5G-oriented Data Center Facility

Data Center Facility White Paper 601

Contents

1. Abstract 1

2. 5G Service Trends 1

3. Evolution of 5G Network Architecture 2

3.1 Core Network DCs and Content Bearer DCs (IDCs) 2

3.2 Access Equipment Room 3

3.3 Bearer Equipment Room 3

4. Challenges Faced by CO Rooms 3

4.1 Large Space Occupation 4

4.2 High Power Consumption and Sharp Increase in Electricity Cost 4

4.3 Inflexible Architecture, Failing to Meet the Requirements for Fast 4

Service Rollout and ROI

4.4 Inefficient Management 4

5. Technical Features and Evolution Direction 5

of Data Center Facility
5.1 Full-stack Simplification
5
5.2 All Intelligence
7

6. Summary 8
5G-oriented Data Center Facility

1. Abstract
With the development of 5G, big data, and AI technologies,
data centers are becoming the foundation for carriers' 5G
networks and service systems to be fully cloudified. The
data center architecture is gradually transformed from the
centralized architecture to the cloud-edge-end devices
distributed architecture, which becomes increasingly
important. However, traditional CO rooms face many
challenges, such as insufficient power supply, space, heat
dissipation and bearing capacity. To address these challenges,
full-stack simplification and all intelligence are the inevitable
trends for DC facility evolution.

2. 5G Service Trends
The rapid development of 5G enables the Internet of
Everything (IoE) era. The network capabilities of ultra-high
bandwidth, ultra-low latency, and full-connection coverage
promote the continuous enrichment of telecom network
services and accelerate the expansion from basic connection
requirements to vertical industries. At the same time, with
the development of 2B enterprises' digital transformation
and the overall cloudification of operators, the rapid
development of new business such as 2C large bandwidth
and low latency AR, VR, unmanned driving, and V2X, and
the rise of big data, and the application of AI in various
fields, data centers as a basement of all business have been
becoming more and more important.

The future mobile applications of 5G defined by the ITU in June 2015 include the following three fields:

• Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB): Human communication
is a basic requirement that needs to be preferentially met by
mobile communication. In the future, eMBB will continue to
improve human visual experience through higher bandwidth
and shorter latency.
• Massive Machine-Type Communications (mMTC): For the
vertical industries that are interconnected with everything, the
IoT industry develops rapidly. Networks with a large number
of mobile communication sensors will emerge in the future,
requiring high access quantity and energy efficiency.
• Ultra-Reliable and Low-Latency Communications (uRLLC):
Special vertical industries, such as industrial automation,
telemedicine, and smart grid, require high reliability and low
latency.
• In the three phases of 5G business, the rate and latency are two
key inputs to the 5G target network.

PHASE1 2018-2019 PHASE2 2020-2022 PHASE3 2022~

Service: FWA Service: FWA/eMBB,Public Service: eMBB/uRLLC/start mMTC

Latency
8k Video/Entry
FWA VR 25ms Hologram Advanced Video
40ms 4K Video HD360 Live Ultimate VR 10Gbps Driven
Pre-VR 30ms 200Mbps Advance VR 1Gbps
500Mbps
VR Gaming Drone Camera Driven
DL Speed VR Live Events ToD >50Mbps
FWA-IPTV 120Mbps 25~30 Mbps
70Mbps 100Mbps
Advance VR
20ms Ultimate VR V2X Smart Energy
UL Speed Surveillance 1K eHealth 10ms 3~5ms Robot control
FWA 10 Mbps 1~2ms
5Mbps

DL ~100Mbps ~500Mbps <1Gbps

eMBB UL ~5Mbps ~10Mbps ~50Mbps
uRLLC <40ms <20ms <5ms

mMTC 1 Million/Km2

Figure 1: Bandwidth, delay, and connection quantity required in the three 5G service phases

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 5G-oriented Data Center Facility

3. Evolution of 5G Network Architecture

The 5G network evolves towards cloud-based network,
simplified bearer, miniaturized wireless base stations,
and intelligent O&M, among which the cloud-based
network is the key. 5G accelerates ICT network architecture
transformation. With new technologies such as NFV, SDN
and cloud computing, 5G reconstructs the traditional isolated
independent network into a new cloud-based network,
which is centered on distributed DC and based on a unified
resource pool, featuring flexibility, agility, and automation.
With 5G development, requirements of the network slicing
technology, high interaction computing, data autonomy
requirements, demands for the low latency etc, core network
UPF and computing equipment need sinking near to end
users, and edge cloud sites construction are becoming the
key link of 5G.
A typical 5G network architecture is as follows:

End Devices
Core Network CO+ Content bearer DC
2G Base Access CO
Station Edge Cloud Center Cloud
3G
Edge DC Local DC Central DC
AAU DU/BBU APPs/CDN Big Data/ Operation Big Data/ Operation
4G 4G/5G Core (UP) APPs/CDN APPs/ Origin Server
CU 4G/5G Core (UP) IoT Core (CP/UP)
eMBB DRAN

uRLLC AAU
DU/BBU Access Network Metro Backbone
CSG
mMTC
Bearer Network CO

Figure 2: 5G data center panorama

3.1 Core Network DCs and Content Bearer DCs (IDCs)

At the end of 2016, 3GPP determined the 5G network architecture. massive edge DCs are ineluctable transformation.
Cloudification is an inevitable trend of 5G core network evolution.
With the development of 5G, big data, and AI technologies,
The 5G core network is divided into two parts: control plane
core network DCs and content bearer DCs (IDCs) are gradually
(Core-CP) and user plane (Core-UP). Future services require that
transformed from the centralized architecture to the cloud-edge-end
the control plane be separated from the user plane to achieve
devices distributed architecture. The edge cloud and center cloud
distributed deployment of the user plane, meeting the requirement
complement each other in terms of capabilities, and achieve the
for optimal experiences.
collaboration of data, applications, AI algorithms, and management.
The latency of VR and AR services must be less than 20 ms, and that In addition, the edge cloud can be connected to the center cloud in
of self-driving services less than 10 ms. Therefore, the computing an agile manner.
ability must be provided by the edge. Layered data centers and

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5G-oriented Data Center Facility

Larger scale of center cloud data center facility: Due to
breakthroughs in data transmission bottlenecks such as bandwidth
and latency, intelligent terminals and IoT devices are no longer
limited by the computing capabilities of the devices, but can leverage
the cloud to obtain more powerful data processing capabilities. As
the center cloud becomes more intensive and computing power
more centralized, the infrastructure must use the resource sharing
advantage to reduce the PUE and improve O&M efficiency.
Massive lightweight edge cloud sites demands: A large number
of 5G applications with ultra-low latency require local construction
of computing power, localized service processing, and customization.
Massive edge lightweight DC demands emerge. Lightweight and
flexible edge clouds sites are built for different scenarios. In addition,
some functions of the mobile core network move downward, closer
to the content source.
The cloud-edge-end devices architecture requires more agile and
flexible application deployment and more powerful automatic O&M
capabilities for the infrastructure, platform services, and supporting
capacities.

3.2 Access Equipment Room

The 5G standard is divided into two phases. The first phase is frozen
in June 2018 and the second in December 2019. The 5G network
has a smaller frequency band coverage and more base stations,
twice the number of 4G base stations. The power density of the 5G
AAU and BBU is five times higher than that of 4G. By 2024, more
than 90% network will be deployed 5G. The deployment of 5G
base stations in China will exceed 5 million, and 5G base stations
will exceed 500,000 in South Korea. The dispersed deployment of
baseband processing unit BBUs for a large number of base stations
leads to low O&M efficiency and unsharable infrastructure resources.
Therefore, operators around the world are actively planning CRAN
centralized BBU deployment. With the existing space in CO room
is more and more rare and CRAN is deployed in the same site with
CO rooms, BBU deployment will be more centralized to meet the
requirements of small footprint and high power density (≥ 8 BBUs/
rack, ≥ 10 kW/rack.

3.3 Bearer Equipment Room

With the explosive growth of high bandwidth services (VR/4K HD
videos), bandwidth demands increase by 10+ times. The bandwidth
at the access layer is expanded from 10GE to 50GE. At the
aggregation, metropolitan, and backbone layers, the north-to-south
traffic decreases due to CDN content sinking while high bandwidth
services increases. Under such effects, demands for bandwidth
are growing steadily. Network devices are continuously upgraded.
At the backbone layer, routers and transmission devices of Tbps-
level traffic become mainstream, such as Huawei NE5000-20 and
OSN9800-U64. High-density devices of 35 kW/R, for example,
become the norm. This brings great challenges to heat dissipation
and power supply.

4. Challenges Faced by CO Rooms

Use the traditional Telecom CO room as an example.

Traditional CO rooms have insufficient power and space. The space and the load bearing capacity are insufficient (load
bearing capacity ≤ 500 kg/m²). The power distribution architecture supports only less than 5 kW/rack and can only meet the
requirements of scenarios with single power supply: AC or DC. The air flow in the equipment rooms is disordered. Deployment
requirements of massive edge cloud sites cannot be met. There are four challenges.

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 5G-oriented Data Center Facility

4.1 Large Space Occupation

• Different power supply modes of devices, distributed layout, and large space required
Multiple services, such as access, transmission, switching, core network elements UPF and computing equipment, are all be
deployed at the same site. The power supply modes of the equipment are diverse, and various power distribution modules are
distributed in a dispersed manner, which occupies a large area.

• The existing cooling architecture cannot support high power density. Devices have to be
deployed in more cabinets, wasting equipment room space.
The cooling mode and power distribution architecture of the existing equipment rooms cannot meet the requirement of high
power density from 5 kW to 25 kW/rack.

The hardware capacity and power density increase at the same time. More hardware (UPF, servers, storage devices and BBUs) is
deployed on edge clouds.

4.2 High Power Consumption and Sharp Increase in

Electricity Cost
• The increased quantity of rack and power density result in higher electricity cost. PUE remains high, and electricity cost increases
sharply in OPEX.

• ICT devices have a variety of air intake and exhaust modes, such as left in and right out, right in and left out, down in and out,
forward in and out, etc., resulting in disordered airflow distribution and low energy efficiency.

4.3 Inflexible Architecture, Failing to Meet the

Requirements for Fast Service Rollout and ROI
• Long TTM
On-site reconstruction is complex and many factors are difficult to evaluate. The facility delivery period is long and business
cannot be rolled out quickly. The space is insufficient, or new sites need to be selected. No space is available, and a new small
equipment room needs to be constructed, which is time-consuming.

• Unable to invest on demand, long ROI period

Either one-off investment causes a high rate of long-time vacancy, or phase-based investment cannot meet service expansion
requirements due to the delay of facility delivery.

4.4 Inefficient Management

• How to integrate the existing environment morning in CO room and DCIM to realize intelligent control.
• A large number of unattended sites are added. The manual attendance cost is high.
• Power supply, battery, cooling system and other infrastructure itself how to achieve intelligent, adaptive network.

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5G-oriented Data Center Facility

5. Technical Features and Evolution

Direction of Data Center Facility
In the 5G era, cloud data centers are the fully cloudified
foundation for telecom network and future business
system. Therefore, cloud data centers must be full-stack
simplification and all intelligence.
Full-stack simplification means that the air conditioning
system, access, transmission, switching, core network UPF,
and computing equipment can all be deployed together. The
cloud-edge- end devices architecture simplifies the division
of responsibilities for cloud-edge services. It also implements
intelligent scheduling for computing capability by combing
the edge cloud with core/local cloud platforms.
The implementation of intelligent O&M and DC
management can be implemented based on a data lake
and AI intelligent analysis capabilities, building an intelligent
data and service platform oriented toward new 5G services.

5.1 Full-stack Simplification

5.1.1 Full Stack Convergence

Massive lightweight edge cloud sites reuse a large number
of CO rooms. In the future, one telecom equipment room
will integrate the edge DC function, wireless access CRAN
function, and convergence, transmission, and telecom
charging functions. In other words, it is an inevitable trend
to deploy access devices, transmission switching devices, and
core network user-plane elements and edge cloud computing
equipment in the same telecom equipment room to achieve
business fusion.

Hardware Equipment Product Panorama

5G CRAN Optical IP+Optical NFVI+Cloud Edge DC

IP DSLAM VNF: UNC, UDG, E9000

IP
SDM, UPCF
BBU CloudOS
COTS

Switch OSN1800
Access Switch

Optical
OTN BBU Server
Server
OLT
Switch
50GE Router

Mainly Direct Current Devices Mainly Alternating Current Devices

Figure 3: Hardware equipment product panorama

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 5G-oriented Data Center Facility

• Physical Hardware Convergence

E2E CT and IT devices are deployed in the same module. The
sizes of CT and IT devices differ greatly. For example, core
network EPC, UPF, and bearer network transmission devices
can adapt to 600 mm deep cabinets. The trend of server and
storage miniaturization is to adapt to the 600 mm deep rack.
Before the emergence of a large number of edge cloud sites,
servers and storage devices still use 1100 mm/1200 mm deep
racks. Huawei solution integrates all devices in a smart module,
such as air conditioner, battery, centralized monitoring, AC/DC
AIO power distribution, and different types of racks.
In the future, the performance of a single device will be
improved and the power density will be increased to 1.5 to 4
times due to cloudification. U-seat level and
rack-level air conditioners support close to heat source, support
high-density rack, save space, and meet the challenges of rare
CO rooms and insufficient space.
In the future, the performance improvement and cloudification
of a single device will increase the capacity and power density
to 1.5-4 times, and the device size must be shorter. In addition,
the air intake and exhaust modes of the original ICT devices still
exist for a long time. The rack level, U seat level air conditioner
local cooling, rack fan and metal structure guide to achieve
forced ventilation. All these methods support high-density
deployment, space saving, and solve the challenge of scarcity
and insufficient space.

CRAN

BBU BBU BBU BBU BBU BBU

CRAC CRAC
Rack Rack Rack Rack Rack Rack

Hot Aisle Containment

AIO UPS IT CRAC IT IT CRAC IT

PDF & Rack Rack Rack Rack
BAT

Edge DC

Figure 4: Integrated deployment of physical hardware

• Electromechanical Convergence
To meet service convergence requirements, the equipment room
infrastructure must integrate -48 V DC, AC mains, UPS, cooling,
and batteries into one cabinet to achieve compact layout and
alleviate the scarcity of equipment room space.
In addition, based on service continuity and importance, the
power supply system integrates two power input modes: single
power supply and dual power supply. In-cabinet Fe-lithium
batteries are used instead of the lead-acid batteries. Traditional
lead-acid batteries occupy a large area and have high bearing
capacity requirements. Old equipment rooms are difficult
to reconstruct due to insufficient bearing capacity. Lithium
batteries are necessary technical support for service continuity.

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5G-oriented Data Center Facility
VRLA
Volume/energy density 60~90 Wh/L
Weight/energy density 30~50 Wh/kg
Approx.150 cycles@100% DOD,
Cycle life
Approx.600 cycles@50% DOD.
VRLA: valve regulated lead acid LFP: lithium iron phosphate
Table 1: Performance comparison between lead-acid batteries and Fe-lithium batteries with the same capacity
5.1.2 Prefabricated
With the full deployment of 5G, the delivery speed and quality of
the monetization infrastructure for commercial applications raise
new requirements. For example, more than 1 million base stations
will be deployed in China every year. The construction and delivery
speed of the CRAN equipment room must match the base station
delivery speed to support 5G wireless service provisioning.
Most equipment room infrastructure products are delivered in
separate parts and assembled on site. In this case, the onsite delivery
workload is heavy. In addition, components are not commissioned
in advance, which brings high quality risks on site. Therefore, the
sensible heat cannot meet the requirements for quick deployment
of base stations.
De-survey, de-design, and de-engineering are the trend of future
infrastructures. Prefabrication enables factory pre-installation
5.2 All Intelligence
With the network evolution, a large number of edge equipment
rooms are required. The layout is scattered, O&M is difficult, and
security and reliability are challenged. With the help of digital
technologies such as robot, AI, and big data, the 5G edge equipment
rooms are evolving to be fully intelligent and unattended to address
5.2.1 Digital Design
The traditional equipment room design is mainly based on CAD,
which has many problems such as difficulty in multi-professional
design coordination, inaccurate engineering quantity statistics,
and frequent onsite construction changes. The digital design is
centered on the BIM forward design and uses the lightweight
engine technology to implement online operations on the WebUI.
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LFP Remarks
LFP is approximately 70%
200~300 Wh/L
smaller than VRLA.
LFP is approximately 70%
100~150 Wh/kg
lighter than VRLA.
Approx.3000 cycles @100% DOD, LFP have a far longer cycle
Approx.6000 cycles @50% DOD. life than VRLA.
and pre-commissioning. The infrastructure can be applied after
uncomplicated onsite installation and commissioning, which shorten
the delivery time on site.
There are two phases. In the first phase, the infrastructure is pre-
installed and pre-commissioned. That is the pre-installation and
pre-commission of air conditioner, power supply, and monitoring
components before delivery. After simple installation and cable
connection are conducted on site, power supply and cooling can
be provided for service devices (such as the BBU). In the second
phase, the infrastructure and service devices (such as the BBU) are
preinstalled and pre-commissioned before delivery. The devices can
be put into use after simple cable connections on site. In addition,
the modular design and onsite supports expand the capacity in a
flexible manner based on service requirements.
those challenges.
Digitalization is a necessary means to continuously reduce costs and
improve efficiency through E2E collaboration.
The 3D scanning onsite modeling technology is used to match
the preconfigured model to establish the digital twin model of the
infrastructure. Through visualized design and planning, configuration
and budget analysis, and construction simulation, we can help
customers implement quick and accurate evaluation.

5.2.2 Digital Delivery
The construction management of traditional equipment rooms is
uncontrollable. The progress, quality, change, security, materials,
documents, and personnel management are not coordinated in
a unified manner. Digital delivery is centered on visualized BIM
delivery. The digital model is used to establish the operation
space and unified dynamic view, implementing online remote
5.2.3 Digital O&M
O&M management of traditional equipment rooms is not visible.
Routine maintenance and management cannot be remotely visible.
The management of asset maintenance work order cannot be
precisely visible. O&M costs cannot be accurately predicted. Digital
O&M is centered on visualized BIM. The digital twin model of
engineering design and delivery is seamlessly connected to the
O&M life cycle to realize value continuity. The BIM is a container
that bears O&M big data. It integrates infrastructure planning,
construction, maintenance, and optimization elements to help
customers implement efficient iterative management throughout
the life cycle.
Centralized management: A large number of edge DCs are
integrated into the provincial and regional O&M center for unified
monitoring, data storage, and visualized O&M. When a fault
occurs, assign regional O&M personnel to handle the fault onsite.
The handling process is remotely visible in real time. Multiple
service management and control modes are integrated and can be
managed and controlled.
Intelligent security protection: Remote authorization and access
6. Summary
The 5G network evolves towards cloud-based network,
simplified bearer, miniaturized wireless base stations, and
intelligent O&M, among which the cloud-based network
is the key. The rise of cloud-edge-end devices architecture
poses higher requirements on infrastructure, platform
service capabilities, and support capabilities. However,
traditional CO rooms require large equipment space. High
power consumption, sharp increase in electricity cost,
inflexible architecture, and low management efficiency
cannot meet the requirements for quick service rollout
and ROI. To address the preceding challenges, full-stack
simplification and all intelligence are inevitable trends of
5G-oriented Data Center Facility
collaboration, perceptible experience upgrade, and simple and
controllable project management. Accurate and standardized onsite
operations are associated with models and visualized. Real-time
monitoring and data warning help customers implement smart site
management.
control are implemented by using the facial recognition technology.
The AI technology and HD cameras are integrated to implement
unattended security protection, remote visualization, identification
and alarm of exception scenarios, and liveness detection.
Robot inspection: The intelligent robot technology is used to deploy
various intelligent sensors and cameras on the robot, implementing
7/24 unattended inspection in the equipment room. Infrared
temperature measurement, infrared thermal imaging, temperature
and humidity, water leakage, air cleanness, harmful gas, and status
indicator identification.
Remote O&M and remote expert guidance: Intelligent
components such as robots, HD cameras, and voice intercom are
used to implement remote diagnosis and remote guidance.
Predictive maintenance: With AI and big data technologies,
the historical running status of devices is analyzed, and the
maintenance, parts replacement, and life cycle time of devices
are predicted to ensure the reliability of normal running of the
equipment room.
data center infrastructure. The full stack is simplified. With
the highly integrated multi-power and lightweight rack-
mounted air conditioning system, the access, transmission,
switching, CN user plane, and computing services can be
deployed together. The cloud-edge-end devices architecture
simplifies the division of responsibilities for cloud-edge
services. It implements the intelligent scheduling computing
capability by collaborating the local and cloud platforms.
Intelligent O&M and management of data centers can
be implemented based on the data lake and AI intelligent
analysis capabilities, building an intelligent data and service
platform oriented to new 5G services.
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HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
Huawei Industrial Base
Bantian Longgang
Shenzhen 518129, P. R. China
Tel: +86-755-28780808
www.huawei.com

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