Fiber to the Office, Cyber and Physical Security, and Wi-Fi 8: How Huawei Rethinks Corporate Networks
Fully intelligent campuses, where network, security, and artificial intelligence converge to manage high-density data environments and create new operational models. This is Huawei's vision for corporate infrastructures, which, according to the company, should be characterized by AI-native architectures, greater integration of components, and increased security, both physical and cyber.
To realize this vision, Huawei has introduced a new ecosystem that integrates AI, optical fiber networks, and Wi-Fi 8.
iFTTO: Intelligent Fiber to the Office for the Campuses of the Future
At the heart of Huawei's vision is advanced connectivity, based on intelligent optical fiber. Here, the company goes beyond the classic concepts of FTTC and FTTH to focus directly on iFTTO (intelligent Fiber To The Office). Essentially, this is an approach where fiber reaches everywhere, in every single office. Connections that are not only faster but also integrate new functionalities.
Huawei's reference model for iFTTO is called O-N.E.X.T, designed to natively integrate connectivity, data, and artificial intelligence. It is not a single technology, but rather a framework that combines five dimensions:
- Unified optical network up to the terminals
- Open IoT ecosystem
- Fusion of multidimensional data
- AI-based autonomous management
- Distributed computing across cloud, edge, and devices
More specifically, the N stands for Network Unified by Optical: optical networks connect directly to terminals, transforming the architecture from two layers to one. The E refers to an Ecosystem of Open IoT, realized through the first optical Wi-Fi 7 IoT access point in the industry with integrated NearLink and Bluetooth modules, enabling unified deployment and a shared bus for network and IoT connectivity. The X refers to X-Dimensional Information Fusion, a model that supports multidimensional data sources such as computer vision, Wi-Fi channels, radio frequency, and 3D LiDAR, coordinating various AI applications through multimodal collaborative computing. The T stands for Towards Autonomous Operation, the industry's first intelligent agent for the O&M management of all-optical campuses, supporting interactive and proactive operations and closed-loop management. Finally, the O relates to Open 3-Layer Computing Power: it supports the deployment of AI applications across various sectors through cloud-edge-device synergy.
Xinghe AI Full-Scope Security Campus: Physical and Cyber Security According to Huawei
In addition to connectivity, the integrated approach proposed by Huawei also extends to campus security management, both from a cyber and physical perspective, including access control. For security, the company proposes the Xinghe AI Full-Scope Security Campus, a distributed system that brings together the digital and physical worlds.
On the asset side, Huawei's system can automatically recognize even less advanced devices to identify abnormal behaviors within seconds, intervening to resolve them automatically. For connectivity, the goal is to protect data throughout its journey, with technologies that make interception more difficult today and also consider future risks related to quantum computing. Security extends to physical spaces: through the Wi-Fi signal, the solution can detect movements or suspicious activities without the need for additional sensors, while dedicated tools allow for the identification of unauthorized recording devices.
Completing the picture is the debut of the AirEngine Pre Wi-Fi 8, a new access point based on the latest evolution of the Wi-Fi standard, designed to ensure more stable and faster connections in high-density environments, ensuring companies are ready for the era of artificial intelligence.
"Digital and intelligent transformation is impacting every industrial sector, and AI-enhanced campuses are already a concrete reality: they improve productivity through optimized processes, integrate intelligence into networks to smartly connect everything, and leverage the networks themselves to make intelligence universally accessible, accelerating the transformation of entire industrial ecosystems," comments Shawn Zhao, President of the Campus Network Domain - Data Communication Product Line of Huawei.