Vapor IO, the next generation platform for edge clouds, today announced Project Volutus, which enables cloud providers, wireless carriers and web-scale companies to deliver cloud-based edge computing applications via a network of micro data centers deployed at the base of cell tower sites. The company also announced today that Crown Castle, the nation's largest provider of shared wireless infrastructure, has made a minority investment in Vapor IO to accelerate the project's development and deployment.

Project Volutus is a co-location and "data center as a platform" service, powered by Vapor Edge Computing. Project Volutus offers fully-managed micro data centers at the base of cell towers, literally at the true edge of the wireless network. It combines Vapor IO's patent pending hardware and software technology with the nation's extensive network of cell towers and dense metro fiber to build and operate self-driving, distributed edge data centers in major metropolitan locations.

"Zettabytes of machine to machine communication and new application types will require a shift in how the industry thinks about data centricity and the delivery of edge services," said Cole Crawford, CEO and founder of Vapor IO. "Project Volutus is the most cost-effective way to deliver cloud applications that benefit from last mile wireless proximity and sub 10-millisecond round trip latency. By locating Vapor IO's technology at tower locations and connecting to dense metro fiber, we will provide the fastest, most economical way for cloud providers, telecom carriers and web-scale companies to deliver next generation edge services in every major US city."

In addition to supporting traditional cloud applications, Project Volutus allows carriers to incorporate virtual Radio Access Networks, including those based on Intel Corporation's FlexRAN reference design, for speed and scale when upgrading their networks. By cross-connecting the radio network directly to edge services and the internet, Project Volutus eliminates multiple network hops and facilitates a new breed of low-latency edge applications.

Project Volutus: The Dawn of Vapor Edge Computing

Using a retail co-location model, Project Volutus offers carrier and cloud-neutral micro data centers at the edge of the wireless network, giving cloud providers, web-scale companies and mobile network operators the power, rack space, network capacity and remote hands they need to scale high performance services and applications quickly to thousands of locations.

"Edge computing will be a key enabler of the applications everyone is talking about, including autonomous driving, IoT, augmented and virtual reality, and 5G," said Phil Kelley, senior vice president of corporate development and strategy for Crown Castle. "We believe our unique asset mix of approximately 40,000 tower locations and large metro fiber footprint is ideally positioned for a successful Volutus deployment."

Project Volutus utilizes Vapor IO's Vapor Chamber, the world's first energy-efficient rack and enclosure system designed for edge environments. The Vapor Chamber is manufactured in partnership with Flex, the Sketch-to-Scale solutions provider that designs and builds Intelligent Products for a Connected World. Native support for Intel Corporation's FlexRAN reference design provides versatility plus scale, making it possible to upgrade carrier networks cost-effectively while bridging cloud and mobile data with unprecedented ease.

Project Volutus also utilizes Vapor IO software (which is based upon OpenDCRE, the open source telemetry system for remote monitoring and operations), as well as Vapor IO's commercial packages (Vapor CORE and Vapor Compass) delivered as a managed service. This allows Project Volutus operations teams, as well as Project Volutus customers, to manage thousands of ‘lights out' Vapor Edge Computing locations from remote operations centers.

Project Volutus allows for any cloud native stack to exist at the very edge of the network, making it easy to deploy applications at scale across thousands of micro data centers, weaving massive amounts of compute and cloud directly into the urban fabric.

Data Center as a Platform

Project Volutus combines edge co-location with remote operations, intelligent cross-connects to wireless networks, and direct fiber routes to regional data centers and peering interconnects. It provides unique point-to-point, multi-point and mesh tower-to-tower connections, bypassing the multi-hop high-latency backhaul of the legacy wireless networks and delivering low millisecond round trips.

With Project Volutus, operators can automate their infrastructure and make real time workload decisions based on actual tower conditions, including latency and radio frequency congestion, as well as optimize network handoff and offload. Project Volutus offers direct fiber connections to cloud provider data centers, regional interconnect points and custom facilities.

Don Duet to Join Vapor IO

Vapor IO also announced today that Don Duet, former partner, managing director and head of the technology division at Goldman Sachs, has joined as President and Chief Operating Officer. Duet's extensive experience will help guide the company's expansion of Project Volutus.

Project Volutus will be available for early access in Q3 and multi-city rollouts are targeted to begin later in the year.