Layers of SD-ME
Layer 1
Layer 2
Layer 3
Just SD-ME and Experience…
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Secure Zero Trust Networking
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Higher Data Throughput
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Increase in Network Efficiency
Better Video Resolution
Faster Startup Time
Alef EdgeNet Foundations
SD-ME is easy to implement.
- The Edge site software stack being installed in a cloud neutral, cloud native environment on common off-the-shelf hardware, and providing both network functions as well as application functions.
- The virtual machines/containers being installed in a Central site in a similar cloud-native environment in the Cloud. These Central site virtual machines perform functions related to the all-important Control plane for the user and session management.
- Cloud services that compliment applications running on the Edge. These services are installed in a Cloud environment, representing the Control plane for the application layer.
SD-ME provides a programmable layer for a developer to be able to program the network layer as well as the application layer for anything they want it to do. The programmable layer is easy to use through 5G Edge APIs, connectors and SDKs. The last thing an Enterprise developer or IT manager wants is to be locked into a system that forces them to use only network and application functions from one vendor. Instead a developer must be able to deploy best-in-breed enterprise applications in any vertical.
The Edge is no exception, in order for an entire class of developers to adopt the Edge and write applications to it, SD-ME must present an open architecture and provide an open framework for programmers to develop and deploy applications for pervasive consumption.
SD-ME is no exception, and at first glance, given the distributed nature of the Edge Internet, one may be led to the conclusion that Enterprises may be opening ourselves to new points of attacks and potentially a new class of vulnerabilities. Thankfully, given the “Edge First” approach and SD-ME being a parallel connected universe to the Internet, systems security of SD-ME is simpler.

SD-ME Framework
Your Edge.
Any Network.
Any Hardware.
100% Automated.
COTS Hardware
Alef EdgeNet has been abstracted from the hardware layer and runs in a virtualized environment on standard commodity hardware.
Access Network
SD-ME traffic integration ensures traffic from Enterprise access networks is automatically integrated using the link from the Enterprise to the Micro Edge DC.
Install Automation
Automation scripts deploy and provision Alef EdgeNet software on the standard off-the-shelf hardware in a completely automated fashion, whether in a Micro or Metro Edge location.
Integration
Alef EdgeNet easily integrates into the Micro DC switching environment, so policy-based routing and virtual routing functions can be deployed in order to process incoming Enterprise 5G Edge traffic.
Access Agnostic
Alef EdgeNet can take in traffic from any generation of cellular networks be it 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, and WiFi.
5G Networks Now
Enterprises can take advantage of ultra-low latency and ultra-high-definition applications by deploying Alef EdgeNet on a 4G network enabling 5G Enterprise applications to be deployed.
5G Edge as easy as WiFi
WiFi networks within enterprises, campuses and venues generate a ginormous amount of uplink traffic requests, which can be easily processed at the Edge by SD-ME and served locally.
Local Applications
By hosting applications locally, or even peering to them through local breakout, Enterprises can save thousands of dollars from broadband costs.
Our SD-ME Platform Accelerates Digital Transformation
- Key for Edge Computing
- CUPS - At Every Layer
- Hardware Abstraction
- Full Application Development Environment
- 100% Automation
- Cloud Application Continuity
- Roaming
- Mobility
- Orchestration
For SD-ME architecture to be functional – a mobile access layer (like 5G. LTE or WiFi), a Data Center, hardware and software are necessary. Alef is the software provider in this value chain and has the entire software stack to build the Edge Internet using SD-ME. Alef’s SD-ME software stack can be divided into 3 layers – Mobility and Gateway, Cloud and the Application Enablement. The Mobility and Gateway layer consists of various network services to process and route incoming mobile traffic to intelligently determine what can be served from the edge as well as setting up a session and creating CDRs and IPDRs to be recorded in Alef’s central site. These central site services are tied to certain packet core functions related to the control plane that have been brought into Alef’s SD-ME 5G Edge architecture, but centralized. Alef’s Cloud layer enables Private Edge networks to be connected seamlessly together to provide connectivity and mobility across Private Edge networks and into the Public network. The Application Enablement layer provides an application framework to easily deploy Mobile Edge applications to satisfy the most stringent of latency requirements at the Edge. All of these layers work symbiotically and seamlessly in the SD-ME stack. Another hallmark of Alef’s SD-ME is every layer is open and programmable, and has connectors and APIs to take advantage of some of the best software out in the marketplace from 3rd parties.
Automation is vital to quickly deploying Alef’s software stack and onboarding Enterprise customers. We pride ourselves in fully automating the installation of software into the virtualized 5G Edge compute environment. We automate the creation of the virtual machines and or containers through our centralized controller, and make available for installers a UI that makes it easy for any installation team to merely execute a Shell script to perfect the installation. We refer to this set of automation rules as Installation Automation. Alef also champions Integration Automation, which is the automation required to automatically onboard Enterprise wireless traffic be it from WiFi or LTE networks, and in the future, 5G networks. These automated SD-ME Edge deployments can easily be managed from a centralized console. Typically the Cloud infrastructure layer will be managed by the central controller of Cloud companies such as VMWare and Red Hat. Alef will leverage this automation layer of the Cloud Infrastructure layer as well as automation from BMaaS providers as well on the compute layer to get an integrated Private Edge system automation and administration view. Finally, Alef has its automation to deploy updates to APIs, software and other services and any associated licensing at every Edge site.
For an Enterprise already committed to and using Cloud applications in a multi Cloud environment that includes AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, Salesforce Cloud and others, having application availability from the Origin or Hyper Cloud is critical. Alef provides an onramp to the Hypercloud through local breakout of wireless traffic directly to a peering location at an IXP located in a Metro Edge Data Center. This is a core SD-ME capability that Alef provides Enterprises to protect the latter’s investments in current Cloud applications as well as to provide maximum application performance. This results in bandwidth savings as such traffic is managed and served locally with high SLAs, as opposed to using expensive leased lines to reach the Hyper cloud.
Companies have created a virtualization and containerization environment called Software-Defined Data Center (SDCC), have made it easy for SD-ME companies such as Alef to deploy software on top of Cloud native functionality using either their Hypervisor or Kubernetes layer. While a certain degree of miniaturization of the SDDC layer in Micro Edge locations does provide some Cloud native functionality and services to Enterprises and deployers of SDDC, merely having some SDDC functionality on a bare metal compute layer is insufficient to unleash the power and promise of the Edge. This is where Alef’s Software Defined Mobile Edge comes in and provides the software layers of network and mobility services as well as Application layer functionality to deploy new and existing Edge applications. Mobility is an important capability to ensure Private Network users can easily cross over and “roam” into other Private Networks with full guest privileges, as well as into Macro/public carrier networks, and continue to have their Edge services available. We refer to this constancy as Edge Roaming, and we bring this level of innovation to the Edge.
Cloud Application Continuity
Proper coordination between different Edge Cloud instances is critical to ensure the user has a smooth experience with regard to session handoffs as he/she traverses across the Private Network and crosses over into an adjoining Private Network or into a Macro Public network. This is referred to Edge Mobility. Session handoff is critical so the Edge compute session can continue uninterrupted. Edge Roaming is the ability for a user to roam outside his/her immediate Private Network into another Private Network tethered to the same neutral host ePC or into a Public Network also tethered to the same neutral host ePC and part of a Roaming marketplace. With Edge Roaming, a user will be registered as a guest in these guest networks and have 5G Edge compute and application resources available. This requires accessing the user’s traffic on 3GPP interfaces such as S1 and S8, which is part of Alef’s innovation.