Kyndryl and Nokia extend partnership to drive data center networking gains

IT infrastructure services provider Kyndryl has expanded its partnership with Nokia in a bid to offer a wider range of data center networking solutions and services.

By bringing in Nokia's data center networking infrastructure solutions, the pair hope to appeal to enterprise customers looking to modernize and expand their data center networks.

"As enterprises face increasing workloads due to hybrid IT environments, AI adoption and high-performance computing, the demand for highly reliable, low-latency and secure connectivity has never been greater," said Paul Savill, global network and edge computing practice leader at Kyndryl.

"Our expanded portfolio of solutions with Nokia underscores the critical role that robust data center network infrastructure plays in driving IT modernization.

“From leveraging AI-driven network automation to extending capabilities at the edge, our comprehensive, end-to-end network services empower enterprises to mitigate future risks, meet regulatory requirements and accelerate their technology transformation journey."

Nokia’s Event-Driven Automation (EDA) technology is an infrastructure automation platform that takes advantage of real-time data and machine learning to automate data center networks.

Under the new agreement, this will be integrated with Kyndryl Bridge, an AI-powered, open-integration digital business platform designed to help customers observe and orchestrate their technology environments, as well as handling network automation management.

Kyndryl’s network portfolio will be further bolstered by the addition of Nokia’s multi-layer security solutions (IP/Optical), Quantum-safe networks (QSN) and the Event-Driven Automation (EDA) technology.

Similarly, Kyndryl will also deploy Nokia’s IP routing products within its data center network.

The improved IT infrastructure will also help to strengthen enterprise resilience against cyber attacks, the firms said, and will support compliance with regulatory frameworks such as the EU’s Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA).

"As businesses use AI to transform themselves, they need fast, secure and easy-to-use data center networks. That’s what Nokia and Kyndryl are offering together," said Federico Guillén, president of Nokia Network Infrastructure.

"By combining Kyndryl’s IT expertise with Nokia’s advanced, open and secure network technology, we’re jointly creating solutions businesses can trust. This partnership makes it easier than ever for companies to modernize their data centers and stay ahead in the AI world."

Created as a spin-off from IBM’s IT infrastructure services unit in 2021, Kyndryl now claims to be the world’s largest IT infrastructure services provider.

Kyndryl and Nokia already partner on private 5G and LTE implementations, as well as on edge, network and device management services.