Taiwanese company Advantech has launched an edge network appliance for 5G and Wifi 6, extending SD-WAN and uCPE use cases to smart city and industrial IoT.
 
The FWA-1112VC also features 10GbE SFP+ connectivity to meet increasing WAN speed demands. The platform has been validated by uCPE and service provider partners ADVA and Combridge, a member of Deutsche Telekom group.
 
Part of its range of entry and mid-level white boxes for software-defined (SD-WAN) and universal customer premises equipment (uCPE), it includes upgrades such as extended connectivity choice, with dual 10GbE SFP+ and PoE+ support, in addition to a design ready to adopt coming 5G and Wifi 6 technologies.
 
The fanless and compact platform fits working environments where noise levels need to be kept down. It also supports a wide operating temperature range to meet edge deployment needs, extending uCPE use cases from enterprise to smart city and industrial IoT.
 
The white-box appliance is based on Intel’s Atom processor and has been cost optimised to run SD-WAN and network security workflows. It provides flexible WAN connectivity options including 5G, 4G and LTE, Wifi 5, Wifi 6, and 10GbE SFP+ configurations.
 
Encryption and compression acceleration are supported using Intel QuickAssist with DPDK providing the technology to accelerate packet handling without consuming additional resources. Additional features include PoE+, eMMC, dual 4G and LTE support, and improved surge protection. Its fanless design allows for operating temperatures from -20 to +70˚C to meet harsh environments requirements at the edge.
 
“For over 20 years, Advantech has been providing innovative networking platforms trusted by top equipment manufacturers and service providers to transform global networks,” said Sandy Chen, head of network appliances at Advantech. “The FWA-1112VC is another step forward in our pioneering white-box uCPE offering that extends the cloud to the edge supporting fully disaggregated network models that allow service providers and enterprises to drive innovation in the 5G and IoT era.”
 
The device has been validated by ADVA and Combridge. ADVA Ensemble Connector is a virtualisation platform that enables agile, automated delivery of multi-vendor software services. Combined with the FWA-1112VC hardened appliance, it provides an open edge platform that gives service providers access to a wide variety of uCPE use cases including the recent ADVA-Advantech joint smart city blueprint.
 
“The uCPE market is rapidly expanding to include additional application such as IoT and 5G,” said James Buchanan, senior vice president at ADVA. “The new Advantech FWA-1112VC supports that evolution with its enhanced support for wireless technologies and extended temperature range. It will be a welcome addition for those looking to expand the deployment of virtualised applications.”
 
Combridge, part of Deutsche Telekom, offers data and internet services to business partners. By integrating the FWA-1112VC as part of its portfolio, it can target applications at the edge and be prepared to bring the benefits of 5G and Wifi 6 technologies to its customers.
 
“We already use Advantech’s existing portfolio in our custom tailored solutions, enabling us to deliver highly customised, yet cost-efficient solutions to the market,” said Endre Magyari, business development director at Combridge. “I am very confident that this new tiny yet powerful device will further enhance our capabilities and competitiveness in the SD-WAN market, considering its advanced 5G and Wifi 6 technologies and size-cost efficiency.”