalability and Global Reach:

    • Vonage's use of AWS services demonstrates how cloud providers like AWS are critical in enabling companies to scale globally while maintaining high availability and compliance.
  • 5G as a Catalyst for Innovation:

    • The discussion on 5G APIs indicates that 5G technology will be a significant driver of new use cases and business models, particularly in areas like AR/VR, IoT, and mobile customer engagement.