Mobile Services
Cisco unveils server for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
NEW DELHI: Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are opening up new ways for enterprises to solve complex problems. But they will also have a profound effect on the underlying infrastructure and processes of IT.
According to Gartner, “only 4% of CIOs worldwide report that they have AI projects in production.” * That number will grow dramatically over the next few years. And when it does, IT will struggle to manage new workloads, new traffic patterns, and new relationships within their business. To help enterprises address these emerging challenges, Cisco is unveiling its first server built from the ground up for AI and ML workloads.
The new Cisco UCS server speeds up deep learning, a compute-intensive form of machine learning that uses neural networks and large data sets to train computers for complex tasks. Packed with powerful NVIDIA GPUs, it is designed to accelerate many of today’s best-known machine learning software stacks. Data scientists and developers can experiment with machine learning on a laptop. But deep learning at scale demands much more compute capability.
It requires an IT architecture that is capable of taking in vast sets of data. And tools that can make sense of this data and use it to learn. That is why Cisco is working with its technology partners to validate many of today’s most popular machine learning tools: to help simplify deployments and accelerate time to insight.
“Over the next few years, apps powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning will become mainstream in the enterprise. While this will solve many complex business issues, it will also create new challenges for IT,” said Roland Acra, SVP and GM for Cisco’s Data Center Business Group.
“Today’s powerful addition to the Cisco UCS lineup will power AI initiatives across a wide range of industries. Our early-access customers in the financial sector are exploring ways to improve fraud detection and enhance algorithmic trading. Meanwhile in healthcare, they’re interested in better insights and diagnostics, improving medical image classification, and speeding drug discovery and research,” Acra added.
Powering Artificial Intelligence at Scale
With the addition of the Cisco UCS C480 ML, Cisco now offers a complete range of computing options designed for each stage of the AI and ML lifecycle. From data collection and analysis near the edge, to data preparation and training in the data center, to the real-time inference at the heart of AI, customers are covered.
Built for data scientists and developers: Today, thousands of customers use Cisco UCS to help them make sense of big data. Cisco’s new server for AI and ML builds on its expertise of moving data from the edge to the core and goes further. It lets customers extract more intelligence from their data and use it to make better, faster decisions. With its new DevNet AI Developer Center and DevNet Ecosystem Exchange, Cisco is also giving data scientists and developers the tools and resources to create a new generation of apps.
Built for IT: UCS makes it easy for IT to add new technology to their environment. With Cisco Intersight, they also get the simplicity and reach of cloud-based systems management. This lets them automate policy and operations for all their computing infrastructure from the cloud. And with Cisco validated designs to help demystify the rapidly evolving stacks of AI and ML software, IT can deploy with confidence at enterprise scale.
Built with an ecosystem: Cisco is not working alone. It is embracing containers and multicloud computing models to make it easier to deploy open source software at scale, no matter where apps live. It is validating machine learning environments and software such as Anaconda, Kubeflow, and solutions from Cloudera and Hortonworks on the new server. UCS customers who use Kubeflow running on top of Kubernetes will find it easy to deploy AI workloads directly to Google Kubernetes Engine, taking advantage of both on-prem and cloud ML capabilities.
Supporting Quotes
· “We believe the power of machine learning should be available for all organizations, whether in the cloud or on-premises, and we’re excited to continue our collaborative efforts with Cisco,” said David Aronchick, Product Manager at Google Cloud.
“We’re pleased to see Cisco creating hybrid cloud solutions for machine learning, and also contributing code to the Google-led open source project, Kubeflow. Organizations running Kubeflow on the new UCS C480 deep learning server will benefit from consistent machine learning tools that work great both on-premises and on Google Cloud,” he added.
· “The incorporation of NVIDIA’s Tesla V100 Tensor Core GPUs into Cisco’s new UCS server gives businesses in every industry a powerful new solution for advancing their AI initiatives,” said Ian Buck, vice president and general manager of Accelerated Computing at NVIDIA.
“With NVIDIA GPUs, AI models that had required weeks of computing resources, can now be trained in a few hours, enabling a whole new world of problems to be solved with AI,” he added.
· “Our artificial intelligence and computer systems researchers are currently working on advanced GPU computing workload optimization solutions that aim to increase efficiency in deep learning and machine learning,” said Aditya Akella, Professor, University of Wisconsin–Madison.
“We look forward to testing the new Cisco UCS deep learning computing system. Our researchers are focused on evaluating the platform for research to improve the efficiency of training models in multi-tenant and shared usage scenarios. ” he added.
Availability
The Cisco UCS C480 ML M5 Rack Server builds on Cisco’s portfolio of UCS B-Series, C-Series, and HyperFlex systems. It will be available to buy from Cisco partners in Q4 2018, along with a range of AI and ML support capabilities from Cisco Services that span analytics, deep-learning and automation.
NEW DELHI: Bharti Airtel, India’s telecommunications services provider, today announced the launch of its ultra-fast 5G services in 125 cities. Airtel 5G Plus service is now available to customers in over 265 cities in the country.
Airtel 5G Plus has three compelling advantages for customers. First, it runs on a technology that has the widest acceptance in the world with the most developed ecosystem. This ensures that all 5G smartphones in India seamlessly work on the Airtel network. Second, the company promises to deliver the best experience – between 20 to 30 times higher speeds than today coupled with brilliant voice experience and super-fast call connect. Finally, Airtel 5G Plus network will also be kinder to the environment with its special power reduction solution. Powered by the reliable Airtel network infrastructure, Airtel 5G Plus will provide superfast access to High-Definition video streaming, gaming, multiple chatting, instant uploading of photos et all.
Commenting on the launch, Randeep Sekhon, CTO, Bharti Airtel said, “5G has revolutionized the world of internet, ushering new era of connectivity and communications that will prove to be a game-changer for the country. At Airtel, we remain committed to delivering the highest quality of network and service to our customers as we roll-out 125 more cities today. Airtel was the first in the country to offer 5G services in October 2022, and today’s mega launch is our promise to connect every Airtel customer in the country with ultra-fast Airtel 5G Plus. Our 5G rollout is on track to cover all towns and key rural areas by March 2024.”
Airtel 5G Plus service availability will continue to rapidly expand – including service in all towns and villages in the country soon – as the company is working towards offering nationwide coverage. Airtel is now offering its 5G services in every major city from the upper northern city of Jammu to the southern tip of Kanyakumari.
In the last one year, Airtel has demonstrated the power of 5G with a host of powerful use cases that will change the way customers lead their lives and do business. From India’s first live 5G network in Hyderabad to India’s first private 5G network at the BOSCH facility in Bengaluru to partnering with Mahindra & Mahindra to make its Chakan manufacturing facility, India’s first 5G enabled auto manufacturing unit, Airtel has been at the forefront of 5G innovation.
NEW DELHI: Apple Inc has rolled out a beta programme to enable 5G on Apple devices as the upgrade lets users try out pre-release software.
This software upgrade enables 5G access on Apple devices, as and when service providers Jio, Airtel and Vodafone enable 5G network access, sources said.
Apple Users have to enrol for the Beta Programme on the website, install a profile and download the software.
Jio users using iPhone 12 and above, in cities where JioTrue5G has been rolled out, will be invited to the Jio Welcome Offer. Jio Welcome Offer provides unlimited 5G data at up to 1 Gbps speed to users at no additional cost. However, there is a condition that prepaid users must be on active Rs 239 and above plan. All Postpaid users are eligible for this trial.
Airtel is not providing any special 5G offer like Jio to their users. In the cities/areas in which the Airtel 5G network has been launched, users can trial 5G services as a part of their existing plan, once they have updated the latest Apple Beta software.
While an email sent to Apple did not solicit an immediate response, the firm had last month stated: “We are working with our carrier partners in India to bring the best 5G experience to iPhone users as soon as network validation and testing for quality and performance is completed. 5G will be enabled via a software update and will start rolling out to iPhone users in December”.
Airtel and Jio customers on iPhone 14, iPhone 13, iPhone 12 and iPhone SE (3rd generation) models can experience 5G as part of Apple’s iOS 16 Beta Software Program. The Apple Beta Software Program is open to anyone with a valid Apple ID who accepts the Apple Beta Software Program Agreement during the sign-up process.
If a user has an iCloud account, that is an Apple ID, it is recommended they use that. If they do not have an iCloud account or any other Apple ID, they can create one.
Customers who want to try the beta software should back up their iPhones before installing the beta software. It is recommended to install the beta software only on non-production devices that are not business-critical. Users can also provide feedback to Apple on quality and usability, which helps Apple identify issues, fix them, and make Apple software even better.
The iOS beta comes with the built-in Feedback Assistant app, which can be opened from the Home screen on the iPhone or iPad or from the Dock on the Mac.
Source: Press Trust of India
5g
Nokia wins multi-year deal with Reliance Jio India to build one of the largest 5G networks in the world
NEW DELHI: Nokia has announced that it has been selected as a major supplier by Reliance Jio to supply 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) equipment from its comprehensive AirScale portfolio countrywide in a multi-year deal. Reliance Jio is India’s number one mobile operator and has one of the largest RAN footprints in the world.
Under the contract, Nokia will supply equipment from its AirScale portfolio, including base stations, high-capacity 5G Massive MIMO antennas, and Remote Radio Heads (RRH) to support different spectrum bands, and self-organizing network software. Reliance Jio plans to deploy a 5G standalone network which will interwork with its 4G network. The network will enable Reliance Jio to deliver advanced 5G services such as massive machine-to-machine communications, network slicing, and ultra-low-latency.
Akash Ambani, Chairman Reliance Jio, commented: “We are pleased to be working with Nokia for our 5G SA deployment in India. Jio is committed to continuously investing in the latest network technologies to enhance the experience of all of its customers. We are confident that our partnership with Nokia will deliver one of the most advanced 5G networks globally.”
Pekka Lundmark, President and CEO at Nokia stated: “This is a significant win for Nokia in an important market and a new customer with one of the largest RAN footprints in the world. This ambitious project will introduce millions of people across India to premium 5G services, enabled by our industry-leading AirScale portfolio. We are proud that Reliance Jio has placed its trust in our technology and we look forward to a long and productive partnership with them.”
Nokia has a long-standing presence in India. This new deal will mean that Nokia is now supplying India’s three largest mobile operators.
