Andrew Coward runs IBM's software business in what has traditionally been known as the biggest and most influential hardware company in the world. Perhaps a sign of the times we are in, that mindset has clearly changed, with software leading the charge in the evolution of technology, and in this case, networks, alongside hardware.
As GM of Software Defined Networking at IBM, Andrew oversees IBM’s hybrid cloud software and network offerings. And that is no small task. With increasingly complex networks, multiple clouds coexisting, and layers of orchestration and automation being built end-to-end, software tools such as AI are key to making sense of it all.
In this interview, Andrew sets the scene by explaining that the real challenge for mobile operators today is managing and building a network capable of handling and servicing the next billion devices. These won’t be phones–they'll be machinery, vehicles, sensors and countless other devices scattered around the globe. How we build networks today will determine the success of the entire industry in capably addressing the needs of the future's diverse client and device base.
During the conversation, Andrew digs deeper into why now is the time for AI to take front and center in network planning, and the challenge of orchestrating and automating networks end-to-end–all the way from the radio to the transport and core.
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