Open RAN (eBook)

Technology and Ecosystem

Vladimir Yanover (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2025
389 Seiten
Wiley (Verlag)
978-1-394-24115-6 (ISBN)

Infos

Complete guide to identifying and describing basic Open RAN technology concepts and understanding the structure and dynamics of the ecosystem

Open RAN describes key aspects and provides insight into the structure and dynamics of the Open RAN ecosystem, linking the key technology aspects to the market drivers and showing the role of technology in the ecosystem's progress.

This book explores Open RAN cloudification techniques and deployment scenarios down to details of the RAN split options and use of hardware accelerators. Open RAN programmability for non-real-time operations (SMO, Non-RT RIC, A1) and real-time operations (Near-RT RIC, E2) are discussed alongside essentials of RAN control, network data collection, notifications of events, policy control, and network and service management. Examples of implementation by leading vendors and open-source communities are provided throughout to show the potential of the Open RAN ecosystem and technology.

Written by an industry insider and a key contributor to the development of the technology, this book includes:

• Activities and structure of the O-RAN Alliance, including work groups, committees, and the O-RAN Software Community (OSC)
• Evolution of the Open RAN ecosystem, covering O-RAN specifications releases and compliant products, ongoing and planned developments, as well as ongoing and planned trials and commercial deployments
• SMO and Non-RT RIC functional procedures, A1 policy-based interface, rApps
• Near-RT RIC functional procedures, covering subscription, notifications, control, policy, and query procedures; E2 services, covering REPORT, INSERT, CONTROL, and POLICY services; Near-RT RIC as an xApps hosting platform
• Traffic steering, QoS optimization, NSSI resource optimization, and massive MIMO optimization, covering outer and inner control loops, network data collection, and optimization actions

With a combined overview of key technology aspects and practical examples, Open RAN is a practical and highly useful reference for researchers, engineers, and marketing experts employed by mobile carriers, equipment vendors, government bodies, and universities, as well as professionals in associated communications fields and PhD electrical engineering students.

Vladimir Yanover, PhD, 5G and Open RAN expert, has significant experience in the development of mobile network technology, representing leading companies in O-RAN Alliance and 3GPP, and the development of industry White Papers. He invented and contributed to several essential O-RAN technology elements, chaired technical Work Groups in standard bodies, led the development of White Papers in NGMN and 5G Americas and co-authored a book on 5G RAN architecture.

Textauszug

1
Introduction

CONTENTS

• Acronyms and Abbreviations
• 1.1 What is Open RAN
• 1.2 O‐RAN ALLIANCE
• 1.3 Open RAN Driving Forces
• References

Acronyms and Abbreviations

AI

Artificial Intelligence

AI/ML

Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning

CA

Carrier Aggregation

CN

Core Network

C‐SON

Centralized SON

CU

RAN Central Unit

DC

Dual Connectivity

DL

Downlink

DRB

Data Radio Bearer

D‐SON

Distributed SON

DU

RAN Distributed Unit

eNB

LTE Base Station defined in 3GPP

FH

FrontHaul interface

gNB

5G Base Station defined in 3GPP

HO

Handover

H‐SON

Hybrid SON

LCM

Life Cycle Management

MDP

Markov Decision Process

ML

Machine Learning

ms

millisecond

Near‐RT RIC

Near‐Real‐Time Radio Intelligent Controller

NF

Network Function

Non‐RT

Non‐real time

Non‐RT RIC

Non‐Real‐Time Radio Intelligent Controller

NRT

Non‐Real Time

NSI

Network Slice Instance

NSSI

Network Slice Subnet Instance

O1

O‐RAN management interface (OAM, FCAPS)

O2

O‐RAN cloud management interface

O‐Cloud

Cloud defined in O‐RAN, which, in particular, supports O2 interface

O‐CU

O‐RAN defined Central Unit

O‐CU‐CP

O‐RAN defined Central Unit – Control Plane

O‐CU‐UP

O‐RAN defined Central Unit – User Plane

O‐DU

O‐RAN defined Distributed Unit

O‐eNB

O‐RAN conformant LTE Base Station, which, in particular, supports E2 interface

OFH

Open Fronthaul interface

O‐gNB

O‐RAN conformant 5G Base Station, which, in particular, supports E2 interface

O‐RU

O‐RAN defined Radio Unit

PM

Performance Management

PRB

Physical Resource Block in LTE and 5G

RAN

Radio Access Network

RRM

Radio Resources Management

RRU

Remote Radio Unit

RT

Real Time

RU

Radio Unit

SLA

Service Level Agreement

SMO

Service Management and Orchestration framework

SON

Self‐Organized Network

SST

Slice/Service Type

TCO

Total Cost of Ownership

TN

Transport Network

UE

User Equipment

UL

Uplink

1.1 What is Open RAN

Technically, Open RAN is a new architecture of the Radio Access Network (RAN), which enables new business models and facilitates technology advances. The new architecture, developed by O‐RAN ALLIANCE, can be considered a next phase of the 3GPP 5G RAN architecture with additional split of RAN and advanced RAN programmability.

Comparatively to the 3GPP RAN architecture, O‐RAN added a split of the 3GPP Distributed Unit (gNodeB‐DU) into O‐RAN Distributed Unit (O‐DU) and O‐RAN Radio Unit (O‐RU) and defined Open Fronthaul interface (OFH) between them. Another additional split allows separation of some RAN control functions from the 3GPP Base Station (gNodeB); these control functions are placed in the newly defined controllers: Non‐Real‐Time RAN Intelligent Controller (Non‐RT RIC) and Near‐Real‐Time RAN Intelligent Controller (Near‐RT RIC). Such separation requires that RAN components support a management interface O1 to the Service Management and Orchestration framework (SMO), defined in O‐RAN, and E2 interface to Near‐RT RIC. Such RAN components are named O‐CU, O‐DU, etc., according to the corresponding names in 3GPP.

Another aspect of O‐RAN architecture innovations is adding integrated support for cloud, which is critical for deployments with cloudified (virtualized) RAN components. This part includes use of O‐RAN‐compatible RAN accelerators and cloud management.

With new CU/DU/RU split, O‐RAN architecture drives further evolution of the business model in the RAN industry. Standardized definition of interfaces between O‐RAN components allows purchase of RAN equipment from different suppliers, with e.g. O‐CU, O‐DU, O‐RU, Near‐RT RIC coming from different vendors. Such business model allows easier entry of new vendors to the RAN equipment market, especially for the software components, such as O‐CU or Non‐RT RIC. Entry of new vendors is considered a strong driver for reduction of the RAN Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).

RAN programmability is another strong driver for the TCO reduction. With significant part of RAN intelligence moved to the SMO, Non‐RT RIC, and Near‐RT RIC, the network operator will be able to modify the behavior of already deployed RAN by making modification in the RAN controllers without touching RAN components O‐CU, O‐DU, O‐RU. The Non‐RT RIC supports non‐real‐time programmability, and the Near‐RT RIC allows near‐real‐time and real‐time network control. The Non‐RT RIC can control the Near‐RT RIC via policy‐based A1 interface. Modification of RAN behavior is especially easy and efficient with use of third‐party applications: rApps running on the Non‐RT RIC platform and xApps running on the Near‐RT RIC platform. These applications can be installed and modified after RAN roll‐out, which creates additional level of flexibility. RAN programmability allows efficient customization of the network to fit local environment. Besides, it allows permanent network evolution and improvement, enabling flexible service differentiation and creation of new services.

Chapter 1 of this book contains Introduction.

Chapter 2, “Open RAN market drivers,” outlines technological and business aspects, which are driving development of the Open RAN ecosystem and corresponding market domain.

Chapter 3, “Open RAN stakeholders,” describes the members of Open RAN ecosystem: network operators, vendors, industry bodies. In particular, the chapter provides an overview of O‐RAN Alliance structure and activities, such as O‐RAN Plugfests. The chapter also contains overview of major Open RAN deployments.

Chapter 4, “Open RAN Ecosystem evolution,” outlines evolution of Open RAN technology and provides information on major Open RAN vendors and on most important of commercially available Open RAN solutions.

Chapter 5, “O‐RAN Architecture,” describes Service Management and Orchestration framework (SMO), Non‐Real‐Time RAN Intelligent Controller (Non‐RT RIC), Near‐Real‐Time RAN Intelligent Controller (Near‐RT RIC), RAN nodes: O‐CU‐CP, O‐CU‐UP, O‐DU, O‐RU, and basic reference points (interfaces), such as A1, O1, O2, E2, and OFH. The chapter also describes the concept of the cloud platform customized for virtualized Open RAN (O‐Cloud).

Chapter 6, “Non‐real‐time RAN programming,” addresses the SMO, Non‐RT RIC, and rApps. The chapter contains description of A1 interface and examples of protocol operations.

Chapter 7, “Real‐Time RAN programming,” is focused on Near‐RT RIC, xApps, E2 protocols, and services; it contains examples of E2‐based optimization procedures.

Chapter 8, “RAN decomposition and cloudification,” describes O‐DU/O‐RU functional split, O‐Cloud architecture, O‐Cloud management, and hardware acceleration aspects.

Chapter 9, “Network automation in O‐RAN,” outlines basic concepts of O‐RAN network control and optimization and describes how they are applied to several use cases identified by O‐RAN specifications.

Chapter 10, “O‐RAN Management,” contains description of O‐RAN management, O1 interface, and Open FH management plane (“M‐Plane”) interface.

Chapter 11, “AI/ML support in O‐RAN architecture,” describes O‐RAN architecture aspects related to use of Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) in RAN automation/optimization, including placement of associated components and the structure of control loops.

1.2 O‐RAN ALLIANCE

The key organization in the development of Open RAN technology is O‐RAN ALLIANCE™ (www.o‐ran.org), an industry forum founded in February 2018 by AT&T, China Mobile, Deutsche Telekom, NTT DOCOMO, and Orange; it was incorporated in Germany in August 2018. O‐RAN ALLIANCE has been created by merger of xRAN forum led by AT&T and CRAN forum led by China Mobile.

O‐RAN ALLIANCE defines its mission as promotion of Open RAN architecture to drive the RAN ecosystem toward multi‐vendor solutions. Besides, transition to Open RAN is...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 7.1.2025
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Technik ► Elektrotechnik / Energietechnik
• Schlagworte: Near-RT RICc • Non-RT RIC • Open RAN • Open RAN compliance • Open RAN market • Open RAN products • Open RAN research • Open RAN specifications • O-RAN Alliance • O-RAN Software Community • RAN control • RAN programming • RIC functions
• ISBN-10: 1-394-24115-1 / 1394241151
• ISBN-13: 978-1-394-24115-6 / 9781394241156