AMD said on Feb. 26 it launched its fifth-generation EPYC 8005 server CPU to help address economic and operational challenges in scalable virtual radio access networks (vRAN). Optimised for distributed, compute-intensive vRAN workloads, the CPU supports building an efficient platform for edge environments with space and power constraints. It also enables telecom operators and partners to implement consistent vRAN operations even at scale.

Traditional radio access networks (RAN) relied on customised systems and specialised silicon. vRAN uses general-purpose server computing to let telecom operators scale capacity more flexibly and economically, and the server platform directly affects total cost of ownership across thousands of sites, energy consumption, sustainability and deployment speed.

The EPYC 8005 server CPU is designed for edge environments. It can be deployed in a single-socket configuration with up to 84 cores and provides high computing density within a power range of up to 225 watts. It supports performance requirements for vRAN workloads, including compute-intensive Layer 1 processing.

The EPYC 8005 server CPU supports a wide thermal operating range, enabling NEBS-compliant platforms for robust telecom deployments. A high core count per socket enables small form factors. It supports dense deployments where performance requirements keep rising even when energy budgets are fixed.

For improved Layer 1 performance in vRAN deployments, AMD introduced LDPC decoding optimisation to the EPYC 8005 server CPU. The improvements reduce latency for 5G workloads and accelerate forward error correction processing. It uses the AMD Zen 5 execution pipeline, enhanced vector units and tuned memory access. It is designed to improve LDPC decoding efficiency while maintaining determinism in vRAN operation.

Michael Begley (마이클 베글리), head of RAN Compute and Platform at Ericsson, said, "Cloud-native RAN presents new requirements for computing platforms in terms of determinism, efficiency and integration flexibility." He said cooperation across the ecosystem, including AMD, is key to supporting telecom operators as this architecture matures.