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Posted By
Paul Harvey
- 1 year 6 months ago
- 3 Replies
Towards autonomous open radio access networks .
This work gives an overview of an open disaggregated network architecture based on an Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN), including the current work from standards bodies and industry bodies in this area. Based on this architecture, a framework for the automation of xApp development and deployment is proposed. This is then aligned with the key concepts described in ITU-T in terms of the evolution, experimentation, and adaptation of controllers. The various steps in such an aligned workflow, including design, validation, and deployment of xApps, are discussed, and use case examples are provided to illustrate further our position regarding the mechanisms needed to achieve automation.
https://www.itu.int/pub/S-JNL-VOL4.ISSUE2-2023-A19
I missed some mention about the benefits these xApp functionalities for monitoring and control can supply in terms of service performance, since is a fact that by introducing complexity over the E2E path can degrade key metrics, specially stricter jitter and latency needed for most 5G high-level use cases.
The concept of autonomous open radio access networks represents a significant step forward in telecommunications. By leveraging automation and open standards, these networks promise increased flexibility, efficiency, and innovation in managing and optimizing network resources. This approach has the potential to revolutionize how mobile networks are designed and operated.
A specific IETF document that aligns well with the goals of Open Radio Access Networks is RFC 9232: Network Telemetry Framework [1]. This RFC defines an architectural framework for telemetry, supporting real-time data collection, streaming, and processing from network devices. The telemetry concepts and mechanisms outlined in this document can be directly applied to monitoring and optimizing the performance of Open RAN components. Additionally, the framework enables data-driven automation workflows, which are essential for the development and deployment of xApps within the RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC) architecture.
[1] https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc9232
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