Nokia launched a network automation platform for data centres designed to reduce network disruptions and service downtime by eliminating human errors.

Mike Bushong, VP data centre at Nokia, told Mobile World Live the vendor’s event-driven automation (EDA) platform is an intent-based networking system which uses tools including digital twins, generative AI and Kubernetes.

Nokia claims EDA can decrease operational effort by up to 40 per cent by driving human error in network operations to zero.

Bushong said Nokia trained its own large language models to use natural language to translate network statistics and telemetry into the underlying configuration based on the type of device being managed in a data centre.

The multi-vendor platform manages devices from companies including Cisco and Arista to unify operations.

“Your commands are no longer executed device-by-device, nor are they executed with vendor-specific syntax,” Bushong explained. “Natural language lets you operate at the network level to make things more efficient.”

By combining natural language with Kubernetes and cloud-based automation, data centre employees that are not well versed in a specific vendor such as Cisco can “still have impact over a larger heterogeneous set of devices”, he added.

“If Kubernetes is the de facto OS for cloud, then new entrants into the networking workforce are more likely to be well-versed in cloud and Kubernetes,” Bushong explained.

The digital twin capabilities can be used in a staging environment to assess the potential impact of a networking change in a production setting, which Bushong said eliminates human error while improving operational efficiency.

Bushong said EDA is in early trials and is available through on-premise and cloud-based as-a-service subscription models.