In this episode of Conversations with Dez, we speak with Jenny Panhorse, Vice President and General Manager of the Network and Edge Platforms Division at Intel Corporation. Jenny leads a team that delivers Silicon software and platforms for network and Edge computing infrastructure, driving transformation across wireline wireless, cloud, and Enterprise networks.
Embracing Intergenerational Mentoring
Des commended Jenny on her amazing work, not just in her professional role, but also in mentoring and introducing reverse mentoring into the mix. Jenny shared her passion for reaching out to the younger generation and learning from their fresh perspectives on technology and problem-solving.
Exciting Innovations at Intel
Jenny introduced the new second-generation Xeon scalable processor and the Intel Atom P5900 system on chip. The Atom P5900 is the first Intel architecture SSE for wireless base stations, focusing on Layer 2 and Layer 3 aspects of the wireless base station, transport, packet processing, and control plane processing.
- The Atom P5900 addresses the unique needs of outdoor cell sites, delivering high-performance packet processing and load balancing capabilities.
- In comparison, the Xeon-D family of system on chips focuses on delivering improvements in overall single-threaded performance for server-class workloads, density, and scalability.
Intel’s Converged Edge Reference Architecture and Open Network Edge Services Software
Jenny highlighted Intel’s Converged Edge Reference Architecture (CERA) as a platform for enabling abstraction of underlying network architecture and providing programmability for edge developers. She also discussed the Open Network Edge Services Software (OpenNESS), an open-source reference toolkit that fosters faster development of edge solutions.
- OpenNESS abstracts network complexity and provides access to key capabilities for edge applications, making it easier for developers to leverage edge computing capacity.
Customer and Partner Engagements
Jenny shared examples of how partners like China Unicom and Tencent have leveraged Intel’s solutions to deploy cloud gaming applications with augmented reality and virtual reality, delivering better quality of experience to users. She also mentioned partnerships with Honeywell in the security space and Siemens Healthineers in the healthcare space, showcasing the diverse applications of Intel’s technologies.
Intel’s Leadership in Open Source Collaboration
Intel has been at the forefront of open source collaboration, driving innovation in general-purpose computing and networking. Jenny emphasized the success of the Data Plane Development Kit (DPDK) as an example of Intel’s commitment to open source initiatives, enabling high-performance packet processing on CPUs.
- Intel’s open source projects like Open vSwitch, OpenStack, Kubernetes, and OpenNESS have been instrumental in driving innovation and accelerating development in networking and edge computing.
Accelerating Innovation with Intel Network Builders
Jenny encouraged engagement with Intel Network Builders, a platform offering solutions briefs, blueprints, education through Network Builders University, and access to a network of partners. This collaborative approach aims to accelerate the development and deployment of solutions for networking and edge computing.
In conclusion, Jenny expressed her excitement for the future of 5G and edge computing, emphasizing the potential for innovation and collaboration in this space.
Stay tuned for more conversations and insights on the latest innovations in technology and networking. Onward and upward with 5G and edge!
