The software performs the 3GPP functions of Unified Data Management (UDM) in 5G networks and interoperates with any Home Subscriber Server (HSS) in 4G. The solution is a critical component in multi-vendor and multi-generation network architectures.
Operators, who initially focused on the radio side of 5G technology, are now starting to deploy 5G Standalone (SA) networks, which include a 5G core and a new way to manage data. Sue Rudd, Director Networks and Service Platforms at Strategy Analytics, commented: “UDMis redefining both networking and data management. It allows seamless services for converged consumer broadband, IoT apps at the edge, and for private networking with true cloud-native apps in an externalized state.”
Rudd continued: “A number of operators are also waking up to the uncomfortable truth about the complexity and cost of combining 4G core networks with 5G radio. They are now realising that a faster move to UDM solutions can simplify and accelerate the transition to 5G SA networks.”
Enea’s modular approach complies with both current and evolving 3GPP standards and helps operators avoid the vendor database lock-in - today and in the future. The solution supports 5G SIM and non-SIM based authentication, and thanks to its 4G interoperability, it also allows seamless roaming between 4G and 5G services, works with existing 4G credentials, and eliminates the need to provision all existing subscribers to the new 5G network immediately.
With the low latency and high performance required for 5G use cases, the Enea Unified Data Manager scales efficiently to accommodate large network sizes and can handle up to 10 billion data entries. The architecture of the product builds on more than 15 years’ experience of delivering Subscriber Data Management software to Tier 1 operators and expertise in virtualization and cloud-native design.
Jan Häglund, President and CEO at Enea, said: “Our solutions are designed to give operators complete control, freedom of choice, and a competitive edge. The architecture is service-oriented and cloud-based, just like 5G.
"This means that operators can choose to retrofit existing infrastructure or deploy new 5G standalone architecture. Either way, the Enea Unified Data Manager enables them to create a clear path ahead for robust 5G data management.”