Kyndryl expands global network and edge computing alliance with Nokia

As part of its strategy to bring advanced wireless connectivity and edge, integrated with a multi-factor zero-trust model converging IT and OT for enterprises, leading IT infrastructure services provider Kyndryl has enhanced its partnership with comms tech provider Nokia to achieve Nokia Digital Automation Cloud (DAC) advanced accreditation status, increasing its expert resources and skilled practitioners.

The deal will have a focus on developing and delivering LTE and 5G private wireless services and Industry 4.0 services to customers worldwide. Specifically, over the next three years, Kyndryl and Nokia will aim to enhance their collaboration through closer alignment of Nokia’s OT edge technology expertise and Kyndryl’s ability to support advanced LTE and 5G private wireless networking offerings across industries such as manufacturing, mining and public sector, among others.

Kyndryl said achieving Nokia Digital Automation Cloud (DAC) advanced accreditation status will help ensure that enterprise customers benefit from an expanded lineup of expert resources and skilled practitioners who have extensive training and deep understanding of Nokia products and services. In addition, customers will gain access to Kyndryl’s network deployment capabilities and support of Nokia cellular radio expertise in selected markets.

Commenting on the announcement, research firm IDC observed that as enterprises seek to accelerate and deliver on their Industry 4.0 journeys, the effective integration and deployment of advanced LTE and 5G private wireless networking technologies becomes a vital dependency.

“This expanding, powerful, relationship between Nokia and Kyndryl offers IT, OT and business leaders access to the innovation, tools and expert resources they need to digitally transform their operations in a low-risk, highly productive environment,” said the analyst.

“The partnership offers a compelling shared vision that will enable customers across all industries to access the ingredients they need to deliver against the promise of digital acceleration, powered by network and edge computing.”

To further meet the growing convergence and demands of IT and OT for enterprises, Kyndryl and Nokia will launch a partner innovation lab in 2023, in Raleigh, North Carolina, to bring what the partners say will be reliable, secure and advanced wireless connectivity and edge to industrial networks.

Combining Kyndryl’s network integration expertise with the Nokia DAC platform and Mission Critical Industrial Edge (MXIE), the companies say a multi-factor zero-trust model for industrial networking can enable both the IT and OT sides of the network. The IT/OT convergence will allow enterprises to access critical data, merge business processes, and gain insights and controls in a single uniform platform that, say Nokia and Kyndryl, will be delivered in a secure, reliable and manageable environment.

“Our partnership with Nokia has been focused on co-innovating and co-creating for customers to digitally transform their workspaces and operations,” said Paul Savill, global practice leader of network and edge computing for Kyndryl.

“The success we have seen in deploying private wireless for customers like Dow Chemical over the past 12-months, along with the global expansion of our collaboration, is testament to our belief that we can jointly help companies drive Industry 4.0 transformation across all industries, with speed and scale.”

Chris Johnson, head of Nokia’s global enterprise business, said: “Kyndryl and Nokia have a shared vision for digital transformation, and as leaders in our respective industries we are driven to grow this market together. We are excited to build upon our existing success and strengthen our alliance targeting more enterprise customers across multiple industries.

“The two companies are currently exploring and developing new, integrated solutions and services for Edge, Cloud, IP networking, Optics, Fixed Access, 4G and 5G Core and Network Operations software technologies, which can address the growing demand for mission-critical, industrial-grade wireless networking.”

Kyndryl and Nokia established their global network and edge computing alliance in February 2022, around a shared vision and commitment to helping enterprise and mission-critical infrastructure customers accelerate their digital transformations with LTE and 5G private wireless networking.

To date, the firms have implemented a private wireless network with edge computing for Dow Chemical, at their petrochemical processing plant in Freeport, Texas.