介绍
Multi-access edge computing (MEC) brings more processing power to the network edge while at the same time implementing edge computing in wireless networks. 但我们为什么需要这么大的处理能力, 网络带宽和低延迟, 我们网络边缘的定制和可升级性? And how can service providers and network operators benefit from giving these features to end users who are used to paying less and less for wireless communication?
的挑战
例如，像本地热点这样的小型蜂窝网络, 在机场, 火车站, 购物中心或酒店都在为顾客和客人提供免费的Wi-Fi, 谁越来越习惯于快速的互联网接入和低响应时间. 视频聊天, Augmented Reality (AR) apps or games and in the future even mobile Virtual Reality (VR) can benefit a lot from providing on-edge optimization and possibly even require high performance on the edge of the cloud and closer to the customer.
A hotspot supported by MEC during a sport or music event can provide caching of often-used content or videos for faster delivery and even saves data traffic to the core network. Powerful edge computing is able to analyze user traffic in real-time and could deliver user-specific advertising to generate some return on investment for the provider.
云-gaming is gaining popularity and requires both high processing power and low latency server-side because the games are basically running on the server while the user only has the video of his game. 这些用户仍然需要快速的响应时间，他们不会满足于缓慢的游戏反应. A MEC device could provide specific games for the local community—supported by publishers and/or providers—but needs to be able to handle multiple virtual machines.
MEC的其他应用场景包括医院、智慧城市和工业4.0.0 sites like intelligent factories based on many different IoT devices and robots that require real-time processing while still needing to be connected to the cloud or the headquarter.
All these requirements will increase with the introduction of 5G networking as users and enterprises will be getting more accustomed to even faster internet speeds.
的解决方案
像CASwell CAR-3080这样的机架式设备, 经过验证的英特尔®uCPE选择解决方案, was developed for multi-access edge computing with its multiple network connections while also offering high-speed Ethernet – a common requirement nowadays and even more in the future. The CASwell CAR-3080 brings the powerful performance of Intel® Xeon® D processors to the network edge as part of a workload-optimized hardware and software stack that offers verified performance. 该平台包括PCI Express 3.0 (PCIe 3).0)，便于升级和英特尔®QuickAssist技术(英特尔®QAT)，以加速加密数据流量, 减少总体数据大小并降低存储需求. 所有这些都在一个紧凑的1U设备，很容易适应任何机架式机柜.
The CASwell CAR-3080 verified as an Intel Select Solution for uCPE is based on the Intel Xeon processor D-2166NT with 12 CPU cores, 32gbyte的主存, 480gbyte SSD和2个10gb Intel®以太网控制器X722. This configuration can be upgraded to Intel Xeon processor D-2183IT or Intel Xeon processor D-2173IT with 14 or 16 CPU cores and up to 128 GByte DDR4-2400 main memory.
像英特尔至强处理器D-2166NT这样的处理器集成了英特尔快速辅助技术(英特尔QAT)。. 英特尔QAT在安全网络中加速加密数据流量, reduces overall data size and lowers storage demands by speeding real-time compression while at the same time relieving the CPU of some of the processing workloads. 用于加密的可选可信平台模块(TPM), 认证和数字版权管理也可用于CAR-3080, 整个系统可通过IPMI 2智能平台管理接口进行监控.0).
The CASwell CAR-3080 rackmount appliance can be equipped with ultra-fast networking connections of up to 40 Gbit/s and also offers almost infinite Ethernet configurations with a maximum of 40 ports in this flat, 低层1U设计. This setup is made possible by the unique design and combination of CASwell’s Network Interface Plug-ins (NIP) modules and Network Interface Cards (NIC) with Intel® Ethernet Controller X722, 全部通过高速PCIe 3连接.0.
The CASwell CAR-3080 by default comes with six Gigabit-Ethernet ports and two SFP+ ports for 10-Gbit-Ethernet but can be enhanced almost endlessly with a standard NIC connected by PCIe x16 (can accommodate GPU or FPGA acceleration cards) and three patented NIPs that use PCIe x4/x8 for data transmission and packet acceleration. Each NIP and the NIC can offer up to eight Gigabit-Ethernet ports of their own but are also available in different configurations with 10-GbE, 25gbe甚至40gbe端口. 可选配旁路开关，确保网络在维护或停电时仍能正常运行. PoE options are also available when Power over Ethernet is needed besides delivering data — seemingly infinite possibilities of networking configurations!
而CAR-3080作为经过验证的英特尔®uCPE选择解决方案本身就是一个强大的解决方案, 在某些场景中，需要具有更多网络连接或更高处理性能的设备. In those cases CASwell offers the CAR-4040 with up to 34 Ethernet ports overall or the CAR-5050 and the CAR-6010 rackmount servers with dual Intel Xeon configurations.
The CAR-5050 uses the same Intel Xeon scalable processors but two instead of one and due to its bigger 2U form factor can hold up to six CASwell proprietary network adapters (NIP) with up to eight Ethernet connectors each connected to the system via PCI Express 3.0 x16支持48个10gbe端口. 此外, CAR-5050最多支持16个四通道DDR4-2133/2400内存模块，最高可达512 GByte的系统RAM.
The CAR-6010 as a 1U device is practically a flat version of the CAR-5050 and is likewise based on the same performance-enhanced dual Intel Xeon platform but with its eight DIMM slots supports a maximum of 256 GByte main memory. 最多可配置4个nip，提供32个千兆以太网接口.
结论
采用高端机架式设备，如CASwell CAR-3080, CAR-5050和CAR-6060几乎每个网络运营商, solution or service provider and enterprise of every industry sector can find its ideal system for multi-access edge computing to not just offer high performance to customers and end users but also to find a way to refinance their investments through different use cases and attractive offers to its customer base.
