Nokia Unleashes AI to Power Converge's Data Centres Upgrade
As AI applications become more widespread, the networks supporting them need to keep pace. That’s where Nokia and Converge ICT Solutions Inc. come in.
The two companies are collaborating on a plan to upgrade Converge’s data centre networks in the Philippines using Nokia’s Data Centre Fabric solution.
This system, which includes hardware and software, brings AI integration and automation to the core of network infrastructure, aiming to improve reliability, efficiency and scalability across Converge’s operations.
Building for AI and future demands
Dennis Anthony Uy, Chief Executive and Co-Founder of Converge, sets out the motivation behind the move: “As Converge and many forward-looking technology companies increasingly host AI applications, we need to ensure there is seamless integration with traditional applications.”
He adds, “We see AI workloads and high-performance computing (HPC) becoming an essential part of our operations so we’re prepping our data centre networks to be designed for extreme scalability and reliability.”
The infrastructure solution Nokia is deploying revolves around its Data Centre Fabric, a system that combines Nokia’s 7220 Interconnect Router (IXR) switches and its SR-Linux operating system, alongside an Event-Driven Automation (EDA) platform.
SR-Linux is the network operating system powering the switches, while EDA is a cloud-native automation tool that improves operational response times and enables consistency in performance across the system.
By integrating these tools, Converge aims to build a network architecture that doesn’t just handle current traffic but is also prepared for emerging AI and HPC demands.
Simplifying operations with automation
One of the main draws of Nokia’s Data Centre Fabric is its approach to automation.
The Event-Driven Automation platform is designed to streamline tasks, allowing networks to operate with reduced manual intervention while lowering computing resource requirements. This automation also contributes to lower energy use, supporting more sustainable operations.
For Converge, this also means being better positioned to meet regulatory requirements, including sovereign cloud readiness. This ensures that data is stored and managed within the country’s borders in compliance with local rules – a growing priority in digital infrastructure planning.
Paulo Martin Santos, Chief Network Transformation Officer at Converge, points to these benefits: “This crucial initiative with Nokia reflects our commitment to continuously adopt next-generation technology solutions to provide consistently high-quality experience to our customers.
“Nokia’s industry-leading solutions will help us prepare our infrastructure for future demands. The use of automation and AI will enable us to ensure regulatory compliance and to enhance network operations to gain a business edge.”
Nokia’s 7220 IXR switches are built to offer high-capacity and fixed-configuration setups that are able to scale. This setup helps deliver the flexibility and simplicity needed in large data centres where demand can shift quickly, especially with the rise of AI workloads that require fast data movement and reliable processing.
Expanding Nokia’s role in data infrastructure
This project is part of a broader plan by Nokia to expand its role in the data centre space, particularly as telcos and tech providers adopt AI.
Kent Wong, Vice President and Head of IP Networks, Asia Pacific at Nokia, sees this partnership as a chance to support a growing market: “With this collaboration with Converge, we are looking forward to playing a bigger role in the Philippines’ growing data centre industry.
“Our solutions are designed to empower data centre operators, like Converge, to leverage AI-powered automation to ensure unmatched reliability and scalability to prepare the digital infrastructure for the future.”
Nokia’s global strategy is increasingly focused on addressing the pressures created by AI and machine learning workloads.
Manish Gulyani, Vice President and Head of Marketing for Network Infrastructure at Nokia, says it comes down to designing for what’s next: “From a network infrastructure perspective, the key thing we are showcasing is networks for the AI era.
“We want to talk about how AI is driving the demand for data centres, different kinds of workloads around inferencing and training and specifically what that means from a networking perspective.”
As AI changes how data is processed and moved across networks, Nokia and Converge’s initiative marks a step towards readying national infrastructure for that challenge.
