微软收购affirm Networks，为5G网络运营商提供云服务

微软收购affirm Networks，为5G网络运营商提供云服务

Microsoft has become the latest company to have a crack at helping telcos prepare for 5G by acquiring network specialist Affirmed Networks.

微软(Microsoft)已成为最新一家尝试通过收购网络专家affirm Networks，帮助电信公司为5G做好准备的公司。

Affirmed's big product, UnityCloud, provides tools for managing wireless carrier networks, such as increasing and decreasing capacity on demand. The platform can also network slice, a flagship feature of 5G tech which allows providers to prioritise certain kinds of traffic on their networks.

affirm的大产品UnityCloud提供了管理无线运营商网络的工具，如按需增减容量。该平台还可以进行网络切片，这是5G技术的一个旗舰特性，允许供应商在其网络上优先处理某些类型的流量。

The Massachusetts company already has more than 100 carriers as customers, including big players such as Vodafone, Orange, AT&T, and Softbank.

这家位于马萨诸塞州的公司已经拥有100多家运营商作为客户，其中包括沃达丰(Vodafone)、Orange、美国电话电报公司(AT&T)和软银(Softbank)等大公司。

The deal allows Microsoft to integrate Affirmed's network tech directly into Azure, enabling telcos to operate and manage their 5G networks on the cloud instead of through traditional hardware. Azure already has a $2bn cloud contract with AT&T, as well as several other carriers.

该协议允许微软将affirm的网络技术直接整合到Azure中，使电信公司能够在云上运营和管理5G网络，而不是通过传统硬件。Azure已经与AT&T以及其他几家运营商签订了价值20亿美元的云服务合同。

"As we’ve seen with other technology transformations, we believe that software can play an important role in helping advance 5G and deliver new network solutions that offer step-change advancements in speed, cost and security," Microsoft's veep of Azure Networking, Yousef Khalidi, wrote in a blog post.

微软Azure网络副总裁Yousef Khalidi在一篇博客中写道:“正如我们在其他技术转型中看到的，我们相信软件可以在帮助推进5G和提供在速度、成本和安全性方面逐步变化的新网络解决方案方面发挥重要作用。”

"There is a significant opportunity for both incumbents and new players across the industry to innovate, collaborate and create new markets, serving the networking and edge computing needs of our mutual customers."

“对于整个行业的现任者和新参与者来说，都有一个重大的机会来创新、合作和创造新市场，满足我们共同客户的网络和边缘计算需求。”

Microsoft's push into 5G reflects the telecoms industry's move away from tightly-coupled proprietary systems. 5G is instead is built on more open, cloud-native platforms.

微软(Microsoft)进军5G技术，反映出电信行业正在远离紧耦合的专有系统。相反，5G是建立在更开放、原声云平台上的。