Cloud-Native applicationsare built to work in Cloud computing environments without heavy abstraction layers or services. The potential for cloud platforms is promising, meanwhile the demand for it is growing exponentially. In a bid to meet such demands, telecom firms are actively commencing new collaborations and business strategies with other tech companies. One such stride was taken by F5 Networkswhen it revealed that it has joined hands with Rakuten Mobile, Inc., a division of Rakuten Group, to support the firm's upcoming launch of fully virtualized, cloud-native mobile network as well as its planned deployment of 5G in near future. As per reports, Rakuten Mobile eyes on leveraging F5's NFV (network functions virtualization) abilities to enhance its latest mobile network and further pave the way for 5G services in 2020. Reportedly, the partnership would help Rakuten Mobile evolve and scale design its architecture of the cloud-native network to increase flexibility and scalability without surrendering control. Meanwhile, F5 has delivered a complete-suite N6/SGi-LAN solution comprising of SGi Firewall, virtualized CGNAT, IP Traffic Optimization Functions and DNS Transparent Cache to provide improved eMBB (enhanced Mobile Broadband) services. Additionally, F5's NFV capabilities and offerings enabled Rakuten Mobile, Inc. to optimize and simplify service orchestration, ensure application performance, security and availability, provide supreme agility and freedom in service deployment, allow low-latency network, higher throughput as well as enable predictable scaling. According to a statement, Tareq Amin, Chief Technology Officer, Rakuten Mobile, said that the company's vision is to create a network that scales at the speed of cloud and innovates at the speed of software, and with a culture built in operational and technical innovation, the company is uniquely placed to accomplish this goal. Amin added that, by leveraging state-of-the-art technologies from allies such as F5, the company aims to deliver a cost-effective as well as a high-quality mobile service to its customers. Source Credit: https://www.f5.com/company/news/press-releases/f5-partners-with-rakuten-mobile-to-support-new-cloud-native-mobi