Nokia, Lenovo partner to drive data center solutions for AI era

Nokia has announced a strategic partnership with Lenovo to create comprehensive data center networking and automation solutions that support the massive and highly precise compute, storage and transit needs for Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning (AI/ML) and other compute-intensive workloads. These solutions will be jointly marketed to enterprises, telcos, and digital infrastructure and cloud providers.

The partners will leverage the Lenovo ThinkSystem AI-ready portfolio of high-performance servers and storage with the Nokia Data Center network solution — which spans data center fabric, IP routing, and DDoS security portfolios, along with the recently announced data center network automation platform, Event-Driven Automation (EDA).

The combined solutions will help meet the demanding processing and network performance requirements of modern workloads. As AI models are trained, data centers for inferencing will be needed where AI clusters are networked both within and between the data centers at the edge, which requires high-speed, reliable and secure interconnectivity.

The integration of these portfolios with a validated blueprint architecture enables seamless automation of AI/ML and compute-intensive workloads with enhanced observability, programmability, and extensibility, which are crucial for adapting to dynamic environments. Both Nokia and Lenovo portfolios have built-in security solutions that detect and thwart security threats in real-time, which is essential to combat the scale and frequency of cyberattacks. As well, both companies focus on energy-efficient designs that reduce power consumption and operational costs while promoting sustainability – a key data center concern.

Charles Ferland, Vice President Edge and Communications Service Providers at Lenovo, said: “Lenovo has a longstanding commitment to deliver the most reliable and sustainable AI infrastructure. Our partnership with Nokia to bundle AI solutions is a natural alignment. Together, we provide a robust platform that meets the needs of telecommunications and enterprise sectors, enabling them to deploy AI clouds and manage their data efficiently. With Nokia’s automated data fabric and Lenovo’s leading automated compute and storage solutions with industry-leading Neptune liquid cooling technology, enterprises can confidently deploy cutting-edge sustainable infrastructure. This collaboration not only generates cost savings but also opens new revenue streams for providers through innovative AI and data consumption models.

Vach Kompella, Senior Vice President and General Manager of IP Networks business at Nokia, said: “Our partnership with Lenovo exemplifies Nokia’s commitment to innovation and excellence in data center solutions. By combining Nokia's Data Center Fabric and Event Driven Automation with Lenovo's ThinkSystem AI portfolio, we deliver a high performance, scalable data center networking solution designed to efficiently manage and automate AI/ML workloads, with a strong emphasis on security and energy efficiency. This collaboration not only enhances the performance and reliability of data center operations, but also underscores our dedication to providing innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers. Together, we are setting new standards in the industry and driving forward the future of data center technology.”