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How can Evolution Platform, as a service hosting platform, contributes to reducing environmental impact?

Evolution Platform is based on a virtuous « platform » service model, very different from the previous « integrated » model. The technical foundation of the Evolution Platform is based on a set of Orange Business SuperPoPs, Software Defined Network (SDN) Points of Presence, deployed around the world and connected to each other with a private and high-performance backbone.

These SuperPoPs will host virtualized services which previously required physical boxes at customers' premises. Those boxes are often proprietary solutions, and each box is dedicated to a single service. Or the customers use resources in their own Data Center to provide the service.

Centralized and digitalized architecture built to reduce environmental impact​

This new centralized and digitalized architecture makes it possible to rationalize the infrastructure such as sharing between several customers, mutualization and optimization of occupancy. It enables to liberate the customer from release management of services, and to optimize the network path by being closer to customers on Branch sites or when teleworking. The customer’s electricity consumption is therefore reduced (part of Scope 2) as well as the volume of equipment they manage (part of Scope 3). The Scopes refer to the Green House Gas (GHG) Protocol (see GHG Protocol Website) and classify greenhouse gas emissions into 3 categories: Scope 1 for direct emissions, Scope 2 for indirect emissions from energy consumption, Scope 3 for all other indirect emissions.

Orange Business is also leading a process to decarbonize these SuperPoPs for example by studying the solarization of its sites. Orange Business works on energy efficiency solution for a better Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE). The PUE is an indicator that measures the energy efficiency of a Data Center, the objective being to be as close as possible to 1. Orange Business applies the principles of the circular economy into the purchasing and production processes as well as network convergence.

New Platform model opened to Partners​

Evolution Platform is a new platform model which delivers on demand connectivity, cloud, and cybersecurity solutions. It allows users to consume network services, and to be attached to a network, in the same way as they would be for a cloud service with all the benefits associated with it. The platform relies on Partners who will deploy and update their software through the systematic use of Application Programming Interfaces (API). The availability is thus optimized, and the intervention of operational staff is reduced. The principle of « service on demand », and no longer a flat-rate subscription, makes it possible to use the service over the desired period, and to adapt it to follow the evolution of the need such as bandwidth increase or decrease. The customer can compose his services either from the service library « Partner store », or by using predefined and adapted models named « blueprints ». Note that most Partners offer their own management console called Element Management System (EMS): the functions carried by this EMS are not redeveloped in the Evolution Platform Console, instead, a direct and secure link is offered.

Similarly, all features available on the Evolution Platform Console are usable through an API allowing integration with the customer’s Information System and development effort optimization.

Measurement & optimisation of carbon footprint​

Evolution Platform target is to measure the SuperPoPs’ carbon footprint and the services’ carbon footprint ordered by the customers. This will help our customers to meet the regulation on their carbon footprint publication. The final objective is to propose ways to reduce this environmental impact through supervision and rationalization, with GreenOps recommendations in the same way FinOps does with cost optimization.

Thus, when a customer orders a service and selects the SuperPoPs through which his service will pass, an eco-rating is associated with each of these SuperPoPs so that the carbon impact criterion is made visible to the customer. In fact, depending on SuperPoP’ location, the energy mix supplied by the country can be more or less carbon intensive. For example, based on November 2023 figures, France’s energy mix is 51.9 gCO2/kWh and Japan’s is 462.8.

Similarly, when purchasing a service, the estimated carbon cost information of the service, for the Orange perimeter, will be displayed as well as the financial cost. The methodology used is based on « Methodological standard for the environmental assessment of Datacenter IT hosting services and cloud services » from French agency for the ecological transition (ADEME) (see Methodological standard for the environmental assessment of Datacenter IT hosting services and cloud services page), ITU L.1410, ISO 14044, ISO 14067 and « ICT Sector guidance » of GHG Protocol.

In addition to financial management, an « Eco dashboard » will allow customers to have extra-financial management through the observability of these resources, enriched by AI and Machine Learning, and through exportable reports.

To conclude​

Finally, the use of Evolution Platform brings significant gains compared to a conventional architecture thanks to virtualization and digitalization that eliminates manual intervention and accelerates order management/termination, through the removal of physical equipment from customers and through the pooling and optimization of centralized resources. Examples will come soon.

In addition, benefit from Hyperscalers optimization​

Hyperscalers are engaged for several years in a decarbonization process and regularly improve the PUE of their Data Centers. For example, Google Cloud Platform announces an average PUE of 1.10 over the past 12 months (see Google data centers efficiency). Thus, in most cases hosting applications on Public Clouds, rather than on private Data Centers, will reduce customers’ carbon footprints for scope 2 and 3. Evolution Platform facilitates this migration thanks to Cloud Connect services that optimizes connectivity to Public Clouds and thanks to SuperPoPs presence as close as possible to the regions of Hyperscalers.