TAILORING KUBERNETES FOR TELCOS

BART SALAETS, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF EMEA SOLUTION ARCHITECTS AT F5, ON WHY KUBERNETES IS THE NEXT STEP FOR TELCOS.

In the IT world, Kubernetes is everywhere. Supported by more than 43,000 contributors, this open-source system has become the default way to deploy modern applications in the cloud. Why? Simply put, Kubernetes makes life much easier for developers, speeding up the rollout of apps and adding value to the underlying platform for end-users.

Kubernetes, also known as k8s, has recently turned heads in the telecoms industry, as operators look to make the transition from walled gardens to open platforms. The system is set to be an intrinsic part of the flexible cloud-native architecture required to bring out the best in standalone 5G networks. A true cloud-native network offers a myriad of benefits, from rapid deployment of services and automation to much greater resiliency and efficiency. As a case in point, Google deploys more than two billion containers a week using its internal platform Borg, which was the predecessor to Kubernetes.

This kind of flexibility and scalability is fundamental to the telco cloud vision— the idea that 5G networks will become a versatile platform for a wide range of services and apps developed by third parties. As it enables telcos to deploy apps in portable containers, Kubernetes can, for example, bring services to the edge of the network, closer to endusers, reducing latency.

Abstract and appealing for developers

So, what does Kubernetes actually do? A modern application is typically built out of different microservices, each handling a specific function, such as order management, reporting, or payments. Once the microservices are packaged in containers, Kubernetes automates their deployment, scaling, and management. Kubernetes can also

support auto-healing in the case of a failure in a cluster of microservices.

Crucially, Kubernetes abstracts away some of the underlying internal networking complexities for app developers. This makes life much easier for the typical app developer. In essence, Kubernetes enables apps to be made accessible to the outside world in a simple and straightforward way.

A Kubernetes ingress controller is the conduit through which an end-user interacts with a web application via the HTTP protocol. The ingress controller also provides traffic management, ensuring that user requests get routed to the right microservice within the Kubernetes cluster.

Telcos will need to think differently

All these benefits can be harnessed by 5G networks’ service-based architecture, but only if telcos adopt a new mindset. Although Kubernetes delivers many benefits, the system can seem somewhat orthogonal to what telecoms engineers are accustomed to. As they live and breathe networking, telcos are comfortable manually configuring the IP addresses of networking equipment and setting their own rules for routing and load balancing, and other parameters that Kubernetes is designed to abstract.

However, this kind of manual configuration would undermine the whole point of Kubernetes: it would prevent the rapid deployment and automated scaling that are hallmarks of the major cloud platforms, such as AWS and Azure. The first network functions virtualization (NFV) solutions deployed by telcos in 4G networks have tended to employ manual scripting and, as a result, lack the dynamism and automation of a modern IT architecture.

A square peg in a round hole?

With the rollout of 5G core networks, telcos have a blank slate. But, unfortunately, they can’t simply transplant a standard Kubernetes system. The vast majority of telcos are deploying 5G networks alongside 4G networks, so they will need a Kubernetes ingress that can also support standard telco protocols— SCTP, Diameter and GTP—as well as HTTP. That is because the Kubernetes ingress that front ends the 5G services won’t interface directly with a user via HTTP but will instead connect to other 4G and 5G core elements. In some cases, an interworking function will be required that translates HTTP/2 messages into Diameter messages and vice versa.

Another complication is how to support internal communication within the application cluster. In a standard Kubernetes deployment, a service mesh is typically used to securely manage and track the communication between different microservices. While such service meshes support IT-centric tracing capabilities, telcos are discovering that the associated functionality is not optimally adapted to their requirements.

The third issue is how the 5G functions within the Kubernetes cluster will talk to the outside world. Opening up the dynamic internal IP addresses assigned by Kubernetes is not a good idea. The addresses will change over time and giving this level visibility to the outside world would constitute a major security risk. Telcos want full control over the assignment of IP addresses to certain 5G functions. These should be independent from the IP addresses used by the underlying containers that make up this 5G function. A smart Kubernetes egress function is required to achieve this.

Why cutting corners is a bad idea

One option would be to dispense with Kubernetes and just deploy a 5G function in a container with a static IP address that is accessible to the outside world. But if you cut corners in this way, you would pay a big price in terms of scalability and flexibility. You would not, for example, be able to deploy 5G functions anywhere in the network simply by pressing a button. If you want that level of automation, which will be the future, you can’t cut corners with Kubernetes.

If approached correctly, Kubernetes can be truly transformative for telcos: it can unlock the many benefits of a cloudnative architecture and make it much easier for operators to interact with the outside world. Once it is fully tailored to a telecoms environment, this opensource system will surely be an integral part of the 5G future.

IF APPROACHED CORRECTLY, KUBERNETES CAN BE TRULY TRANSFORMATIVE FOR TELCOS: IT CAN UNLOCK THE MANY BENEFITS OF A CLOUD-NATIVE ARCHITECTURE AND MAKE IT MUCH EASIER FOR OPERATORS TO INTERACT WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD. ONCE IT IS FULLY TAILORED TO A TELECOMS ENVIRONMENT, THIS OPEN-SOURCE SYSTEM WILL SURELY BE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE 5G FUTURE.

THE DIGITAL DILEMMA

CATHERINE DARROUE, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF CUSTOMER PROPOSITION AND GLOBAL HEAD OF CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS AT AETNA INTERNATIONAL, ON ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EMPLOYEES’ HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

It comes as no surprise that digital technology has transformed the way many businesses operate and support their employees. From the Internet of Things (IoT), communications platforms and collaboration software to smartphones, apps and virtual services, tech is an undeniably powerful force, something that has become glaringly evident over the last year.

But, when it comes to its impact on employees’ health and well-being, is it a force for good or for evil — or a little bit of both? And what can employers do to leverage the positive influences and diminish the negative impact on workers?

The positive: Technology and digital innovation as a health promoter

According to the Aetna International Digital Health Dilemma 2020 report, survey respondents — including over 1000 from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) — have clearly bought into technology’s ability to improve connectivity, collaboration and productivity and, as a result, worker health and well-being. 93% of workers in the UAE say technology lets them complete simple tasks quickly, connect with co-workers across different locations and receive job support. 85% say technology lets them manage time better, thus reducing stress levels. And 54% of UAE workers say technology helps them improve physical and mental health overall.

Furthermore, UAE employees clearly believe that technological innovation and digital tools and services could further help them to improve their health. One area of note is mental health — while less than 40% of respondents say they currently use video, text-based or telephonic solutions to help manage their mental health, an equal number said that they might consider these options in future.

The negative: Technology as a health detractor

While most employees recognise the advantages of workplace technology, they do acknowledge that it has its drawbacks. For example, 72% of UAE respondents believe that being able to have a company mobile phone to handle work calls and emails remotely helps them better manage their mental health. Yet almost the same percentage (69%) worry that they use their phones too much. That’s probably why 61% try — but apparently fail — to check their phones less often.

A big concern is that digital technology contributes to an “always-on” mindset. 73% of UAE respondents admit to checking their phones first thing in the morning for work-related messages, whilst nearly an equal number (74%) do the same thing right before going to bed.

Striking the right balance

There is a clear opportunity for organisations to harness the positives that technology enables — and an equally clear imperative for organisations to diminish the negatives that technology brings. And while the coronavirus outbreak will one day run its course, few organisations will fully return to the norms, cultures, policies and practises that were in place pre-pandemic. It’s now

more incumbent upon organisations than ever to understand how to apply technology in ways that enable collaborative, flexible, productive and healthy working practises for the benefit of all.

Curbing “always-on” culture and employee burnout

Employees clearly see the value that workplace technology brings, but they just as clearly see its shortcomings. They want to unplug when they’re out of the (virtual) office, which can be difficult to do when they carry all the tools of their trade in their pockets.

Employers should leverage employees’ call for more help curbing “always-on” culture and tech overload by: • Establishing workplace policies: If organisations provide technology to workers and expect them to use it, they should also erect guardrails to help individuals unplug outside office hours. And those policies should be enforced — not to punish workers but to protect them. In addition, in a world where employees work from home, remotely or even internationally, careful consideration needs to be given to alternatives or schedules for in-person meetings, which the data shows are of benefit to employees. • Communicating clearly: Communicate workplace policies and educate workers on how to keep work from bleeding into personal life. And that means limiting work-related communications to work hours. Again, organisations operating internationally or across different time zones need to provide a degree of flexibility, give and take, and trust when it comes to establishing boundaries for working hours and out-of-hours communications. • Leading by example: It’s important that business leaders model the company culture they are promoting — especially since they often struggle more with work/life balance than many of their workers. Some practises, such as in-person meetings, might be difficult for international or virtual teams. Being available through one-to-one calls to offer emotional and professional support is a powerful way for leadership teams to explore new or improved guidance or support mechanisms to help meet employees’ needs.

Harnessing the power of virtual health and digital well-being

Some organisations and workers alike have embraced digital health tools, as evidenced by the proliferation of wearable fitness trackers, joint mobile health applications and workplace wellness programs that are tied to them. These tools can help members establish goals, set fitness schedules and stay on top of their well-being by sending reminders whenever a member is due for a check-up, flu shot or repeat prescription.

Yet, there is room for improvement and organisations can do more to ensure employees harness the power of technology to improve their physical and mental health: • Know your audience: Rather than simply handing out Fitbits or launching a wellness initiative, organisations should first engage workers via surveys or one-on-one line manager discussions to find out about their areas of interest and appetite for health and wellness apps. • Identify your priorities: Audit the employee population to identify health risks and high health claims. • Personalise your approach: Create a customised wellness strategy by identifying and implementing benefits and digital tools to meet the unique needs of your workforce.

Enabling employees to help build the corporate culture

By and large, employees are happy for their employers to use anonymised data to, for example, improve the company’s culture and employee benefits, but they would feel betrayed if their data were shared with third parties or government agencies.

To that end, employers need to set clear data-use policies, educate employees and allow employees to share in the organisation’s future direction. To help alleviate concerns, organisations should establish policies to protect workers’ health data and ensure that workers are aware that they retain ownership of that data. • Inspire confidence and trust:

Communicate the organisations’

commitment to upholding data privacy and to empowering employees to own and retain control over their data. Detail the relevant processes, policies and regulations at play. • Build the culture together: Give employees a voice and the chance to help shape the company’s culture and join the company on its journey through a shared sense of purpose and values. • Celebrate successes: If the use of anonymised health data leads you to start a program that yields measurable results, share that success with workers.

Let them see the impact analysing health data can have.

Final Word

Widespread adoption of digital technology by businesses and the health and well-being industry has been accelerating for years, and that acceleration has only increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the pandemic plays out and whenever it ends, we will never fully return to pre-2020 attitudes and norms — nor should we.

Business leaders today have a once-in-ageneration opportunity to reconsider how their organisations deploy technologies and digital tools to help improve workers’ health and well-being. Working in tandem with their health benefits and technology partners, business leaders should harness lessons learnt during the pandemic to create a more holistic approach to employee well-being, embracing the power of technology to positively influence health and well-being.

CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER

SECURITY EXPERTS AT ANOMALI SAY CYBER THREAT INTELLIGENCE PROVIDES MIDDLE EAST ENTERPRISES WITH A CLEAR PICTURE OF THE THREATS THEY FACE

Like all regions of the world, the Middle East is no stranger to cyberthreats. Nations here have always had to contend with some of the most potent adversaries operating across the threat landscape.

Recently, cyber threat intelligence provider Anomali identified a malicious campaign carried out by

Iran-backed cyberespionage group

Static Kitten, which targeted Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and likely other countries across the broader region.

“Through the collection and analysis of cyber threat intelligence from several sources, our expert threat intelligence analysts were able to determine that Static Kitten was the most likely actor,” says Andrew

De Lange, Intelligence Solutions

Architect, Anomali.

When asked how threat intel made it possible to reach such a conclusion,

Winston Marydasan, an Anomali intelligence analyst for the Middle East, says that by leveraging available sources of intelligence and in-house expertise, they have been able to dentify a combination of “Israeli geopolitical-themed lures, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) references, and the use of specific tactics and techniques the threat actor group is known for using.”

The Middle East has been a booming market for traditional and emerging sectors such as energy production and technology innovation. It’s also long been a flashpoint for cyber and kinetic espionage activities. “Organisations that call this part of the world home need to be especially vigilant now, as things like growing remote workforces, 5G deployment, and cloud adoption continually expand attack surfaces here,” warns De Lange.

To balance the demands of global commerce with the concerns over the friction that cyber adversaries can create, organisations are turning to multi-layered defense strategies, which frequently include a mix of talent, technologies, and services. A key element includes cyber threat intelligence, which helps to detect threat actors and aid in response to incidents.

“Modern threat intelligence technologies are now capable of immediately detecting threats that are targeting or that have breached networks,” says De Lange. “They can also communicate in real-time with security controls and workers to investigate, neutralise, and remove adversaries before they cause catastrophic damage.”

Talking about the practical application of cyber threat intelligence in cases such as this recent Static Kitten campaign, De Lange says that it benefits everyone involved in cybersecurity operations. “It allows everyone — ranging from analysts, to SOC employees, to business leaders — to gain a comprehensive picture of the threats and risks they face, so that smarter defensive actions can be taken.”

Cyber threat intelligence technologies have been around for a while, although they have recently emerged from their nascent stage and entered the mainstream. Anomali entered the market in 2013, around the same time, numerous other disruptive startups burst onto the scene. De Lange says that solutions are starting to mature out of the “startup” phase and into a level of what you can call “maturity.”

He adds that cyber threat intelligence is now recognised as a critical building block of what could be viewed as “movements” in cybersecurity. “We are seeing increased demand for our product portfolio suite among organisations that rely on traditional technologies such as SIEMs, ISACs, and other threat sharing platforms. We are also experiencing inquiries from businesses that are exploring new ways to extend their visibility over threats, detect them in real-time, and respond more quickly.”

WHY IS AGILITY IMPORTANT

PAUL HARDY, EVANGELIST, CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICE, SERVICENOW, SAYS AGILITY IS THE ENABLER OF THREE KEY C-SUITE PRIORITIES

20 years ago, a group of 17 software developers changed the world. 20 years ago this past February, a group of 17 software developers — what was called the Agile Alliance — put forward the Manifesto for Agile Software Development. The Manifesto was written over a long weekend at a world famous ski resort in the mountains of Utah in the United States and advocated for a new approach to software — one that emphasized adaptation, action, and speed over careful planning and consideration.

What started as a grassroots movement, gained momentum and support from the wider technology community, launching a genuine agile revolution. Today, that revolution — arguably accelerated by COVID-19 — has finally reached the executive suite. Agility is officially a C-level priority. However, rather than talking about agility as a standalone C-suite priority, I see it as a foundational enabler of these three key organisational priorities.

1) Defending the base while setting up for growth Protecting the company in the current climate is priority number one for almost every C-suite. The trick is to stay protected while a growth focus. By putting the needs of people — both customers and employees — at the heart of the organisations’ strategic thinking, CEOs and their executive teams can achieve both.

This principle has its roots in the original Agile Manifesto, and the results play out in real life.

The IDC agility survey found that more than half of businesses in the highest tier of agility readiness performed excellently in terms of customer experience, compared with fewer than a fifth of organisations overall. These companies depend on flexible operating models to integrate customer feedback and align quickly to shifting preferences, increasing satisfaction and performing 20% better than market average when it comes to customer loyalty.

2) Maximising employee efficiency and productivity By digitising processes on a single workflow platform, organisations can automate manual, repetitive tasks to reduce costs and increase productivity. This clears the way for companies to move more quickly and frees employees to focus on highervalue work.

Greater efficiency, underpinned by agility, has a direct impact on the speed of delivering new products or services to market. IDC found, for instance, that time to market for agile companies is 16% better than market average.

That, of course, has a huge impact on productivity and growth. I recently spoke with a large pharmaceutical company that saves $1 million for every day it reduced medication time to market. Far more valuable are the lives saved by this acceleration.

3) Managing risk Risk used to be about prioritising and mitigating operational risk. Today, Covid-19 has shifted the focus onto human risk, particularly on the health and safety of employees.

Bringing in that human element is essential, and technology can facilitate an agile response to changing risk environments.

By taking an integrated view of rapid risk response across the organisational estate, companies can ensure that they remain competitive from both an operational and employee experience perspective.

The agility imperative

Though the benefits of agile are clear, the landscape is mixed when it comes to assessing the progress made by companies across Europe.

When measured against five pillars of organisational agility — Leadership vision, Structural agility, Process agility, Portfolio agility and Technology architecture — IDC found that one third of organisations sit in the lower “static” or “disconnected tiers, while nearly half are categorised as the “in motion” middle tier of the agility journey. Just one in five (21%) have attained the top levels of “synchronised” and “agile.”

For those in the lower two tiers, 2021 will be particularly challenging. I’d go as far as to predict that many of these companies will not be here at the end of 2021 due to their siloed legacy systems, rigid processes, and slow development cadence.

And yet, for those committed to applying agile principles to their business operations, the current environment presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to drive change across the enterprise in an agile way. By overcoming corporate barriers and embracing digital workflows, we can join the agile revolution and position our organisations for success.